Re: Re:Losing hearing and considering a CI

[Guest guest]

Hi . Thanks so much for responding! I have been evaluated at NYU and am

waiting for the final report. The audiologist said I am borderline, but did seem

to say I might benefit from one. As I really look at my life and how much I

miss, I am realizing that it may be time.

What I am trying to get a feel for is... how good is it with a CI? I already

can't do movies, don't hear words on the radio, have a hard time on the phone

(depends on the person), have a very hard time hearing small children, can't

hear in a conference room even if one person is talking (I do really badly with

distances if the person is not speaking loudly enough), and more and more adults

are becoming hard for me to hear. And this is WITH the $6000 hearing aids I just

bought. So in reality, I am not doing so well. But, at home, with my family, if

they are relatively close to me, I do pretty well.

So anything I can learn to understand what works and what doesn't work with a

CI (movies? hearing from a distance? etc...) will help me understand if I'd be

better off with one than I am now.

Thanks so much for your help.

M Jansen <nucleus24@...> wrote: Hi

bkthon,

Get yourself evaluated by an implant center. You can find one by

going to www.cochlear.com and entering the section called " finding a

clinic " . Then you will know for sure if you ARE a candidate, or just

need hearing aids. Once you find out, then you can make a decision.

Struggling to hear is exhausting. You will find yourself withdrawing

from social events because it's too hard to communicate. Work will

suffer.

If you are a candidate, go for it. It will improve your life in ways

you can't even begin to imagine.

I use the phone, listen to TV and radio, go to movies and don't use

any special adaptive equipment for any of it. I also understand without

lipreading, and live independently.

Hi. I'm 45, losing my hearing and considering a CI. My mother has the

same problem I do and is now completely deaf without hearing aids. I

have lost a lot of high frequency sound and every year the lower

frequencies are getting worse.

Right now I struggle. At home with family it isn't too bad. Out in the

real word... ugh. Sometimes fine, sometimes I can't understand a

person at all. Groups are hard. Work is hard. ( I work at home but

when I go into the office, it is hard). Phone is hard.

I am starting to think about getting a CI now, though in some ways I'm

not sure my hearing is bad enough yet. I was evaluated and told I am

borderline. But I know it is going to get worse. And I already

struggle, so I'm wondering why I should wait.

Are there any others out there who had a similar situation? I would

love to know what/how you decided. I would also love to hear from CI

users to understand what I might expect. How easy/hard is it for you

now? Can you hear TV? Movies? Phone? Theater? (The answer is no for me

:-)

Any feedback I could get would be much appreciated!

[Guest guest]

The last time I went to my HA audie over 6 years ago, she told me not to

bother with the then $5000 hearing aids because they would no longer help me.

What you describe as your hearing loss sounds very much like what mine used to

be. I couldn't hear the birds in the trees, I couldn't go to movies or even

hear my own telephone ring, never mind answer it unless it was my immediate

family. Music was all bass and I stopped going places for fear that I

probably wouldn't hear anyway!

I have the Nucleus 24 Contour implant and the Freedom external processor. I

used the body worn processor for the first year and a half and then used to

3G until I recently got the Freedom. I couldn't be happier with my hearing!

That's not to say that hearing with my implant is like totally normal

hearing but it has enabled me to reenter society in a way I would never have

dreamed possible before I found out that I was eligible for it. I go to movies

all

the time, can understand talk radio, music and TV without captions (although

I still enjoy using them). My career took off considerably because I was

able to navigate interviews and telephone calls (eventually) with ease. I can

use different software strategies for those situations where I need a little

extra help like in lecture halls with a quiet voice at the front, or in very

noise places, or when I would like to hear the phone (cell or landline) with

total ease. It takes time and patience and a sense of humor!

The most important thing is not to compare your self to others because

everyone has different hearing histories and therefore different potential with

their implant. I am a late-deafened adult and had good hearing until around

age 12, then lost it slowly but surely until I was implanted at age 38. I have

a journal to share but it is too long to send here. If you, or anyone else,

would like to read the journal then please feel free to let me know.

Regards,

hooked and hearing since 2000

In a message dated 8/15/2007 11:21:36 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

bthkon@... writes:

I am trying to get a feel for is... how good is it with a CI? I already

can't do movies, don't hear words on the radio, have a hard time on the phone

(depends on the person), have a very hard time hearing small children, can't

hear in a conference room even if one person is talking (I do really badly with

distances if the person is not speaking loudly enough), and more and more

adults are becoming hard for me to hear.

************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at

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[Guest guest]

Wow, , you've come a long ways since your first days as a Ci user.

Smile! I have never read your journey, and would like to now.

[Guest guest]

Yes, , I would love to see your journal.

And to all of you who have responded to me, thank you so much. You can't

imagine (or maybe you can :-) how helpful all of this is to me. I so appreciate

your taking the time to respond, and this group in general.

After reading all these posts I am feeling VERY certain that I want to do this.

I am astounded at how much you all describe being able to hear AND understand!

It sounds a little scary that things don't sound the same as they did with real

ears, but for the chance of being able to easily communicate again, I think it

will be worth it.

Ci92000@... wrote:

The last time I went to my HA audie over 6 years ago, she told me not to

bother with the then $5000 hearing aids because they would no longer help me.

What you describe as your hearing loss sounds very much like what mine used to

be. I couldn't hear the birds in the trees, I couldn't go to movies or even

hear my own telephone ring, never mind answer it unless it was my immediate

family. Music was all bass and I stopped going places for fear that I

probably wouldn't hear anyway!

I have the Nucleus 24 Contour implant and the Freedom external processor. I

used the body worn processor for the first year and a half and then used to

3G until I recently got the Freedom. I couldn't be happier with my hearing!

That's not to say that hearing with my implant is like totally normal

hearing but it has enabled me to reenter society in a way I would never have

dreamed possible before I found out that I was eligible for it. I go to

movies all

the time, can understand talk radio, music and TV without captions (although

I still enjoy using them). My career took off considerably because I was

able to navigate interviews and telephone calls (eventually) with ease. I can

use different software strategies for those situations where I need a little

extra help like in lecture halls with a quiet voice at the front, or in very

noise places, or when I would like to hear the phone (cell or landline) with

total ease. It takes time and patience and a sense of humor!

The most important thing is not to compare your self to others because

everyone has different hearing histories and therefore different potential with

their implant. I am a late-deafened adult and had good hearing until around

age 12, then lost it slowly but surely until I was implanted at age 38. I

have

a journal to share but it is too long to send here. If you, or anyone else,

would like to read the journal then please feel free to let me know.

Regards,

hooked and hearing since 2000

In a message dated 8/15/2007 11:21:36 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

bthkon@... writes:

I am trying to get a feel for is... how good is it with a CI? I already

can't do movies, don't hear words on the radio, have a hard time on the phone

(depends on the person), have a very hard time hearing small children, can't

hear in a conference room even if one person is talking (I do really badly

with

distances if the person is not speaking loudly enough), and more and more

adults are becoming hard for me to hear.

************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at

http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

[Guest guest]

> It sounds a little scary that things don't sound the same as they

did with > real ears, but for the chance of being able to easily

communicate again, I > think it will be worth it.

Absolutely, Beth. One becomes accustomed to living among the

Munchkins and being able to understand them is paramount <g>.

I forgot to mention earlier that by the end of the first day I was

sorely discouraged. My voice was identical to all the others, but the

next morning I began to differentiate between voices and felt much

better about it. People have distinctly different voices now. Not

all Munchkins are the same <g>.

Virg

[Guest guest]

How weird!! Everyone really sounds like munchkins to you??

Virg <jvtomlin@...> wrote: > It sounds

a little scary that things don't sound the same as they

did with > real ears, but for the chance of being able to easily

communicate again, I > think it will be worth it.

Absolutely, Beth. One becomes accustomed to living among the

Munchkins and being able to understand them is paramount <g>.

I forgot to mention earlier that by the end of the first day I was

sorely discouraged. My voice was identical to all the others, but the

next morning I began to differentiate between voices and felt much

better about it. People have distinctly different voices now. Not

all Munchkins are the same <g>.

Virg

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[Guest guest]

> How weird!! Everyone really sounds like munchkins to you??

That was a little extreme on my part, Beth, but people do sound a bit

tinny and hoarse.

It's ok. I understand speech very well in quiet situations and am

getting better in noisy ones.

I've been wondering, though, why I have more trouble understanding tv

or radio or phone speech than in person. Even when there is no

background noise on the electronic medium. It isn't just lack of lip

reading because I understand people in person without needing to read

their lips.

Virg

[Guest guest]

My guess would be quality of sound. The stuff over TV, radio, whatever is

electronic so not as rich/perfect as the original sound. So then when you put

that less perfect sound into a CI, the CI doesn't do as well.

Virg <jvtomlin@...> wrote:

> How weird!! Everyone really sounds like munchkins to you??

That was a little extreme on my part, Beth, but people do sound a bit

tinny and hoarse.

It's ok. I understand speech very well in quiet situations and am

getting better in noisy ones.

I've been wondering, though, why I have more trouble understanding tv

or radio or phone speech than in person. Even when there is no

background noise on the electronic medium. It isn't just lack of lip

reading because I understand people in person without needing to read

their lips.

Virg

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[Guest guest]

Beth and Virg,

TV sound is the worst, due to its narrow bandwidth. AM and FM radio on

the other hand is much better.

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

Life's more painless for the brainless.

& Dreamer Doll ke7nwn

Newport, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rclark0276@...

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

[Guest guest]

The last map I got was in July when I got the Harmony, Ted.

I haven't complained about the tinny, hoarse sounding voices because

my speech understanding has been pretty good and I wasn't sure I

wanted to rock the boat. I'll ask to do some experimenting next time.

I did get the top electrode turned off once with the Auria and

experienced a very slightly improved sound.

Virg

> How long since you got a new MAP, Virg? Did they check that all the

> electrodes are working properly? I have two of my electrodes turned

off

> because they were shorting out. It wasnt happening all the time, but

I

> preferred they be turned off, just in case they played up once I

left

> the CI center. They dont affect me or what I hear, but they did

affect

> the sound I was receiving until they were switched off. I never got

> Munchkins though :-)

>

> Ted F.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> >

> > That was a little extreme on my part, Beth, but people do sound a

> > bit tinny and hoarse.

> >

> > It's ok. I understand speech very well in quiet situations and am

> > getting better in noisy ones.

> >

> > I've been wondering, though, why I have more trouble understanding

>

> tv r radio or phone speech than in person. Even when there is no

> > background noise on the electronic medium. It isn't just lack of

>

> lip reading because I understand people in person without needing >

to

> read their lips.

> >

> > Virg

> >

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Interesting, .

It's been so long since I did any work with tv I don't remember

clearly but I think that broadcast tv sound is FM, isn't it? However

it could still be a low audio bandwidth. I briefly tried to find that

info on the web but have been unsuccessful so far.

Virg

> Beth and Virg,

> TV sound is the worst, due to its narrow bandwidth. AM and FM

radio on

> the other hand is much better.