My first cochlear implant (CI) surgery was March 5th, 2009 and actiation day was March 23rd, 2009.
I decided to go bilateral after realizing how much I missed hearing out of both ears (I had always worn 2 hearing aids growing up). My second CI surgery was July 22nd, 2011 and activation day was August 9th, 2011
My CI journey has been different than what most people read about. I fall into the category of people who gain the least benefit from their CI due to my hearing loss background. I cannot understand speech nor can I always identify what I’m hearing. I can hear when a person starts talking which alerts me to look at them so I can lipread them. I enjoy music and can identify simple sounds in quiet settings.
I enjoy hearing and silence. Sometimes I want to hear everything and other times all I want is quiet time. I never take my CI for granted and am constantly amazed at what I can hear with it yet I am thankful it has an “off” button.
I like being able to hear and I like being deaf.
Life Is About Creating Yourself 