[NFB-DB] Cochlear Implants Response

Wed Apr 27 18:30:59 UTC 2022

I am not sure how different each person hears details which you would like to know. I can cross a small street and I can hear cars on the other side of a two lane road, no more ability than that. If larger street I would not say I am consistent in judgement of traffic. I can tell when I am facing the way traffic is going, when I am having traffic come towards me or if I get turned around due to my guide dog doing his dance—I can get myself back to going the way I want, facing traffic or going the same way. Some ability to hear echo, but I would not depend on that. It is there, but maybe because I have to concentrate to hear it, I simply don’t always pick up on it being there. I know when I am walking down one of those narrow pathways between housing, that kind of echo I can hear.

I have practiced some of this listening ability. I probably looked strange to the public, but I went walking with a sighted person and knew which way I was heading down the side walk. Then I stopped, spun around so I had to listen to traffic and tell the person which way I was facing. I did not always get it right, but with practice of first just listening to what I knew my position to be, and then when I spun around and moved until it sounded like I was, say, facing traffic so that I would not cross and cars went in front of me. At corners of small streets I am great, but not when it is more than two lanes. I practiced to learn the sounds, just like I practiced to recognize music and even using the phone.
I recall the day I could actually hear cars going past me, from behind past, it was such a thrill for me to pick up on that sound. Or standing facing traffic, not busy, and if a car comes the sound change as it goes from one side to the other. Those sounds are now automatic, but suttle so it takes practice and get someone to clarify what is happening as you listen. Say a truck idoling across the street, what does that sound like. If not too busy street, I can tell this.
I think it takes practice to hear so much at first, but once I got used to that, it was fine. But if I am walking down a very busy highway or very wide street with lots of traffic, I become agitated, nervous, I hate it! Butt I told the instructor at the guide dog school I could not walk down that street myself, I just can not. But I would never put myself in that position, and I explained what that sound does to me and it is just very confusing, very awful! I do not fall down, I just do not want to walk forward!
Penny

Sent from Mail for Windows

From: kendrick.deborah at gmail.com
Sent: April 27, 2022 1:27 PM
To: 'NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List'
Cc: 'Penny Leclair'; 'Sara Coleman'
Subject: RE: [NFB-DB] Cochlear Implants Response

Very interesting conversation. 
Could either of you comment on how the cochlear affects your ability to remain oriented?  
When I began wearing hearing aids 40 years ago, I realized I did not feel safe traveling. My solution then was to wear only one, even though my hearing required two, so that the “naked” ear could hear ambient sounds and traffic. 
Do you have any of this ability when you have a cochlear implant? And what about echo location? Do you have any of that?  
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences.
Deborah
If any of you are ompletely blind

From: NFB-DB <nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Penny Leclair via NFB-DB
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2022 12:02 PM
To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Penny Leclair <penny.leclair at rogers.com>; Sara Coleman <scolemae at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NFB-DB] Cochlear Implants Response

My experience is almost the same as this, and I am very pleased with the idea that the hearing I have now will never change like with hearing aids your hearing declines, most people this is true, and you have to go through the loss of what ever that hearing decline will bring.
Penny

Sent from Mail for Windows

From: Sara Coleman via NFB-DB
Sent: April 27, 2022 10:28 AM
To: nfb-db at nfbnet.org
Cc: Sara Coleman
Subject: [NFB-DB] Cochlear Implants Response

Hello!

I became eligible for cochlear implants in 2016 and had the first done in 2016 and the 2nd one done in 2020.  Life changing for me as I have Ushers 2A with hearing impairment as a child and now legally blind becoming progressively worse.

I received the Kanso from Cochlear. They are an oval unit which sit up and back from my ears.  Since they come in different colors I have a set which matches my hair color so not that noticeable so I’m told.

Once I got used to the first implant I find them to be incredibly better than hearing aids. Cochlear implants are more successful for people who had hearing and good language development.  Hence the need for a complete evaluation to understand your personal circumstance. The ability to understand speech because I can hear the higher ranges of speech is very much improved for me. 

Recovery from the surgery itself was about a week. Minimal pain, mostly from the incision behind the ear.

Once the unit was activated it took me about 3 months to feel like sounds were more normal from the first highly digital, robotic sounds. I found listening to my favorite shows and lots of NPR, audiobooks and magazines helped accelerate learning how to hear using the cochlear.  My directional hearing also improved once I got the second unit.  I’m 5 years out from my first implant and my hearing improves with each 6 months “tune up” visit.

I couldn’t be happier.

Sara Coleman

Subject: [NFB-DB] Iplants
Hi everyon,
I?m thinking about implants and I wanted to ask some questions.
Howvisible are the implants?
Are they totally better then hearing aids?
Do you like them versus hearing aid? How long was the recovery process?
Thanks, 

Sent from my iPad

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