The surgery... The journey to getting a Cochlear Implant by Eleanor

So, the surgery went well! It was a rather surreal experience, as if I was simply going on an adventure than having a operation. It was easier to think like that, otherwise I may have been rather more scared and anxious about the whole thing.

 I was wheeled into surgery by the nurse and porter, and I remember the porter asking me if I liked being called Ellie or Eleanor, to which he responded something about his daughter or granddaughter being called Ellie and he had large tattoos on both arms reflecting that. I remember thinking, why am I going into surgery if I can hear this conversation - maybe it's all a joke and I can actually hear perfectly fine?

Then someone gave me an injection and took my glasses off, and the next thing I knew I was being woken up from a really nice dream. Now I don't remember the dream but I do know it was a really good one because I was so annoyed at being woken up. In fact I was so confused at having been woken up, that I was sure this was the dream - waking up in a hospital bed with a sore throat and limbs that did not want to cooperate - not even to get my glasses on so I could actually see what I was seeing. Luckily, this disorientated feeling didn't last long, and I soon remembered why I was there. Although the wound didn't hurt, I knew something had been done to the right side of my head (they did the right side, phew) as it felt numb and rather sticky. It also took a while to put my glasses on as the nurse put some gaze to protect the wound from the glasses arm. This has now been taken off as I'm determined to avoid any kind of infection or anything that would require a repeat performance.

 A little while after I came too, the nurse who had wheeled me into surgery came back and asked if I was feeling OK. It was really hard to speak as my throat hurt so much but I was able to squeak out a yes, and was wheeled back to the ward. Mum was waiting for me back in the private room (with an ensuite, check it out!) which was really nice. I'd definitely recommend taking someone with you, there's a bit of a wait before and after and generally just having someone around just feels really nice :). Once I was back on the ward, it was just a matter of sleeping, attempting to get up for the toilet and also eating. The consultant came through a little while after and asked to look at the wound. He said it looked good, surgery went well and if I could eat a little then he saw no reason why I couldn't go home that evening. I was really happy about that as I hadn't really wanted to stay overnight in a strange place feeling groggy and unwell. So when the sandwiches came I tried my very best to eat, although I really wasn't hungry yet (odd for me considering I'd not eaten since 7.30am that morning and it was now getting on for 7pm).

 A few hours later and I was allowed to go home! I was so relieved and so grateful to my mum for hanging on till I was able to leave. In fact I was just grateful for her being there the whole time. She really is the best mum in the world.

  After mum brought me back to hers, I slept and slept and slept. By the next evening I started to feel a lot better, just with a bit of a sore ear. Today, 3 days on, I'm feeling pretty good. I got given paracetamol and ibuprofen to manage the pain and although its sore sometimes, I'm really impressed with how little it has hurt.

 I have another week off in order to heal and recover and also hide away whilst I am unable to wash my hair (it's already looking pretty frightful) and then the week after I have a post-op checkup to check the implant is in place, most likely an xray will be taken. Hopefully then I will get a date for the switch on, hoping it'll be sooner rather than later, I'm excited to start my new hearing journey.

Watch out world, I'm coming.

The Journey To Getting a CI Part 2 By Eleanor

. On Monday just gone I went back to the CI assessment centre for the second time, after being told that based on my audiological results I am eligible for a CI. This time I went for three assessments which were to find out if I'm 'medically fit' to have one.. after making a very sensible (but slightly regrettable at times) decision to get the train and take my bike (which actually saved me a lot of money in car parking and buses) it turned out to be a rather long day.

 With my recent obsession in trying to keep fit in preparation for a half marathon coming up, I decided to bike to the train station. It actually went rather smoothly, until I got to the train station. Apparently people do not like bikes on trains and apparently it makes people rather grumpy, usually accompanied by a roll of the eyes or a tut as they bump into my rear bike wheel as it blocks the aisle entrance. It is also not a good idea to have a bike during peak times. On the journey home I unfortunately had to miss the first train back as lots of tall bikeless people prioritized their journeys before short people with bikes. It didn't bother me too much as I'm rather a patient person but I made sure I was at the front of the queue for the next train, whilst wondering if I could dump the bike and jump on the train if it was too full. All in all, it was a very successful journey and the train station is not far from the hospital at all, perhaps a 10 minute bike ride with excellent cycle paths which make you feel queen of the roads.

 The first assessment was the 'medical'. This was a very short 5 minute conversation with a nurse to check my medical history, if I had been in hospital before, whether I'd had an operation before, whether I was on any medication etc. They also got a lovely swab of my nose which I was told is to test for MRSA. Then, the nurse asked me if I'd had a CT scan of my head before, to which I replied no, so I was sent upstairs to have a CT (how exciting!).

 I'd never had a CT scan before, so it was a rather unnerving experience. You are asked to lie down on, what is best described as a bed but with an appearance of a table. For the CT machine, you're not really allowed any metal things however I'd casually, as most mornings nowadays, did my french braid in my hair that morning complete with frantic metal clips to try and stop it all falling out... so of course they had to come out....afterwards I looked very much like I'd just got out of bed.. so casual. Off came the glasses and the hearing aids, honestly, who knew I had so many things on my head these days.
 Anyway, after a few minutes of lying on the jerky table which couldn't decide if I was coming or going and feeling rather sick from the spinning equipment going around and around my head... it was done. Sadly I didn't get to see the scan of my head which was rather disappointing but I was informed that it was all fine upon inspection.

 There was lots of waiting around between assessments so I decided to find places to hang out and it turns out this hospital has a brilliant food court or 'concourse' as they called it, no idea why. This was great for the waiting around and I had no problems with boredom or hangry feelings.

The second assessment was the 'rehabilitation'. This was a chat with a hearing rehabilitation person, or Speech and Language Teacher (SALT). She was really lovely and keen to know why I wanted a CI, what my motivation behind it is. The process is rather lengthy, for example after the operation I will only have access to one Hearing Aid (HA) on the ear that hasn't been operated on, it will be rather quiet for six weeks until the switch on. For the first few months of the switch on, they recommend not to wear a HA in the other ear, so the brain can adjust to how everything sounds and get used to the different noises. This will mean, whilst they're programming the CI processor, further weeks of 'quiet'. She was keen to inform me that it will be difficult, hard work and a long process. This wasn't to put me off, but to make sure that this is something I really wanted.

 This often plays in my thoughts. Do I really want a CI or am I just looking for some miracle cure that doesn't exist? Being a Teacher of the Deaf and being as fiercely independent as I am, has made me want to do it all myself. I want to be able to hear the children read word for word, to hear their attempts at phonics, to hear when one of them is calling me or talking about their mum's birthday party at the weekend. But most of all, I want to hear my own children. I'm not saying I definitely will have children of my own but perhaps, if one day that happens, I'd like the option. 
 However, I have to be cautious here. I am deaf, and I do like to engage in the deaf community, I can sign and I love meeting deaf people. Wanting a CI doesn't mean I'll turn my back on this, definitely not. I am still me and I will always be deaf. 

The third assessment was 'objective'. This one consisted of a 30 minute nap! This was basically an ABR or Auditory Brainstem Response assessment, which measures the reactions of the nervous system to sounds. I was asked to lie on another bed *cough table cough* with some various 'electrodes' stuck to my forehead, behind both ears and one on my collarbone. Earphones are also put in your ears to play sounds, although I didn't hear anything so it might have all been a lie... For this test you have to be completely relaxed, so it is recommended you sleep or at least shut your eyes for 30-45 minutes. It is a bit surreal attempting to 'nap' whilst knowing someone is in the room next to you and admittedly I didn't really 'nap' I just shut my eyes and tried so hard not to breathe so loudly because the minute you know you have to be quiet is when everything you do is SUPER loud.

 That was the end of the assessments and I was free to go home. The next stage is that all the professionals I've seen are going to meet up and discuss my case and whether they would offer me a CI. So I am basically just waiting for an appointment with the consultant who will let me know the verdict.. hopefully it won't be too long a wait.

 I am ready to be offered one, I think this is a journey I'd like to undertake, but I don't think I'm ready to be not offered one....not when I've come this far.

Watch this space..