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Leah

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Hello all:
I am a 24 year old female. I wear hearing aids since I was 4 years old. I will be getting stronger hearing aids on monday. I don't recieved any benifit right now from my aids. Hopefully the stronger ones will help me. My parents are against cochlear implants for me. They are hearing not deaf. I am the only deaf in the family. I will get CI when I move out and live alone. Write Back Soon
Leah
 
I am current 24 years old and got cochlear implant on my own dicison. My parents want me have one but letting me decide and when to get it.

The cochlear implant isn't like hearing aids. It a lot practice to learn for example/

I got cochlear implant three months ago and effect progressive went great. Only little negative that I learned that can't hear that words on far side. Only more clearly is 3 feet due the device's processing. It doesn't mean bad, because it all new sounds that I never heard a sound.

Other than that your parents doesn't support and ask them why and all those question since you need "support" to be there for you.
 
Hi Andrew:
Where are you from? What implant do you have? I am from Conneticut.
Leah
 
Leah, do you have a good doctor who could explain the process to your parents? You are over 18 years old and should be able to make a decision on your own. But if you want your parents support, why not gather all information to show to your parents and also have your doctor or audiologist back you up to cease down your parents fears?
 
Meg,
Yes I do have a good aduie but my doctor is good too. Do you have an implant yourself? If you do what implant brand do you have?
Leah
 
Leah said:
Meg,
Yes I do have a good aduie but my doctor is good too. Do you have an implant yourself? If you do what implant brand do you have?
Leah

Hi Leah:

Yes I have a CI. I got it a few months ago. It is Nucleus.

Why dont you ask your doctor and audiologist to write up a letter and put together materials to give to your parents or call them up to explain your situation?
 
Welcome again as I see this is your 2nd introduction thread, Leah - as for a CI. I do have one -- obtained it almost 5 years ago and I have reaped some success from it. What sort of information do you need about CI's? Pros and Cons of getting one or what?

I have the N-24.
 
The reason why I asked this is because I want to get one but I wanted to know if a CI was alot better then hearing aids? Can you hear on the phone with the CI? I cannot.
Leah
 
Leah said:
The reason why I asked this is because I want to get one but I wanted to know if a CI was alot better then hearing aids? Can you hear on the phone with the CI? I cannot.
Leah


I can hear on the phone, but not 100% though...just better reception than with hearing aids, though. I can carry a conversation with my mother on the phone with my CI. :D

Also, those who have a CI have to go through a lot of extensive training to re-learn or totally learn new sounds and learn to understand what they are and where it's coming from, etc.
I'm a pre-lingualistic myself...was born deaf with no memory of any hearing.
 
I will get CI when I move out and live alone.

Leah, who will take care of you and drive you home? I am not too happy with your parents. I pray that they are more open minded. You may qualify for Medicaid which they cover everything just ask the hospital clinic for more information about it cuz they'll be clearer than than the Medicaid office. Keep that in mind when you move out to help with costs. However, I hope you find someone that will take care of you. I wouldn't be able to drive. I was too dizzy. I felt like someone wacked me with a bat. No, I am not referring to pain--I didn't have any, but just the whole thing which makes you feel different. I forgot how it felt, but I remember describing that to my mom.

Meg, sometimes just being 24 and old enough doesn't really solve the problem to a situation. It can sometimes be complicated, but I pray that her parents open up their minds. It's really important.
 
Last edited:
TiaraPrincess said:
Leah, who will take care of you and drive you home? I am not too happy with your parents. I pray that they are more open minded. You may qualify for Medicaid which they cover everything just ask the hospital clinic for more information about it cuz they'll be clearer than than the Medicaid office. Keep that in mind when you move out to help with costs. However, I hope you find someone that will take care of you. I wouldn't be able to drive. I was too dizzy. I felt like someone wacked me with a bat. No, I am not referring to pain--I didn't have any, but just the whole thing which makes you feel different. I forgot how it felt, but I remember describing that to my mom.

Meg, sometimes just being 24 and old enough doesn't really solve the problem to a situation. It can sometimes be complicated, but I pray that her parents open up their minds. It's really important.
i second that..

My audie told me that family support is very important for getting a CI.. because u need to practice, and all those stuff.. also if you have problems or anything.. parents and family is important.

leah,

Myself i don't have CI.. but is on way for getting one.. my next test appt with physiclogy(sp?) on Nov 16.. then the surgery date will be set.. i'm already a candiate because i passed all the test that is required by the Audie and doctor. but just need to take one more with a physicology to make sure If i really want it, and make sure i have all the support in family, friends, etc..

Just remember after implant it takes alot of time to learn just like u were a baby learning a new sounds, then new words, eviroment, and soo much to learn. if you are with someone and u asked "whats that sound from?" u need someone beside you to answer your question. so you can continue to learn...

Maybe your parents are an old fashion type.. am i correct? just needs to have some doctor, or professional audiology expert in CI explain to ur parents all the advantage and disavantage of having CI.
 
My hearing aids are not working for me at all. I cannot hear well with them. My father will be calling my aduie tomorrow and I may have to go back and see her.
Leah
 
t
hough. I can carry a conversation with my mother on the phone with my CI.
I can talk to family members and other people who are in my hearing range easily on the phone, but I cannot talk on the phone with people with very low voices or people I'm not all familiar with. I can talk easily with my sister but cannot pick up Nan or JT!

I will be getting stronger hearing aids on monday. I don't recieved any benifit right now from my aids. Hopefully the stronger ones will help me.
Leah, as I stated before experiment with all sorts of conventional aids BEFORE implantation. Hey....even try BODY WORN aids.
When you say you don't receive any benifit from aids, what does that mean?
Have you received benifit from aids in the past? What is your audi's opinon on CIs?
 
Hi,
What are body worn aids? When I said that I dont recieve any benifit from them is I meant that I don't hear much of anything with this old hearing aids. I heard some with the new ones but not alot. My adui didnt say much about cochlear implants to me. Write Back Soon,
Leah
 
I heard some with the new ones but not alot.
What I meant was what kinds of sounds did you hear with the aids?
Were you able to hear some speech, enviromental sounds what?
I mean it does sound like you would benifit somewhat better from CI then with aids.
What are body worn aids?
They are a type of hearing aid which is big and thus worn on the chest instead of at ear level. I know they claim that the power isn't diminished by minturizing it, but I honestly think that in SOME cases, that ear levels aren't powerful enough. I mean I only have a moderate to severe loss, and wore baby aids for years. Thought I could hear as well as with BTEs...went back to BTEs in high school...have not looked back. Experiment. You may have a loss that would respond better to a body worn aid then to an BTE. Take advantage of the 30 day waiting period. If you can't hear too much...it's probaly time for a CI!
 
Hi,
I can hear some but not alot. I have to lipread all the time. I think I have 0 speech.
Leah
 
Well I would advise aganist it-if you can't hear much with your hearing aides, how are you to be sure that a CI would help? maybe that's why your parents are aganist it. :)
 
I think I have 0 speech.
Well if you do, then maybe getting a CI would help you with getting some speech sounds. Look it up on your audiogram and see what the percentages are. (both with and without hearing aids) It does sound like you might be able to benifit better from CI then from hearing aids. It sounds like you're approaching this really carefully and aren't going into this with the expectation that the CI is the best thing in the world, and will help you in all and every sitution. I mean I have heard of people who hear 80% being considered for implants b/c they can't hear well in difficult listening situions or b/c they function really well but can't do things like talk on the phone or whatever.
 
if you can't hear much with your hearing aides, how are you to be sure that a CI would help?
B/c a CI is more powerful then hearing aids. I doubt that Leah would be able to get hoh listening levels with an implant, as only a small percentage of people who get little to no benifit from aids, acheive hoh listening levels with an implant. However, it could benifit her significently. Plus if she doesn't like or do well with an implant, she can just stop using the implant and use an aid in her unimplanted ear.
 
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