Originally Posted by Grummer View Post
Ii know exactly what you mean, yes i had same problem, not 'fixed with the plastic cover clipped on i asked at hossy they fixed that but it didnt fix the shape problems that i dont like about Sumo's its too steep and rubs on my ear. I hated that. I am using my older Widex Bassissido (sp?) not only its sits on the ear in anunobxious way but also better sync'ed sounds and speech discerning is more natural. It is digital also, actually that particular BTE was the the first line of mass produced digital aids, and it still rocks and works so damn well even its 8 years old , strong performer. Oticon were (I am sure some will stay it's still the best), It is no doubt one of the longest serving HA manufacterer, very reliable brand at that too.
My hearing is failing, so I am in the midst of considering CI...so if I did, I'd miss the convenience of HAs, as it is not a permanent 'solution' on the body.
Pinky, I see you are being pressured by the Deaf community/culture - they have no right to tell you how you should feel about your own needs if you're happy to use some hearing and speech and want to be closer with your hearing freinds and family but still likes to be able to keep d/Deaf freinds, I see no reason why you should not make your own decisions, if you really want to hear better than you do now while you Do already know you'd NEVER be a hearing person, or hear as close as they would (some CIers do claim they can - they probably can but thats i dunno from ALL sorts of reasons), but then yes I would say (its hard work, to learn to hear again with CI (are you aware of this?) so then yes thats a personal thing to consider if its going to bother or seem to uncertain then thats something to go on the list of factors in weighting up your own decision.
Like Hear again said, if you are not sure (as I am not sure either) it is best to wait, read more books, smaybe you could get this book; "Cochlear Implants in Deaf Children Ethics and Choices" by John B Chirstiansen and Irene W. Liegh and read Chapter 10 and 11. These chapters provides some insights on the reactions to CI from various kinds of people- parents, teachers, deaf community, Deaf advocates, hearing people in general (that bit I would like to see it be more broken down into more specifics and at same times various rationale but thats another league outside this thread) and its changing views /learned reactions on CI as time moves on, this I believe would help you to learn about how to assert your own decisions and to demonstrate such fears are only reactions just that. People are social beings they believe anything at first and how the maturity of CI's technology now have many happy receievers that are satisfied wearers of CI, but again this does not remove the the fact you have to work HARD to learn how to recognise everything around you and speech. ( no i havent got one but
some CIers do claim they can - they probably can but thats i dunno from ALL sorts of reasons
would connect to this following;....
I have been informed by several people how have actually got one, there are "HIGH success" cases but if looked closer youd find there WERE hearing , or half-deaf long time ago so its the learned / memories of what sound actually is, that made them a success.
and other factors like what kind of hearing loss impacting the individual, also the 'willpower' factor to learn to hear...but the 'i dunno bits' would be more like coming from what be differentiating myth and reality when considering those who have been deaf ALL the lives, and indeed lipreading coupled with 'thought what sound were might actually be quite different to what sound actually hear by hearing people (or those who WERE hearing in the past), it is like (hypothetically) teaching a bliind person how to recognise colour after they have been blind all their lives, is going to be different to helping a recovered blind_turned seeing (say a corena-implant, just pretend ok?) because they KNEW what is sight and what is it to be able to Catch a ball so quick, by co-ordination, while holding to this thought, to be able to interpret each (overheard or caught out by attention) conversations, so quick that without lipreading a CI user would know what they heard. But this is subjective mainly on account that if they were 'experienced in the ways of the 'hearing culture' to be able to recognise these human conditions or erroneous happensances which people fall into, in society, be it having an affair, threats, erotic sweet nothings being whispered that hearing impaired people DONT hear on buses, or schemers discussing 'plans' in public bars like talking who they know and what for, that sort of thing. But when i said i dunno, i mean like its like we/they (deaf persons) say things about wanting to hear, or experiences things on a 'same' level as hearing people as in discussing, its not going to be well properly throughtoutly received by hearing people, because hearing people do not know deafness, while at same time, deaf people sometimes tries hard to imagine a hearing world - just to attempt to understand it, but they also havent received 'experiences' the same way, so imagining is NOT going to be like a conduict not even close.
hell, i dont know if im explaining this clearly, it is a difficult one to describe.
Im really tired , i will come back later see if you get it, and hopefully there would be abetter way of explaining this. but for now, i just hope this is suffice to say.
Cheers
I am sure there several other books with better description of these matters.
All the best, just relax take your time, and also dont be pressured into it, if you're really comfortable with HAs /where you are then it is only you who can make that pick. It is HARD i know, I'm stuck in it too.
Cheers
that's a difficult position to be in. i've heard of terps who disapprove of their clients getting a ci which is against the coe (code of ethics) since they can't say one way or the other whether or not it's right for you to get an implant. i've been lucky in that the 3 tactile terps i've worked with (we only have 3 tactile terps in my area) never said anything negative about my getting a ci and told me if i thought it was the best decision for me that i should go for it. i think you should too! it wouldn't hurt to do a little research to understand more about ci's as well as what you can expect. some people are able to hear environmental sounds while others can talk on the phone. even if you are only able to hear environmental sounds, that's still considered a success because chances are likely that you will be able to hear much better than you presently do with hearing aids.