Born with normal hearing, I couldn’t figure out why, when I was about nineteen years old, people started to talk softly and mumble. It made no sense. Of course, this was the start of my bi-lateral sensorineural hearing loss. The cause was never determined but that didn’t stop it from declining gradually through the years.
In my late fifties, my hearing took a steep drop and I was really challenged hearing. To boot, my hearing fluctuated, and without warning it would drop even further.
It was an awful time. My life was based in the hearing world. What was happening to me? I was missing more of conversations than I was getting. I hated asking people to repeat themselves… that was ONLY for “old” people. I stopped going to social events like joining friends at restaurants or parties. I also stopped going to public events; I could hear the words but couldn’t discern their meaning. I wanted to hide in my room. I became isolated and depressed.
I begged my audiologist for stronger hearing aides – but there were none. I went to my ENT hoping for a magic cure. And there was – Cochlear’s cochlear implant. I didn’t hesitate for a second. Today I am blessed with two cochlear implants.
Why blessed? Cochlear has allowed me to live a normal life again. I can understand conversations, go to events where there’s a lot of ambient noise and speak on the phone. For any challenging situations I use Cochlear’s amazing wireless assistive listening devices. Cochlear has given me my life back. What more do I need to say!
Today I give successful on-line workshops called Coming to Terms with Hearing Loss to help people live happy and healthy lives with their hearing loss. I accomplish the same through my one-on-one coaching. If I didn’t have my cochlear implants, I never would have had the courage to put these workshops together or confidence to do one-on-one coaching. Thank you, Cochlear.
Please leave your thoughts at Comments below. Also visit Cochlear’s #WakeUpCall website if you’re looking for more information to help with your hearing loss.
Views expressed here are my own. Consult your hearing health provider to determine if you are a candidate for Cochlear technology. Outcomes and results may vary.
Posted in Advocate, Blog and tagged Cochlear, Cochlear America, wake-up call.
