and AIED and bilateral CI's

[Guest guest]

Dear :

It is with a saddened heart I read of your situation losing BOTH your

hearing and your career. That is a double whammy, and I can relate to the

issues surrounding employment. I was in deep depression prior to receiving

my first CI in 1996 as part of the clinical trials for the N24. I was

severely depressed for fear of losing my job, and often had panic attacks in

the workplace when things went wrong due to misunderstandings, or fear of

them!

I changed jobs between surgery and activation of my device. I had HALF my

head shaved, so this was NOT a pretty sight! To go to a completely

different state agency and completely different career path (supervision of

admin unit to a rank and file accountant) in a reduced hearing condition,

let alone the cosmetic challenges of my hair-do is something I always wonder

about. What a jump at such an emotional fragile time in my life. The good

news is that I did it and that almost one year later to the date of the

anniversary of my activation of CI #1, I promoted three levels in my new

career path. At age 51, I didn't get any smarter, I just simply acquired

the ability to accept " cold " telephone calls and with the improved hearing,

the ability to conduct trainings and presentations to large groups of

people.

For those of you on this list who are contemplating, awaiting the second CI

or simultaneous bilateral CI's I wish you all the very best! When I

received my second CI over 7 years after my first CI, there are just no

words adequate to convey the wonderful gift of bilateral hearing. My own

experience having them done so many years apart makes me a believer in

keeping the second ear aided with a HA for as long as possible. I know in

my heart that this is a good part of the success I enjoy with the second CI

- and the relative ease in which I was able to adapt to hearing with TWO

ears!

My own personal experience was that the second CI was almost anti-climatic

compared to receiving the first CI. With the first CI, I was going to

virtually NO hearing, to hearing almost everything, and then some things I

would rather not! Adding the second CI to the mix, the second CI almost

seemed like it wasn't there, but indeed it was! The first evening of

activation I was in a noisey restaurant with my husband. I told him I was

kind of disappointed - that the second CI didn't seem to make much

difference. I then took it off and THEN I REALIZED that indeed it made a

difference, however subtle. Over the succeeding weeks, that difference

became much more than subtle! Nowadays I cannot function very well with

just one CI - and rarely find myself in that situation if I can help it!

Connie and - best of luck with your surgeries, and with your

simultaneous implant surgery! There is just no comparison to the difference

in sound quality, the ability to hear softer sounds, localize and the

ability to hear well in noise. The Good Lord gave us TWO ears for a reason!

Have a great day!

Carol in WI

N24 11/96

N24C 9/03