My expectations for my implant

Well, for the implant to be a ‘success’ for me, I would like to be able to enjoy music again. It’s hard to describe how it sounds now with my digital hearing aids. Sometimes its just loud booming with no lyrics, other times it can sound electronic. It’s been like that for years and I’ve avoided listening to music as a result.

I also hope to be able to use a telephone again. It’s been years since I’ve been able to hear anything via a telephone. I have been advised by other CI users that mobile phones are easier to use than land line phones but I intend to try both.

My fear is that I will lose a lot of sound that I receive via my hearing aids and that it will take a long time to get ‘back to normal’. I also worry that one cochlear implant will not be enough. Would I need two? Would I need to use a hearing aid in the other ear?

I asked these questions when at the Cochlear Implant Centre and was told:

I will start to see improvements almost immediately but it can take 9 months to a year to get the full benefit of a cochlear implant.

Two implants are normally given to children or to adults with additional disabilities. The centre follows the N.I.C.E guidelines.

They advised me not to wear a hearing aid in the other ear for at least 6 months to help me get used to my implant. I was advised some people find they do not like it as the two sounds are very different. Some people on the other hand find it is helpful.

Some implantees enjoy music more, and some do not. Everyone responds differently to the implant.