What an experience!

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to let everyone know I finally heard the ocean with my cochlear

implants (CI)! What an experience! We arrived early Saturday morning (June 10th)

in Myrtle Beach at daylight just before the sun was up. The waves seemed very

loud, louder than I remembered but it was also a clearer sound. I was really

surprised just how loud they were. I know my eyes got big as saucers and my

mouth dropped open. Alberto (coming storm) was causing the waves to be higher

than normal. I heard my kids shouting and laughing as they ran in the waves,

clothes and all.

Early each morning (and every chance I got) I was on the beach walking,

relaxing, and listening to the sounds of nature and people when it wasn't

raining. Sometimes Mom would meet me on the way back from those early morning

walks and we would talk and pick up shells. Strangers would speak to me and it

makes me wonder how many times in the past I walked on by because I didn't hear

them speak. I enjoyed being with my hearing sister and her family and feeling at

peace and not left out of what they were saying.

Each time I went swimming I had to pull my processors off. When I could see

the waves coming I thought I could hear them, just like before CI. While playing

with the kids and my back turned to the waves, they would catch me unguarded

unless one of the kids warned me a wave was coming by pointing behind me. We had

a time of our lives. I felt like a kid again. Those seven days just flew by too

fast. I'm ready to go again.

One thing I wanted to share is the feeling I had when my processors were off.

The thought was never far from my mind that when my hair was dry I would be able

to hear again. I didn't feel the depression I used to feel before I had surgery

although I am 100% deaf without my CI's. We played for hours in the ocean and

not one single sad thought about returning home to a hearing world without

sound. It's a new experience for me. These CI's are like a security blanket to

me. It's hard to explain but they sure made a world of difference.

Thanks Sis, for making this vacation possible and a memorial one.

Sharon Myers

Bilateral CI Surgery 12-09-02

Bilateral CI Hookup 1-09-03

__________________________________________________