Beginning The Process For Ci

[Jesse3581]

Hello all.

I've always been HoH due to nerve damage. It's in the severe to profound area for both ears. About 5 years ago I went to MassGen for testing. They wanted me to explore CIs. At the time I was terrified. The idea of taking away remaining hearing and going deaf was scary.

So here we are today and I am struggling more than ever. My aids are 5 years old and my audiologist wants me to fork over 5k for the latest and greatest again. I need to start thinking 30 years down the line and I feel I'm kind of hitting the limits on what aids will do for me. According to my audiologist, he thinks I'm prime candidate.

The advances in CI in just the last 5 years really alleviate a lot of my concerns. I was concerned about music, being waterproof and now they're making hybrids?? I can hear low tones very well, so based on what I've read here, the hybrids might be a good fit.

So I made an appointment with Dr Steven Gold here in Charlotte NC.

I have so many questions lol

-Does anyone know or recommend a different surgon in NC/SC? The reviews online of Dr Gold are good, not great. Or point me in the direction of where I might go to do research. I know there's a lot of followup and traveling would be a pain, but I'd rather go with someone better.

-What can you tell me about getting approved? The process. What to expect.

-How do I work if I'm deaf before they turn it on? I mean really.

-Hybrids. Are they only made by cochlear?

-What's a typical out of pocket cost for this?

I'll keep diving deep into this forum, but anything you can share would be appreciated. If there's other forums or material I should be ingesting, please share.

Thank you
Jesse

 

[hoichi]

You need ci as much as you need a hole in your head.....

Sign will set you free

No wires attached.
No third party multi nationals hawking their snake oil cure.
No batteries


Sign is the superior technology. All but free for the taking. It only asks of you to learn it.
It can be used in more environments, no need for costly surgeries or insurance. Its entire nature is rooted in freedom, and not a tech intermediary that is likely to fail..

Your life is worth it to experience it fully, that fullness is via sign
Not the drill
Not the wires
Not the battery pack or skull magnet..


Sign
Will
Set
You
Free

 

[DeafNerdMommy]

Although I am not a ci fan, don't listen to people trying to change your mind. People on here, although others have ci,are not ci fans. Some people can be mean about getting a ci. I would stick to online searching and perhaps asking the doctor himself if he has clients who you can talk too.

 

[hoichi]

Well,,,
Asking the docs themselves is rather like asking a car salesman if you need a car...

Anyway

 

[DeafNerdMommy]

Well....yea I can see that anything to make their wallets fatter right

 

[zajko]

Jesse, maybe try Facebook groups for CI users. You will probably get more responses there and they will be more helpful that some of these above.

 

[ecp]

Hello all.

I've always been HoH due to nerve damage. It's in the severe to profound area for both ears. About 5 years ago I went to MassGen for testing. They wanted me to explore CIs. At the time I was terrified. The idea of taking away remaining hearing and going deaf was scary.

So here we are today and I am struggling more than ever. My aids are 5 years old and my audiologist wants me to fork over 5k for the latest and greatest again. I need to start thinking 30 years down the line and I feel I'm kind of hitting the limits on what aids will do for me. According to my audiologist, he thinks I'm prime candidate.

The advances in CI in just the last 5 years really alleviate a lot of my concerns. I was concerned about music, being waterproof and now they're making hybrids?? I can hear low tones very well, so based on what I've read here, the hybrids might be a good fit.

So I made an appointment with Dr Steven Gold here in Charlotte NC.

I have so many questions lol

-Does anyone know or recommend a different surgon in NC/SC? The reviews online of Dr Gold are good, not great. Or point me in the direction of where I might go to do research. I know there's a lot of followup and traveling would be a pain, but I'd rather go with someone better.

-What can you tell me about getting approved? The process. What to expect.

-How do I work if I'm deaf before they turn it on? I mean really.

-Hybrids. Are they only made by cochlear?

-What's a typical out of pocket cost for this?

I'll keep diving deep into this forum, but anything you can share would be appreciated. If there's other forums or material I should be ingesting, please share.

Thank you
Jesse

I love my cochlear implant. I've had it for 2 years and it has been life changing. Contrary to what posters above have said, sign will not set you free and a CI won't keep you from signing. I do both, have a master's degree in medicine and hope to start medical school soon. I couldn't do that if I was still totally deaf.
Hybrids are made by all 3 companies but Cochlear is the only one who calls them that. Hybrids are great if you have ski slope hearing loss that has never progressed. They use a shorter electrode, so if your low frequency hearing declines, you are SOL.

I was in grad school when I got mine and I still did my class work, presented papers and participated I discussions. They only did one ear and even though both ears are deaf, I got just enough with lip reading and writing notes back an forth when I presented papers I had my classmates text me questions instead of them just asking. So, I was able to answer all questions.

My total out of pocket cost was $150. That is it. My crappy grad school insurance covered the implant 100%.

Advanced bionics is amazing. They are doing out with a "hybrid" soon that has a standard electrode length so if your hearing decreases or if hybrid amplification just isn't enough, you can use the electrodes.

Learn ASL if you want. It is a wonderful language and I can communicate without hearing IF the other person knows ASL. WHICH, living in an area that isn't DC, and working with physicians in an ER, nobody else knows ASL.

WHICH IS why I have a medical alert bracelet that says "Deaf use ASL" along with thing about the CI.
You'd be surprised how many deaf patients are assumed to have a serious medical issue because they don't respond and a few Deaf patients have been so pissed that only one person knows ASL that they refused to answer questions like"can I bring in a certified interpreter?" They were just so outraged that not everybody knows ASL and in a medical setting we are required to have a certified interpreter.
Me signing isn't good enough for the law, but we can't help people who refuse to cooperate with "idiot hearies" as the patient signed.

 

[ecp]

Although I am not a ci fan, don't listen to people trying to change your mind. People on here, although others have ci,are not ci fans. Some people can be mean about getting a ci. I would stick to online searching and perhaps asking the doctor himself if he has clients who you can talk too.

That sort of thinking is poisonous to the deaf community. That thinking is literally tearing apart connections that people have worked for for decades to make.
I King Jordan, former president of Gaulladet, spoke and signed.
Something like 30% of current students at Gaulladet have cochlear implants. They are lucky go to a college that has changed its views on cochlear implants and spoken language and has now embraced the multidisciplinary approach that increases literacy.

 

[hoichi]

That sort of thinking is poisonous to the deaf community. That thinking is literally tearing apart connections that people have worked for for decades to make.
I King Jordan, former president of Gaulladet, spoke and signed.
Something like 30% of current students at Gaulladet have cochlear implants. They are lucky go to a college that has changed its views on cochlear implants and spoken language and has now embraced the multidisciplinary approach that increases literacy.

That sort of thinking is poisonous to the deaf community. That thinking is literally tearing apart connections that people have worked for for decades to make.
I King Jordan, former president of Gaulladet, spoke and signed.
Something like 30% of current students at Gaulladet have cochlear implants. They are lucky go to a college that has changed its views on cochlear implants and spoken language and has now embraced the multidisciplinary approach that increases literacy.

Tell me....
What exactly do you find poisonous in Deafnerdmomies post?

 

[ecp]

Telling other deaf people that this deaf community is only for/accepting of one way to be deaf. The way that hates CIs and replies to any question about hearing with "just learn ASL"

 

[hoichi]

I love my cochlear implant. I've had it for 2 years and it has been life changing. .

True robot love no less.....

Contrary to what posters above have said, sign will not set you free .

Oh yes it will

have a master's degree in medicine and hope to start medical school soon. I couldn't do that if I was still totally deaf..

Oh yes you can

Learn ASL if you want. It is a wonderful language and I can communicate without hearing IF the other person knows ASL. WHICH, living in an area that isn't DC, and working with physicians in an ER, nobody else knows ASL..

Oh boo boo...
Fact is
The above isn't a good example.
Their ARE Deaf doctors, that don't have ci or your ci fetish so
Meh

WHICH IS why I have a medical alert bracelet that says "Deaf use ASL" along with thing about the CI.
You'd be surprised how many deaf patients are assumed to have a serious medical issue because they don't respond and a few Deaf patients have been so pissed that only one person knows ASL that they refused to answer questions like"can I bring in a certified interpreter?" They were just so outraged that not everybody knows ASL and in a medical setting we are required to have a certified interpreter.
Me signing isn't good enough for the law, but we can't help people who refuse to cooperate with "idiot hearies" as the patient signed.

HahH
Your funny

 

[hoichi]

Telling other deaf people that this deaf community is only for/accepting of one way to be deaf. The way that hates CIs and replies to any question about hearing with "just learn ASL"

You know for a doc, you should have better English reading comprehension
Is that you think Deafnerdmommy stated?

 

[DeafNerdMommy]

I don't care if people get ci, it doesn't matter to me. I was telling them some people on here can be rused about these questions so be careful. When I first learned about ci I hated them all but I later meet some really great people with CI. I personally am not a fan of small children or people pressured into it. If a consenting person spent the time to look up the info and understands the risks of the surgery and still wants to do it, I have no place changing their mind. I was just warning the op that some people speak their minds.

 

[DeafNerdMommy]

I fell like your thinking ecp is closed minded. Now I don't care one way or another what Jesse choose, but to think that a deaf person can't get a degree, attend college, or be a doctor with out a ci. I am in the process of getting my bachelor in microbiology at a mainstream university, does it make me any less of a microbiologist because I can't hear without hearing aids? Or when I lose the rest of my hearing sometime this year according to my audie, that I should give up or get a ci? You are closed minded.

 

[BleedingPurist]

You know for a doc, you should have better English reading comprehension
Is that you think Deafnerdmommy stated?

This is too ironic. You've completely failed to comprehend ECP's response to DeafNerdMommy. She was not pointing the finger at her, but rather agreeing with and using her statement in reference to your problematic attitude. There is no "ECP vs DeafNerdMommy."

 

[BleedingPurist]

I fell like your thinking ecp is closed minded. Now I don't care one way or another what Jesse choose, but to think that a deaf person can't get a degree, attend college, or be a doctor with out a ci. I am in the process of getting my bachelor in microbiology at a mainstream university, does it make me any less of a microbiologist because I can't hear without hearing aids? Or when I lose the rest of my hearing sometime this year according to my audie, that I should give up or get a ci? You are closed minded.

Being a microbiologist does not require hearing. It's a fairly ideal profession that does not require constant assistance in the way of interpreters or devices other than what is normally used in the job.

Her point isn't even that you need a CI to be a Doctor. She feels that the ability to hear and speak, which facilitates fluid communication with patients and colleagues, will lend towards being a better Physician. Obviously, you can be a doctor and be deaf. They exist. Are they highly desired and sought out by hearing patients? Most people are going to go with a doctor that can speak their language, period. Most people will be concerned about a doctor that cannot communicate in the primary language of the patient without an interpreter. That's a fact of life.

 

[hoichi]

Your just stating the oralist and audits argument re ci.
I do find it very convincing.
It's assimilate or else...
It was also used on native cultures too.
Assimilate or else.
I find that repulsive..

In my field a ci will generally preclude one...
If it's real deal.
So.
Meh

 

[hoichi]

This is too ironic. You've completely failed to comprehend ECP's response to DeafNerdMommy. She was not pointing the finger at her, but rather agreeing with and using her statement in reference to your problematic attitude. There is no "ECP vs DeafNerdMommy."

No there isn't there was and is
Ecp failing to comprehend Deafnerdmomies English...
For a doc
That's shameful

 

[ecp]

I understood her English perfectly. She told a deaf person who is going to (probably) get a CI that AllDeaf isn't the place to find people who are welcoming of Cochlear Implants. She pointed to the door and said, metaphorically "maybe try somewhere else, somewhere where CIs are more accepted"

Although I am not a ci fan, don't listen to people trying to change your mind. People on here, although others have ci,are not ci fans. Some people can be mean about getting a ci. I would stick to online searching and perhaps asking the doctor himself if he has clients who you can talk too.

The strangest thing is that all the Deaf meet ups I've been to are not only welcoming of people with CIs (I wasn't always a fan and put off getting one for a decade) but are composed of culturally Deaf people who have hearing aids and about a third have cochlear implants. We all still sign but more than most people would think also have CIs and have benefit from them.

 

[Jane B.]

I understood her English perfectly. She told a deaf person who is going to (probably) get a CI that AllDeaf isn't the place to find people who are welcoming of Cochlear Implants. She pointed to the door and said, metaphorically "maybe try somewhere else, somewhere where CIs are more accepted"


The strangest thing is that all the Deaf meet ups I've been to are not only welcoming of people with CIs (I wasn't always a fan and put off getting one for a decade) but are composed of culturally Deaf people who have hearing aids and about a third have cochlear implants. We all still sign but more than most people would think also have CIs and have benefit from them.

DeafNerdMommy just joined AllDeaf in October of 2015 so I doubt that she has been to any prior meet ups.