24 hours so not too bad but it was hard to sleep that first night with it on!
My CI surgery got moved closer!
- Thread starter ohmylight
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24 hours so not too bad but it was hard to sleep that first night with it on!
Sarfarigirl2011
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good luck with surgery!!
ohmylight
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Thank you!!! Ill be checking in haha
ecp
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That's the hardest for me to "suck it up and deal with" - I had the hardest time adjusting to relying on people for things like interpreters for school - I swore I could do it myself so that I was not difficult to accommodate and deal with to be "easier." Rather smile and nod and pretend I'm doing just fine than make a fuss or ask people to do things for me.
My mom, boyfriend, and 2 best friends are doing shifts so theres always 2 people in the house in case an errand needs to be run. My sister lives in NJ and when she comes through the week before she asked if I need anything and her "job" is to make casseroles and lasagna and things to help the people who are helping me. I hate feeling like an invalid or like someone needs to take care of me. That's going to be the hardest for me.
However I did use the excuse "I will need to rest, I won't email back for 2-3 weeks" to an overly needy client..... hahaha
My husband and I talked about what would happen of for some reason our insurance approved a CI. We came to the decision that my husband would take care of me immediately after surgery but my mom, who is a nurse, would stay with us for a few days. And if my mom couldn't come, I have two aunts who are nurses within 3 hours (my mom is 7 hours away).
But right now all this talk seems silly since my insurance states that it will not cover CIs.
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Everyones situation is different. One can be in perfect health and still have an allergic reaction, dizzy or nauseous. We are just sharing our experiences so one can prepare for complications. Hopefully, everything will go great and you will be back to yourself quickly. Plus it can be nice to take a few days and have someone who loves you take care of you.
femme Fatale
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Pretty much what has been mentioned on this thread. Prior to surgery, have you determined which side you want your ear implanted? Also, state if you have any allergies or aenesthesia issues. Varying degrees of swelling and tenderness is normal, but most of it will subside in a few days. If you have balance issues, don't rise from bed quickly. Talk about nauseous! :P And don't forget to follow up with stitch removal roughly a week prior to activation. Good luck!
Oh, one other thing! Don't eat or drink several hours prior to surgery for obvious reasons!
Oh, one other thing! Don't eat or drink several hours prior to surgery for obvious reasons!
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ohmylight
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Pretty much what has been mentioned on this thread. Prior to surgery, have you determined which side you want your ear implanted? Also, state if you have any allergies or aenesthesia issues. Varying degrees of swelling and tenderness is normal, but most of it will subside in a few days. If you have balance issues, don't rise from bed quickly. Talk about nauseous! :P And don't forget to follow up with stitch removal roughly a week prior to activation. Good luck!
Oh, one other thing! Don't eat or drink several hours prior to surgery for obvious reasons!
Yup - my right side because it scores worse with speech. Plus it's the side that's up when I sleep.
Thanks!
Sarfarigirl2011
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you're welcome
diehardbiker
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For CI, perhaps its nothing.
For open heart bypass surgery patients like myself, it is HELLish painful as I was warned. thank god I never sneeze for about 2 months after surgery. First sneeze, was bad enough. Glad it wasn't earlier. I hate coughing because it hurts my chest like crazy.
ChristineNeely Don't worry, you will be fine, I went though 3 major surgeries and usually comes out just fine. The surgery itself, you will never know what happened or feel nothing really. You will feel like it takes only 3-5 minutes but really its few hours.
For open heart bypass surgery patients like myself, it is HELLish painful as I was warned. thank god I never sneeze for about 2 months after surgery. First sneeze, was bad enough. Glad it wasn't earlier. I hate coughing because it hurts my chest like crazy.
ChristineNeely Don't worry, you will be fine, I went though 3 major surgeries and usually comes out just fine. The surgery itself, you will never know what happened or feel nothing really. You will feel like it takes only 3-5 minutes but really its few hours.
Another advice: Please try not to sneeze otherwise stitches and skin will fell off.
My ENT used surgical glue and steri-strips for my outer incision and then dissoluble stitches internally so no worries about getting them removed so that was nice.
I've had 5 surgeries prior to my CI. If I rate my most "painful" ones, C-sections, they were probably a 6 or 7 on a pain scale 1-10 for the first day or two after surgery. My CI was MAYBE a 1. It felt more like I banged my head on something and has a bruise vs having surgery. Some spots around the actual implant are a little tender, again bruised feeling now but it's better each day.
diehardbiker--not sure how far post heart surgery you are but one thing I was told to do after my C-sections was to hold a pillow against my stomach when I sneezed or coughed. It made a world of difference!!
I've had 5 surgeries prior to my CI. If I rate my most "painful" ones, C-sections, they were probably a 6 or 7 on a pain scale 1-10 for the first day or two after surgery. My CI was MAYBE a 1. It felt more like I banged my head on something and has a bruise vs having surgery. Some spots around the actual implant are a little tender, again bruised feeling now but it's better each day.
diehardbiker--not sure how far post heart surgery you are but one thing I was told to do after my C-sections was to hold a pillow against my stomach when I sneezed or coughed. It made a world of difference!!
ohmylight
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I've never had a C-section but a lot of my mom clients have so that's the most comforting 1-10 I've seen yet
How exciting! I got mine when I was 21! Stock up you fridge with gatorade and pudding!!! and.. remember to follow your doctor's order w/ the pain killers!!! I was taking 2 at a time and was supposed to reduce to 1 pill at a time after the 2nd or 3rd day and forgot.. so i was going NUTS! I went crazy when my little brother drank my gatorade from the bottle!!! then my mom was like.. chill (then noticeded that i was taking 2 pills) and realized thats why i was freaking out, LOL. the pain killers were GREAt. i didn't feel pain at all.
be open minded when you got it turn on.. i remember that i HATED it and regretted having CI after 3 days of having it turned on... everyone adjusts differently, some adjust pretty quickly, it took me about six months to finally LOVE my CI. just be patience...
good luck!
be open minded when you got it turn on.. i remember that i HATED it and regretted having CI after 3 days of having it turned on... everyone adjusts differently, some adjust pretty quickly, it took me about six months to finally LOVE my CI. just be patience...
good luck!
I was prescribed Vicodin, didn't take any after I left the hospital. I didn't like how it made me feel and I didn't really need it. I've had more pain from sunburn or a bad papercut then I had from my CI. It was more uncomfortable vs painful. I found that icing it made it feel very good too. I didn't do that for a couple days though but after a couple ice sessions I was amazing how much better it felt.
ohmylight
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I know it's going to be work! Thanks - 6 months out where you having conversations without seeing people? Phone or looking away? I'm not expecting perfection... I just want less frustration and less need to focus so damn much on people when they're talking.
good luck!
Thank you!
That's a good suggestion - thank you!
Nope. I grew up profoundly deaf and got my CI when I was 21. CI is not magic. I just dont.. become capable to have conversations w/o seeing people. I don't know your background but if you had hearing before and lost it at an older age, you're more likely to have conversations w/o seeing people. In my situation, the results are the same, I just enjoy sounds more.. enjoyed music, little things like the birds.. ocean crashing, things like that.
ohmylight
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I had hearing until I was 19 and rapidly progressed through HOH into deaf. I'm prepared for it giving me as little as just more awareness around me and at most regain ability to have conversations without seeing people. I think the hardest thing is going to be preparing other people for that expectation. Everyone who's hearing who I've told I have to clarify that it isn't a fix. They expect everything will be as it was before my loss with it, which it obviously won't be. Thanks for sharing your experience!
ugh yes... a lot of people thought that I would be "hearing" after I get the CI. it's annoying... but now i think they GET it b/c it's been 7 years since i got my CI and they realized that I haven't made any improvements. I'm the SAME, i talk the same, I guess i just hear a little better, that's all.
i think that it'll be benficial in your situation b/c you lost it when you were 19... the sounds will be DIFFERENT b/c it's from the brain, dont worry, you'll get use to it.
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Good luck ChristineNeely on getting a CI in Sept. Not far off now. Getting excited?
My best friend have a CI and told me everything about it. She have told me a tip for anyone who are getting an implant. Give your hair a good wash before going in for surgery because once in, you are not allow to watch your hair for 15 days so they say. She was horrified as she normally washes her hair every 2 days! She couldn't stand not washing her hair that long. Her doctor told her to use a glass with some blue tac on the edge to put over your ear and make sure there is no water leaking in. Get someone to wash your hair carefully. She got her daughter to wash her hair over a kitchen sink while she hold a glass over her ear. After 15 days has pass, she felt so much better washing her own hair.
My best friend have a CI and told me everything about it. She have told me a tip for anyone who are getting an implant. Give your hair a good wash before going in for surgery because once in, you are not allow to watch your hair for 15 days so they say. She was horrified as she normally washes her hair every 2 days! She couldn't stand not washing her hair that long. Her doctor told her to use a glass with some blue tac on the edge to put over your ear and make sure there is no water leaking in. Get someone to wash your hair carefully. She got her daughter to wash her hair over a kitchen sink while she hold a glass over her ear. After 15 days has pass, she felt so much better washing her own hair.
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Everyone is going to vary in their recovery and progress but I'm 2 weeks post-activation and I can follow along with radio announcers probably 70% of the time. I would get maybe 20% of what they were saying with my HA pre-surgery. I don't know that I could have a full conversation but I can hear and understand people behind me in quiet situations--at home for example. Noisy situations are still very challenging...but better with the CI then I ever had with HA's. I was in the 30% range for speech recognition pre-surgery.
I think my family felt that as soon as they turned on my CI's I would be back to normal too. They really just don't understand how difficult it is not hearing well.....I have a few friends that thought the same but I explained the process to them and they get it.