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#1 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 304
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Anyone else have parents that were pessimistic about CI?
Okay so here's my situation.
I talk about CI to my fully hearing parents (one, my stepdad - actually has TOO much hearing...I think he has at least -10 dB natural hearing in both ears) and finally I'm going to have awesome insurance at work and I'm going to be able to start the process have it done at an Advanced Bionics provider clinic MUCH closer to home rather than making a 30 mile trek out to LA for the process/surgery/mappings/etc. Since I've decided on CI my parents have a very "not-too-thrilled" attitude about it. As in "we don't think you're going to like how ugly it looks - we saw it on somebody on a TV show..." and other ilk of this nature. Can anyone comment? Did anyone in your family give you flak like this on this issue when you decided? I realize they're just trying to help but they can't see the good and how it will help - only "what if something goes wrong", the cosmetics, and what if you hate it? How did you get your parents used to the idea if they initially had this attitude? |
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#2 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Great Britain
Posts: 1,280
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Sounds like you have negative parents but on other hand they are also worried for you. Hope you sort it.
All my parents wanted me is to be happy. So should yours, you are old enough. "what if something goes wrong" will be said by ANY parents anyway! |
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#4 (permalink) |
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In a pink and black world
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I knew one mother who didnt want her daughter to get a CI because she was afraid someething would go wrong during surgery. Her daughter's health has always been poor.
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Shel~ ![]() "A child educated only at school is an uneducated child." -George Santayana
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#5 (permalink) |
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Lil Ci-Borg Chick
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dont listen to your parents, my parents was against CI all my life so when i moved east and being indepedent i went to CI center, got CI and told them how well im doing and now they're not against it and happy for me so.
they even took me out of school provided speech therapy (free!) because they wanted me to be signer not oral at all. I never understood that and that pissed me off but cant dwell on the past and im focusing on listening better and work on confidence to use voice once again
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[Left Ear] Implanted 1/15/08 with Nucleus Freedom! Activated 2/12/08 with Freedom BTE Link for my Cochlear Implant http://skullchick.blogspot.com Link for my Blog unrelated to cochlear Implant http://skullchickworld.blogspot.com |
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#6 (permalink) | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 304
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I've been raised 100% oral. No sign. |
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#8 (permalink) | ||||
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Getting stem cells ~2011!
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My parents do see the good in CI for those who hear zip with HAs, they aren't against CI. However they know I still hear a decent amount with HAs and that I can understand some of what they say without reading lips. Even my audiologist(who's my 2nd cousin) who knows lots of patients who have CI doesn't recommend I get CI because there's no guarantee ill hear better and that I can never go back to HA in the implanted ear. He did initally recommend CI but after seeing I was understanding some speech without lipreading, he retracted his recommendation. He has reprogrammed my HAs a few times and im hearing even better now. HAs are great technology, me, my parents and audiologist are a huge fan of HAs and how well they work for most people who still have residual hearing. They of course do nothing for those who are 100% deaf, in that case, a CI would be recommended and is the only option if you want to hear sounds and speech. None of us are anti-ci as we realise that CI has it's place as a last resort when no HA gives any benefit. Hope to chat to you someday, Phi. How's school and work going? |
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#9 (permalink) | |||
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 304
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School and work are going awesome. BTW- awesome news! As of today I have officially completed my college certificate in web design! Whoo-hoo!! Now I just need to work on the Associate degree requirements. I'll be able to be back on AIM on a more consistent basis after a few days - can't have distractions like that when getting my college work completed. I'll let you know. ![]()
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#10 (permalink) |
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I'm proud to have CI!!!!
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,441
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I agree with Overthepond and Skullchick's posts. My parents are optimistic for me to have CI. Because they believe in CI is improve for deaf adult and children to hear a sound. The hearing aids are not help me and other kids to hear better.
I think your parent need to research over the CI at internet. They need to be support your decide. This is your body and decide not parent.
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I'm expecting! It's a BOY!!!!! LEFT: Implanted: 6/12/09 Activated: 7/7/09 Freedom |
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#11 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 188
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I agree with Pinky, you're an adult and it's your decision. Do you mind me asking, how old are you and do you still live at home? I ask because I'm 24 and due to being poor I still live with my parents. Because they see me every day and know me quite well they have an idea of what sort of things I would like, how I would react in certain situations.
I find it interesting that they only comment on the looks- surely, function is better than fashion? Plus, can't you get covers and things, in different colours? I don't know much about CI, and I don't have one, but it seems to me that the 'downside' of having something attached to your head constantly comes with the upside of greatly improved hearing. Maybe you should find some leaflets about CI in general and give them to your parents. Plus the thought of surgery seems daunting, to me- I've never had surgery- but if you're a healthy person and are going to a reputable hospital I don't see what there is to worry about. Phi4Sius- it's your hearing, and if it helps you hear better than with your aids, and that's something you want, then I say go for it, research, be informed. It's one thing to wait for a better HA, but how long is a piece of string? |
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#12 (permalink) | |
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I'm proud to have CI!!!!
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,441
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Thank you. Sure you can asking me anything. I am 28 years old now. I live with my husband. I don't live with my mom now. Do you have job?
I like to show off my CI color is pink. I have black and pink with two sound processor. The black is hard to see because I has dark brown hair. My parent wanted me to get CI when I was kid. But I was afraid of surgery. I wasn't understand about CI's surgery. I lost my dad when I was 15. My ex doctor suggested me to get CI because of my hearing loss worse. I wasn't ready for CI. I wanted to wait for technology get improve. I am confidence to get CI surgery because I joined to AllDeaf last year ago. I asked the CI user bunch the questions. I made good decide to get one for now. I got implanted surgery last June 12 on my mom's birthday. What a birthday gift for me to hear for her birthday! Is that cool? Hehe I got it where you are coming from in UK. DeafLissa and Overthepond are from UK too. You might can meet them because they have cochlear implant. You feel free to ask them the question. I am from USA. :-) Quote:
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I'm expecting! It's a BOY!!!!! LEFT: Implanted: 6/12/09 Activated: 7/7/09 Freedom |
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#13 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 188
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Hi Pinky, I was asking Phi4Sius if he lives at home but it's nice to talk to you! I don't have a job at the moment, but I'm on a course to get more confidence so I can eventually work. I read somewhere on AD that you make jewellery? I love making jewellery :-) I'd like to sell it but I haven't made enough, and I'm scared of dealing with customers...(too shy).
Aww, that's a lovely present for your mom! I'm sorry about your dad. That's true, you can always wait for technology to get better- you could be waiting forever. If my hearing loss got worse and could not be helped by my hearing aids, I would definitely consider CI, and learn sign language. My hearing has been the same for most of my life, so I don't think I'll be a candidate for CI anytime soon. I like the idea of pink covers- I have pink hair at the moment. My hearings aids are dark brown, I used to have red hair but now it's pink. |
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#14 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 304
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Hi Melissa,
Nice to meet you! ![]() I'm 29 and live at home but that's because I made some dumb decisions and got into some consumer debt (most are aware of how that goes I'm sure) so I'm paying it off but then I'm moving out again once that's finally done (within less than a month I'm free- yay!). I showed them those clips on the House Ear Institute web site and at UCI and they're definitely against it after that. But, my audie was saying good things about AB and is a fan of them so that kind of put a bit of weight into my decision. The clips on the AB site also provided them some good info too. I haven't heard much from them about being against it since I showed them those clips and further research on how much of a benefit CI can be. It's not just the looks but the whole idea they don't like- surgery, looks, having something stuck to my head, and that it may not work as well as my right ear and interfere with it. I don't share the same opinions or pessimism - they're hearing and have had their hearing for their whole lives. Well, for my whole life, my left ear's been dead and my right has only heard up to 4000 Hz or so. If a CI can awaken my dead left ear and after some time be able to hear greater than 4000 Hz and give me bi-lateral hearing (something I've never had since I was 4 years old or so), then I will consider it a success. I'm aware of the effort and training required and I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to make it work for me.
Last edited by Phi4Sius; 10-28-2009 at 11:57 PM. |
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#15 (permalink) | |
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I'm proud to have CI!!!!
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,441
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I'm expecting! It's a BOY!!!!! LEFT: Implanted: 6/12/09 Activated: 7/7/09 Freedom |
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#16 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 188
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[QUOTE=Phi4Sius;1443000]Hi Melissa,
Nice to meet you! ![]() Nice to meet you too! I'm 29 and live at home but that's because I made some dumb decisions and got into some consumer debt (most are aware of how that goes I'm sure) so I'm paying it off but then I'm moving out again once that's finally done (within less than a month I'm free- yay!). It happens, I'm not in a position financially to move out. Glad you'll have it paid off soon! I asked because I think living at home encourages parents to be more 'in your business', if you know what I mean! I showed them those clips on the House Ear Institute web site and at UCI and they're definitely against it after that. But, my audie was saying good things about AB and is a fan of them so that kind of put a bit of weight into my decision. The clips on the AB site also provided them some good info too. I haven't heard much from them about being against it since I showed them those clips and further research on how much of a benefit CI can be. I don't know much about CI but it sounds like you've done your research, which is definitely a good thing! It's not just the looks but the whole idea they don't like- surgery, looks, having something stuck to my head, and that it may not work as well as my right ear and interfere with it. I don't share the same opinions or pessimism - they're hearing and have had their hearing for their whole lives. Well, for my whole life, my left ear's been dead and my right has only heard up to 4000 Hz or so. I suppose every parent worries about surgery, no matter how old the child is. Is it possible it would interfere with your right ear, medically speaking? If a CI can awaken my dead left ear and after some time be able to hear greater than 4000 Hz and give me bi-lateral hearing (something I've never had since I was 4 years old or so), then I will consider it a success. I'm aware of the effort and training required and I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to make it work for me. Yes, as I've read it takes a lot of work but you seem very prepared and realistic. As you say, your parents have always heard with no problems. You say your left ear is 'dead', so any sound you can hear with CI is an improvement, with regards to bi-lateral hearing.. Personally, the thought of an operation would scare me, but I'd put my faith in the surgeons. Stuff on your head is your business really, it's serving a purpose, and I don't know much about the chances of whether it may work or not work, but I can give advice as a person who is frequently in conflict with her parents! |
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