Question: Have you had hearing aids before Cochlear Implant?
Yes, when I was little I had hearing aids in both ears. But I because I have discrimination in my left ear I can’t understand anything, so I quit wearing it. In my right ear, I had progressive hearing loss. When the doctor told me that I was losing my speech understanding, I was a candidate for the CI if I was interested in considering it. After that, I no longer wore it. I remember trying to put it on one after the CI, it was definitely not the same!
Question: If you did, is there any difference between hearing aids and CI in term of hearing things?
Yes, they explained that it would be more mechanical and can pick up more sounds. But it would take time to process.
When I first turned it on, I could only spend the first six hours hearing, otherwise, everyone’s voices sounded like cartoons. This lasted only a couple of months. Thankfully, after a few adjustments in frequencies, I got found the right one and liked it but it took getting used to. I could never hear clocks before! Ask my mom, I sat for hours just amazed by listening to clocks! I know, weird… right?
However, sometimes the annoyance to picking up everything is my biggest pet peeve but other than that, I’ve learned to tune it our or communicate with others in loud environments.
Thanks for your questions Josh!
Josh’s background: Wore hearing aids his whole life, which his parents preferred. Moving to DC to attend school gave him freedom to take them off and communicate with others without them. It also gave him freedom to live in silence and peace in his mind. Right where he believes he was intended to be.
Ask the Deaf Writer 