Re: getting used to being HOH

[Guest guest]

Jerome,

It is a known fact that people who have less stress in their lives, live longer,

better lives than those who have more stress.

For me and for most people who have lost their hearing, the stress factor is

much greater than for those people who can hear. Life can be stressful enough

without adding to it by choice and I certainly wouldn't want to go through the

rest of my life with the stress of trying to understand sound and speech. Once

I was implanted and activated, that stress factor was completely removed and I

became my old happy, social, self again. Besides me smiling and being happy

again, so many people noticed the difference in me. They think this is truly

amazing and they are right.

Happy Hearing!

Carol

Boca Raton, FL

N24C 3G left ear -12/11/01

N Freedom- right ear- implanted 3/01/06 activated 4/6/06

getting used to being HOH

Hi there,

I'm still having my thoughts swinging back and forth.

Lately I'm not that motivated like before in going for surgery, still mixed

feelings, especially now when I'm getting used to avoiding situations where

I cannot hear well. Or having someone go with me in social situation. I

wonder if any of you guys who had CI now have experienced this kind of

thoughts prior to getting CI. I admit I still get frustrated in social

setting, but I'm no longer that frustrated in general considering that I've

avoided a lot of such situation.

Hope to read some comments.

Thanks.

Regards,

Jerome

[Guest guest]

Hi Jerome. In my case,I never really got used to being HOH. When hearing aids

stopped helping, I decided things would only get worse, so why not go for the

CI! After I got on the Kaiser waiting list to be evaluated, it was close to a

year before I was evaluated and accepted. I had a lot of time to reconsider, but

after reading all the posts on these lists, I knew that for me, the decision to

continue was the correct one. I had no surgery in over 60 years, so I really

didn't know what to expect. Well, it was a snap! Since turn on, I have been able

to carry on normal conversations and can use the phone(this took a bit longer).

While I never shied away from social situations, my CI made them so much more

enjoyable. I have no qualms about asking someone to repeat now and then. I am

now 71 years old, and have never looked back! Even if a CI did no good(which I

doubt very much will happen if your doctor says you are a good candidate), you

will have the knowledge that you gave it

your best shot. Lots of luck.

Jerome Tan <tan.jerome@...> wrote: Hi there,

I'm still having my thoughts swinging back and forth.

Lately I'm not that motivated like before in going for surgery, still mixed

feelings, especially now when I'm getting used to avoiding situations where

I cannot hear well. Or having someone go with me in social situation. I

wonder if any of you guys who had CI now have experienced this kind of

thoughts prior to getting CI. I admit I still get frustrated in social

setting, but I'm no longer that frustrated in general considering that I've

avoided a lot of such situation.

Hope to read some comments.

Thanks.

Regards,

Jerome

[Guest guest]

Jerome,

Understandable. But avoiding for the rest of your life? Think about

that. How much will that give you in your daily life?

You are the only one who stands to gain. Yes, there is no guarntee that

a CI will work. There is no way to predict the outcome. But there is no

question that avoiding life is not going to be a lot of fun. That will not

get better.

The decision is yours and yours alone.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

" It's pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have

both failed. "

-- Kin Hubbard

& Dreamer Doll (Guide Dawggie)

Newport, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rclark0276@...

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

[Guest guest]

I think it is very normal to withdraw from social and other situations when you

cannot hear. I also know that I depended on my husband to be my ears in alot of

situations. In fact after my CI it was a bit of an adjustment for him to get

used to not always answering for me. I love him dearly and he has been very

supportive but there were times when I just had to tell him let me go.

I also think it is completely normal to be apprehensive before surgery. In

fact I can tell you that I am scheduled for my second CI (I have adjusted very

well to the first and had no problems with the surgery) and I am actually more

nervous this time.

Connie

Jerome Tan <tan.jerome@...> wrote:

Hi there,

I'm still having my thoughts swinging back and forth.

Lately I'm not that motivated like before in going for surgery, still mixed

feelings, especially now when I'm getting used to avoiding situations where

I cannot hear well. Or having someone go with me in social situation. I

wonder if any of you guys who had CI now have experienced this kind of

thoughts prior to getting CI. I admit I still get frustrated in social

setting, but I'm no longer that frustrated in general considering that I've

avoided a lot of such situation.

Hope to read some comments.

Thanks.

Regards,

Jerome

[Guest guest]

You are so right!!!

Thanks!!!

Connie

Carol <carol@...> wrote:

Jerome,

It is a known fact that people who have less stress in their lives, live longer,

better lives than those who have more stress.

For me and for most people who have lost their hearing, the stress factor is

much greater than for those people who can hear. Life can be stressful enough

without adding to it by choice and I certainly wouldn't want to go through the

rest of my life with the stress of trying to understand sound and speech. Once I

was implanted and activated, that stress factor was completely removed and I

became my old happy, social, self again. Besides me smiling and being happy

again, so many people noticed the difference in me. They think this is truly

amazing and they are right.

Happy Hearing!

Carol

Boca Raton, FL

N24C 3G left ear -12/11/01

N Freedom- right ear- implanted 3/01/06 activated 4/6/06

getting used to being HOH

Hi there,

I'm still having my thoughts swinging back and forth.

Lately I'm not that motivated like before in going for surgery, still mixed

feelings, especially now when I'm getting used to avoiding situations where

I cannot hear well. Or having someone go with me in social situation. I

wonder if any of you guys who had CI now have experienced this kind of

thoughts prior to getting CI. I admit I still get frustrated in social

setting, but I'm no longer that frustrated in general considering that I've

avoided a lot of such situation.

Hope to read some comments.

Thanks.

Regards,

Jerome

[Guest guest]

By the way Jerome, the fact that I am losing nmy sight only plays a

small part in my decision to be implanted. I too was withdrawing somewhat

and could not stand the prospect of being that way for the rest of my life.

I had nothing to lose. If I " avoided life " , only I would lose. Everyone

else will just go on their merry way. Does the " maybe it wont work " make

you unsure? Isnt that still better than a life where you practice

avoidance?

What was the best hearing you experienced in your life? Surely better

than what you have now. Wouldnt you like to at least get that back?

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere.

& Dreamer Doll (Guide Dawggie)

Newport, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rclark0276@...

http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/

[Guest guest]

Hi Jerome,

I have not been around as much as I would like (been traveling a

great deal with work) so forgive me for not knowing your full story.

I get the impression from this thread you are late deafened and still

adapting to an Implant. That is exactly the same thing I went through

almost 2 years ago and keep in mind things do get generally get

better, we don't all adapt quickly and it takes time not only to

adjust to your implant, but you need to get back into the swing of

things socially. Like adapting to the Implant it takes time and you

can't do it all at once, take your time maybe start by trying to

socialize with small groups of family or friends whose voices might

be easier for you to remember. I know even family gatherings can be

confusing and annoying when you can't understand, but if you can keep

the number small it will come. I was one of the lucky ones who

understood speech right away, but I can tell you in the beginning I

had difficulty with groups even 4 or 5 family members at dinner were

a strain, but I have adapted, and with practice I am doing very well

now. I still find very noisy places challenging and probably always

will to some degree, but I cope and with the various options on my CI

I can deal with almost any environment I find myself in.

Remember the 3 P's Practice, Patience, and Persistence it will get

better you can adapt, but what ever you do don't let difficult

situations get you down.

Best of Luck

Mike " Ears Hopin " P

>

> Hi there,

>

> I'm still having my thoughts swinging back and forth.

>

> Lately I'm not that motivated like before in going for surgery,

still mixed

> feelings, especially now when I'm getting used to avoiding

situations where

> I cannot hear well. Or having someone go with me in social

situation. I

> wonder if any of you guys who had CI now have experienced this kind

of

> thoughts prior to getting CI. I admit I still get frustrated in

social

> setting, but I'm no longer that frustrated in general considering

that I've

> avoided a lot of such situation.

>

> Hope to read some comments.

>

> Thanks.

>

> Regards,

> Jerome

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone's email.

Hi ,

Sorry I confused you with my email.

I'm not sure where to categorized my status, I'm not late deafend, I lost my

high frequencies when I'm still young. Then by age of 8, I wear hearing aids

(not fitted, that was way back 1985), then hearing loss has been

progressive. I got my first fitted hearing aid for high frequency loss in

1995, got digitally fitted hearing aid at 2000. Hearing loss that time is

moderate to severe, by 2002 it's severe to profound, and I lost 10db across

all frequency as shown by audiogram taken in late 2006.

I'm still thinking of getting implant. I'm having hard time deciding.

Probably fear of the unknown.

Regards,

Jerome

On 2/11/07, <gigabyte@...> wrote:

>

> Hi Jerome,

>

> I have not been around as much as I would like (been traveling a

> great deal with work) so forgive me for not knowing your full story.

> I get the impression from this thread you are late deafened and still

> adapting to an Implant. That is exactly the same thing I went through

> almost 2 years ago and keep in mind things do get generally get

> better, we don't all adapt quickly and it takes time not only to

> adjust to your implant, but you need to get back into the swing of

> things socially. Like adapting to the Implant it takes time and you

> can't do it all at once, take your time maybe start by trying to

> socialize with small groups of family or friends whose voices might

> be easier for you to remember. I know even family gatherings can be

> confusing and annoying when you can't understand, but if you can keep

> the number small it will come. I was one of the lucky ones who

> understood speech right away, but I can tell you in the beginning I

> had difficulty with groups even 4 or 5 family members at dinner were

> a strain, but I have adapted, and with practice I am doing very well

> now. I still find very noisy places challenging and probably always

> will to some degree, but I cope and with the various options on my CI

> I can deal with almost any environment I find myself in.

>

> Remember the 3 P's Practice, Patience, and Persistence it will get

> better you can adapt, but what ever you do don't let difficult

> situations get you down.

>

> Best of Luck

> Mike " Ears Hopin " P

>

>

>

> >

> > Hi there,

> >

> > I'm still having my thoughts swinging back and forth.

> >

> > Lately I'm not that motivated like before in going for surgery,

> still mixed

> > feelings, especially now when I'm getting used to avoiding

> situations where

> > I cannot hear well. Or having someone go with me in social

> situation. I

> > wonder if any of you guys who had CI now have experienced this kind

> of

> > thoughts prior to getting CI. I admit I still get frustrated in

> social

> > setting, but I'm no longer that frustrated in general considering

> that I've

> > avoided a lot of such situation.

> >

> > Hope to read some comments.

> >

> > Thanks.

> >

> > Regards,

> > Jerome

> >

> >

> >