Audiologist Just Told Me I'm A Possible Candidate

deafskeptic said:
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I was a bit shocked when my audi recommended that I have my left ear implanted instead of my right ear. However her explanation makes sense.
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Yea, she told me the same thing. One's chances are much better in the dominant ear (if you have one). Some people don't and thus a choice of which ear they prefer.

deafskeptic said:
I must say I don't like the idea of my CI being visible to all but hey I think the benefits outweighs a little vanity! :D
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Really, it isn't a big deal. Like Hear Again mentioned already, people think is some cool gadget. I had one person tell me it was one cool HA (it was my blue one).
 
I haven't had any stares or questions from Joe Public at all since I first donned my CI. I thought I would attract a lot more interest but not so. When I look around at shopping malls I see all kinds of hearing people right down to the cleaners wearing ear pieces, so I guess it's not odd any more.

Also another factor probably is that in Australia everyone knows what a CI is - even old ladies who don't know much about the world. It's been very well publicised by the media here.
 
DD, while I have no doubt that there are a few HAs on the market that will provide the necessary power for my ears, the question here is that do they provide clarity? That is what I'm not getting via my HA. I should remind you that CIs aren't powerful HAs; they're auditory prosthesis.

Some BTEs are as powerful as body aids. For some reason the mention of body aids brings back unpleasant memories of a BTE HA that I had when I was 13. I had it for only a month and I kept getting headaches from it. I didn't have recruitment problems in those days. I shudder to think of what wearing body aids would be like for me nowadays.
 
deafskeptic said:
DD, while I have no doubt that there are a few HAs on the market that will provide the necessary power for my ears, the question here is that do they provide clarity? ....
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I agree ! My digital hearing aids have enough power for my severe/profound loss but I can never get clarity . Digitals offers much more good sounding sounds but speech is STILL distorted to some degree due to my damaged cochlea.. and I don't think body worn aids help much better than super power bte hearing aids.. Body worn hearing aids even are not sold in my country !.

A little close to the topic, I searched a little about CI criteria and I found that (in my country) the criteria is like this: profound hearing loss ( at 95 db and higher) in both ears and thirty or less percent speech discrimination.. When I did read it,I felt left out :( since my loss is at 92 and 88 dbs..
 
DD, while I have no doubt that there are a few HAs on the market that will provide the necessary power for my ears, the question here is that do they provide clarity? T
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I don't know.......that's why I think its good to experiment. I'm not an audi.......but I mean I do think in SOME cases a BTE aid, for severe/profounders is sort of like an ITE aid for hoh folks.
If you have SOME clarity with BTEs, and have a severe/profound loss, then maybe in some cases a body worn aid would increase that clarity.
I'm just hypothesizing. It does sound like you're the perfect canidate for CI, but some people might get the clarity they're seeking with body worns. Like I know in Europe BTEs are not prescibed too often for more then moderately severe losses.........
 
I'm thinking that maybe I should just forget about surgery as I'm having problems with keeping blood sugars down.

When I first started taking meds, blood sugars were around 200 but this week average is around 168.

Ideal is below 140.


I keep getting reminded that there's a good chance that my surgery will be postponed and I'm feeing so discouraged that I'm tempted to just email the doc to cancel surgery for good.
 
deafskeptic said:
I'm thinking that maybe I should just forget about surgery as I'm having problems with keeping blood sugars down.

When I first started taking meds, blood sugars were around 200 but this week average is around 168.

Ideal is below 140.


I keep getting reminded that there's a good chance that my surgery will be postponed and I'm feeing so discouraged that I'm tempted to just email the doc to cancel surgery for good.
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NO! Don't give up! Keep trying!!! In time your blood sugar levels will be down to where it is ideal!
 
deafskeptic said:
I'm thinking that maybe I should just forget about surgery as I'm having problems with keeping blood sugars down.

When I first started taking meds, blood sugars were around 200 but this week average is around 168.

Ideal is below 140.


I keep getting reminded that there's a good chance that my surgery will be postponed and I'm feeing so discouraged that I'm tempted to just email the doc to cancel surgery for good.
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It's your choice of course. However either way for your own long term health you do need to continue to work on your blood sugar levels. Not having CI surgery is not going to make that particular problem go away.

We are here to keep helping and supporting you. I know it must be very hard and discouraging but going from 200 to 168 is a real improvement! Dropping the extra 30 points is obviously going to take some work but is worthwhile for your health.
 
I can understand what you are going through. I know my situation is different but we were told that we have to keep Ashley's weight up. She is so small for her age they don't want to chance her not tolerating the surgery. It sounds like you have a lot of support from the people here. Don't give up. You just have to put your mind to it. If this surgery is what you want I am sure you can over come this.
 
It didn't help that I just got an email from from my dad who's a retired M.D. and his email made me feel so discouraged that I'm tempted to call my doctor to cancel surgery. I just had to pay 590 dollars to get my radidator fixed too so this hasn't been a good day for me.

I could stand to lose some weight yeah. That should be easier to do now that I'm receiving the correct dose of thyroid meds.

You're right, I should be trying to keep it under control even if I weren't getting CIs as the last thing I want is to lose my sight. My migraine auras hasn't helped my fears any either.
 
deafskeptic said:
It didn't help that I just got an email from from my dad who's a retired M.D. and his email made me feel so discouraged that I'm tempted to call my doctor to cancel surgery. I just had to pay 590 dollars to get my radidator fixed too so this hasn't been a good day for me.

I could stand to lose some weight yeah. That should be easier to do now that I'm receiving the correct dose of thyroid meds.

You're right, I should be trying to keep it under control even if I weren't getting CIs as the last thing I want is to lose my sight. My migraine auras hasn't helped my fears any either.
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Don't let his email discourage you! :hug:
 
LuciaDisturbed said:
NO! Don't give up! Keep trying!!! In time your blood sugar levels will be down to where it is ideal!
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Ditto! Hang in there, deafskeptic!! :hug: You don't want to spend the rest of your life telling yourself, "I should have" and wondering what could have happened if you received a CI.

I know this is easier said than done, but try not to let your father's e-mail discourage you. After all, this is *your* decision -- not his.
 
Deafskeptic,

Hang tight and don't give up! I know you really want this CI and you don't want to second guess yourself later on.

I know about discouraging days. I had one today myself. So, I'm going to bed early tonight to get my rest and get my perspective back.
 
Thanks for the support guys. I'm feeing better today and I heard from my doctor via email: "Let's be positive about your progress."

Think I'll take his advice but he does say that I need to bring sugars below 140. Well I guess I'll have to work on that.
 
deafskeptic said:
Thanks for the support guys. I'm feeing better today and I heard from my doctor via email: "Let's be positive about your progress."

Think I'll take his advice but he does say that I need to bring sugars below 140. Well I guess I'll have to work on that.
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Good luck on that and I hope you could enjoy a new world of sounds soon :)
 
deafskeptic said:
Thanks for the support guys. I'm feeing better today and I heard from my doctor via email: "Let's be positive about your progress."

Think I'll take his advice but he does say that I need to bring sugars below 140. Well I guess I'll have to work on that.
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Your doctor gave you excellent advice. Remember: "high hopes, low expectations."

As for your blood sugar, try to take it one day at a time. I know -- easier said than done. :)

We're all rooting for you, deafskeptic!! :hug:
 
My dad just canceled my surgery. I have no idea when I'll get implanted only that I'll not be considered ready until blood sugars are well controlled. I'm feeling very depressed now.
 
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