CreatedNat

tomorrow is the big day. My daughter and I both go for our CI evaluations! I am so scared, and yet so very excited! I really hope that we are both candidates, and that insurance approves us both. I am a little hesitant about the evaluation process, I'm not sure what all it entails. When we set up the appointment, we were told it would take about 2 and a half hours, a bit less for my angel. Can anyone give me any insite into the CI candiacy evaluations, so I can prepare myself mentally for both mine and my daughters?

Deafness

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drphil

As I remember my first visit-Feb/07 with audi/Cochlear Implant section was about 2 hours-discussed my opinions on Implants/reviewed all reports from the Canadian Hearing Society/Toronto over the years. She used a computer terminal to write- as I was bilateral DEAF at that point of time. At the end advised I was a "suitable" --subject to various physical exams plus surgeon's talk. Approved Jun/07 with the operation -July/07.

Communicate why you want to be considered for an Implant.

Good luck in your conversation tomorrow.

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VamPyroX

What's your reason for wanting to get cochlear implants? If you don't mind my asking?

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cdmeggers

Each implant center have their own evaluation processes. Generally they include hearing tests and such. I forget all the testing that was involved when I went through my evaluation, but the hearing test is the big one. But good luck to you both!

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Angel1989

I just went through all the testing. It did take about 2 hours. A series of hearing tests, and a VNG test (tests for balance). I am having CI surgery next Wednesday May 2nd. Good luck!!!

CreatedNat

my reasons for wanting a CI for myself are simple. I would like to be able to access the hearing world more than I currently am able to with my hearing aids. When I was pregnant with my girls, my hearing dropped drastically, and I am looking to be able to get back that level of hearing (I was still deaf, just not quite as deaf). Some of my reasons are safety related. With my girls right now, they aren't quite mobile yet, when I lay them down to sleep I have a monitor that I can see, it gives me visual levels of the noise in their room. If they are crying, I can go see what is wrong. But when they are mobile, what if they fall down, what if they get hurt, how will I know then? I can not discriminate the sound of my children crying when compaired to something like a dog barking, and that terrifies me.

I also grew up in both the hearing world and the deaf world, and my access to the hearing world is getting more and more limited, I would love to be able to get back into that world, and have easier conversations with friends and neighbors. I cannot be expectant on everyone around me learning to communicate in ASL.

For my daughter, I want her to have the best of both worlds, I want both my girls to be able to walk into the same kindergarden class when they start, and have access to the same information. I do not want Maya to have to act as an interpreter for Ally, as my brothers and sisters sometimes had to do for me sometimes. I want my daughter to grow up both knowing she is deaf and that is wonderful, but knowing she has access to everything around her as well. I do not want her education or her job placements to be limited, but know that she can thrive in whatever she chooses.

CreatedNat

cdmeggers, you went to rocky mountain ear right? did you like them?

cdmeggers

Yes I did, and I've been real happy with them. The audie I've been seeing is very dedicated, even to the point where she will drive up to Wyoming 2 times a year for MAPping appointments with her Wyoming clients and such. And the center just has been great in general, very informative and helpful. And Swedish Hospital (where I had the surgery done) was just awesome, smooth, very very nice. Kelsall's a great surgeon as well!

the scheduler person, she worked hard to make sure my surgery was still going to happen (there was a bit of a mix-up with Medicaid, but she got it taken cared of). And Kelsall's assistant responded to my emails answering questions after my surgery. I've just been really happy with the whole process at Rocky Mountain.

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Sarfarigirl2011

good luck at your evaluation for you both!!!!!! I need to see my audi soon LOL!!

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Phillips

Good Luck!

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etalton

Basically, you will go through extensive hearing tests. First without the aid of hearing aids, then with hearing aids. They have to prove to the insurance company that you have major hearing loss in BOTH ears. Listening to beeps, raising your hand when or if you hear them. Speech comprehension without the aid of lip reading, things like that. It should be pretty much what you have already had with your ENT or Audi, but more extensive. Nothing physical and don't let it stress you. It is one test, when hoping for CI's, that you WANT to fail.

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GrendelQ

It took several months for us, nearly 6 actually, before evaluations were completed for my daughter. This isn't conclusive, and we repeated the hearing tests several times over, but these are the evaluative steps we took during the months leading up to getting her CI. Many were to rule out health issues that were somewhat common for those born deaf, as my daughter likely was, and because we had no access to any family history.

hearing (over several visits):

• behavioral audiometry tests (soundfield + then VRA with insert earphones)
• bone conduction testing
• Acoustic Immittance Measures (tympanometry, middle ear muscle acoustic reflex)
• ABR (auditory brainstem response) once awake, once under sedation
• aided testing (after fitting with HAs)

genetic / other physical tests (one visit):

• Blood drawn for following tests
  • connexin 26 mutation
  • connexin 30 gene
  • mitochondrial DNA gene mutation (a whole bunch)
  • SLC26A4 (PDS) gene
  • PAX3 gene (Waardenburg I was initially suspected)
• ECG, cardio, respiratory, gi workup
• opthalmology
• renal ultrasound
• urinalysis
• examination and measurement of pigmentation, facial structure, body/limb structure

And once considered a candidate:

• psych and development evaluations
• CT scan
• MRI

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Oceanbreeze

Grendel, does Li have the Connexin gene/mutation?

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GrendelQ

No, no cause known. All those tested have been ruled out.

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Angel1989

CreatedNat I am thinking of you today, good luck!! Please let us know how it goes.

CreatedNat

So yesterday was such a long day, for my family. We left home at 7 am, so we could be there for Ally's 8 am appointment, we needed to be there early to fill out paperwork. It took us a while to find the hospital, find a place to park, then find the office. The audiologist we met with was very nice, and thankfully they hired 2 interpreters, one for Allys appointment and one for mine. We went through all the testing for Ally, she was not pleased about any of it, and they want to do a second evaluation when she gets a little older, to determine 100% accuracy if she is a candidate, but it looks like she will be able to get a CI! We also have to have a bunch of genetic testing done for Ally, which we had never done, because we thought her deafness came from me, but the doctor is wondering if there is another reason to it.
As for my evaluation, I failed all of their tests. My HINT scores were horrible, 20%. I need to get a CT scan, but they said, barring any complications with my CT scan as well as insurance issues, I am a candidate! I am going to be getting my CI before my daughter, so I will know what it is like, and hopefully how to help her. I am getting a CT scan soon hopefully, I have to get it approved through insurance first. I haven't decided if I am more excited now, or more scared…

CSign

Glad the appointments went relatively well. Good luck going forward. You should consider documenting your journey with your daughter through journaling. It would probably be nice for you to both look back on it 20 years from now...

kokonut

Yeah, not a bad idea to chronicle your journey together on getting yourself and your daughter a cochlear implant. Might be an interesting story to read.

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cdmeggers

glad the appointments went well! sounds like you both are on your way, well more-so you right now.

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