My Cochlear Implant Story

My story began 25 years ago with a mild but progressive sensorineural hearing loss. The beginning of a journey learning to cope with hearing loss as it gradually deteriorated over the years until I was profoundly impaired. Over the span of those 25 years I would need stronger and stronger hearing aids to be able to communicate until even the strongest weren’t sufficient to really aid me much. I relied heavily on lip-reading and the patience and understanding of those closest to me to help explain and re-explain what I didn’t get. As aggressive as I felt I was in trying to deal with this continuing loss of hearing, I slowly dropped out of many parts of life. Large gatherings of people were exhausting and stressful to deal with. Noisy places were avoided. I would rather have family get-togethers at my home so that I could stay busy in the kitchen and not feel so left out of conversations. Even the family dinner table was a difficult time because I could not easily follow the flow of the children’s excited telling of their days. Simple communication took a great deal of work!

In the early winter of 2003 I visited my audiologist, Melodie Willihnganz, to check again on my hearing aids as the struggle to communicate had once again become such that I wanted to be sure there was nothing I could do further with my current hearing aids to improve the situation. My check-up confirmed what I had already suspected. I had reached the point where hearing aids, no matter how powerful, would no longer help me much in any way. It was at the suggestion of this dear audiologist, that I now began exploring the possibility of a cochlear implant. She referred me to UW Hospitals in Madison. At this time, my insurance did not cover cochlear implants. With the help of Melodie and Carol Burns I began the long process of contacting and educating Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin until I finally received approval to have the surgery covered. On December 9, 2004 the letter of preauthorization was given by our insurance and the exciting journey continued in earnest.

In January I began the series of tests to further confirm my candidacy for a cochlear implant. After passing all these tests, surgery was performed on May 4, 2004. On June 10, 2004 I was hooked-up to the external processor for the first time! When it was turned on, the first things I heard were little beeps and chirps and blips! But as my audiologist, Jennifer Ploch and my Mom and another audiologist in the room continued to converse, the voices started to take on the sound of the cartoon characters, Chip and Dale!

It has been said that you never really appreciate something until you have lost it. Indeed that has been my experience with hearing loss and now to have regained it once again with such clarity is truly a blessing! Those sounds and voices that I remember from my childhood are all back again! My husband sounds just like he did when we first dated 25 years ago! My mother’s laughter, my father’s deep and steady voice, my brother’s teasing tone, my sister’s quiet voice ~ all as I remembered! And those voices that I’ve never really heard are a wonderful surprise! Most of all my children’s voices since they were born after my hearing loss had progressed so far that I never really heard their true voices! What a treat to now hear them so clearly! And their laughter! I could not help but think the first times I heard them laugh, how joyful and distinctly different each one sounded!

I no longer avoid gatherings, people and places. I actually look forward to them! And it surprises me now that I can spontaneously say “Hi!” to someone without that immediate worry of whether I’ll actually be able to converse with them! I now can use the phone again to call anyone, anytime and chat! Yes, the TTY and Relay were a blessing when I had no other choice, but what a treat to use the phone again now by myself!

My music tapes that my mother saved and gave back to me after my implant are such a joy to listen to! I forgot how uplifting, soothing and fun music can be! Each day brings something new to be appreciated all over again! Gravel crunching. Listening to my Bible tapes as I work. The musical patter of the rain as it falls. All the different birds singing. Bugs buzzing and chirping. Cats purring and meowing. The wind blowing through the trees. A chipmunk chattering. Computer keys clicking. Water running. Food sizzling. Dogs barking. Planes flying. The stove timer beeping. . . . But the voices! Oh the voices ~ to know and understand so easily and be able to respond. The sounds of life. What a blessing to be given the chance to hear it all again!

Laurie Loewen