The journey to getting a Cochlear Implant (CI) by Eleanor

To Cochlear Implant, or not to Cochlear Implant.....


 Making the choice is the first step. Did I really want a CI? Would it actually improve my life? Would it really be worth the constant appointments? What are the chances it could go terribly wrong and I'd end up with no hearing? What about the six weeks before switch on, could I really cope with no hearing? Would I have to hide away like a hermit, frustrated at what a hearing world we live in?

(For adults, you are only allowed one CI unless you are vision impaired. You are able to wear HAs whilst waiting for the switch on. This was just my irrational thoughts.. going irrational).

 The truth is, this hearing world is not going anywhere. And my hearing isn't getting better by itself. Instead I'm often sat at the end of the day wondering where I will find the energy to listen again tomorrow. Wishing everyone would be quiet, that I could walk around the house without my hearing aids in and ignore the world.. at least for a few hours. Why does everything require listening?

 So, eventually, and I had to do it on my own, I decided to take the step and at least go for an initial consultation to see if I was actually eligible to have a CI. Some of you may know that a few years ago I went to an initial consultation and was told that my speech discrimination was too good. I was too good at finding the bits I could hear and filling in all the rest, because, basically that is what I do everyday, all day. These days, it feels such a slog. It feels different, harder somehow, but mostly it feels more frustrating.

 Today was the day of the initial consultation (for the second time) and I was sent to an audiology assessment. Basically they look for two things to see whether you 'meet the criteria' to have a CI.

 The first being that you must have a profound loss at particular frequencies (your audiologist will know more, it can also differentiate between CI centres). I already knew I met this criteria from the previous consultation and talks with my Audiologist.

The second is that your speech discrimination should be lower than 50%. If it is higher than this (which I found the first time I went) they believe that giving you a CI would not give you any more advantage than what you currently have and therefore would not be worth the risks of going through the process.
 The speech discrimination is measured by placing you in front of a speaker. The audiologist sets a tape to play, first of a male voice, who is saying sentences. You simply repeat back what you've heard, not what you've worked out. Then, a female voice plays. Then you take alternative hearing aids out. My results were pretty shocking with both ears getting just 14%, my left just 7% and my right a mere 4%. During the test I was reminded how much I hate watching the TV without subtitles. I literally get nothing and it feels like the most boring thing in the world. It's the same for pub quizzes by the way, if you happen to be reading this bruv - it's just torture.

That is basically the initial consultation. At the end of this, you are told whether, based on your results you'd be eligible for CI. The next stage is to have medical assessments and a whole host of other assessments. You can usually get all of these appointments on the same day but in this one off example, mine have been booked for different days. But, in a way I'm glad. It has given me more time to process my thoughts and look to the future. A CI isn't a cure, I know that much, but I do know it will give me a fighting chance of hearing, of letting me listen without staring intensely at your lips, without having to feel embarrassed about declining meeting up with friends because frankly I'm just too tired to look.

 There are many sides to the argument of CIs. Some believe that deafness is not an illness, that it isn't a problem to be fixed, that we should be proud of our culture. Others believe that CIs mean better access to speech, an opportunity to listen and to be heard in our predominately hearing world that we live in. As a Teacher of the Deaf myself, I completely understand both views. From a personal point of view, this is the decision I have to make for myself, that would best fit my needs. I'm glad I've waited this long because it has been my choice to make (I've had a progressive loss since the age of three) and I'm excited for what it could mean. I know there are risks of course I do, and I still have to pass all the other medical assessments and await for a group of professionals to discuss whether they want to do the operation before any of this can happen, but I'm in the journey.

I'll be going back in a few weeks for the medical assessment, the rehabilitation assessment and the objectives assessment, thankfully all on the same day... I'll be sure to fill you in on the next stage :).