My first appointment for CI

~♥~Pinky~♥~ said:
I got email from clinician this morning. My medicare company has not yet make a decision. They could not read my doctor's written notes, therefore he is in the process of dictating a formal letter to PHP company.

Once my other insurance has approved the cochlear implant. She said will have our surgery scheduling department schedule the surgery on my other appointment will be made it.

I am waiting to set the date for other appointment. Grrr I don't know when is my surgery schedule. I am so impatient! I must to know when is the exact date. :hyper:
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Medicare most likely will approve the CI, but it might be just for one CI, unless your other insurance company is willing to pay for the other CI on your other ear. It takes a little while. If Medicare refuses to approve it, then have your CI doctor submit a PA request, because then the Medicare cannot refuse that, I believe. At least, that's how it worked out for someone else I know. Medicare and Medicaid approved my CI for my left ear only, but they approved the CI pretty quickly. But that most likely has to do with the fact that my surgery was done in the fall, and my CI surgeon said that I began the candidacy process at the perfect time of the year because it was almost the beginning of a fiscal/financial (not sure which, both words has the same sign, and it's how my interpreter signed it) year or something like that therefore Medicare and Medicaid were more likely to approve it much faster in my case.

I know you are very excited and impatient. Take it easy, try to distract yourself in the meantime so that you don't get too excited and too impatient and pop a vessel. Watch movies, do crafts, whatever that you like to do to keep yourself busy so that time will go by much quicker! :)
 
LuciaDisturbed said:
Medicare most likely will approve the CI, but it might be just for one CI, unless your other insurance company is willing to pay for the other CI on your other ear. It takes a little while. If Medicare refuses to approve it, then have your CI doctor submit a PA request, because then the Medicare cannot refuse that, I believe. At least, that's how it worked out for someone else I know. Medicare and Medicaid approved my CI for my left ear only, but they approved the CI pretty quickly. But that most likely has to do with the fact that my surgery was done in the fall, and my CI surgeon said that I began the candidacy process at the perfect time of the year because it was almost the beginning of a fiscal/financial (not sure which, both words has the same sign, and it's how my interpreter signed it) year or something like that therefore Medicare and Medicaid were more likely to approve it much faster in my case.

I know you are very excited and impatient. Take it easy, try to distract yourself in the meantime so that you don't get too excited and too impatient and pop a vessel. Watch movies, do crafts, whatever that you like to do to keep yourself busy so that time will go by much quicker! :)
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I understand what you mean. No wonder about medicare. My PHP insurance is under my husband's. PHP approved it. I checked medicare over the internet. I found the medicare can cover for pain medicine, surgery, ct scan and etc. I want to get one CI for right now. I will get second CI in few years later. Thank you for detail about insurances! :)

LoL You're funny! I can't stop thinking of it. I am relax! I am doing with craft and do organize my stuffs and watch a movie. Of course, the time will be go fly quick. :)
 
deafdude1 said:
The % was based on the whole deaf population who actually get it. Most of them are young children or people with other major disabilities.
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I have bilateral cochlear implants. I'm not young and I don't have another disabilities. It depends on hearing loss and insurance. I have private insurance and after fighting for it, they approved it. I know several who have bilateral cis. It is common in my circle of ci friends.
 
LuciaDisturbed said:
Ah, now I understand you clearly now. Thank you very much Pinky for clarifying. I now understand why your audiologist and doctor said you can hear better in the right than in the left. I just have never seen an audiogram where it goes up to 125 dB and beyond, because most audiologists consider 120 dB to be the point where you can't really hear anything anymore and they usually stop testing for higher than 120 dB. I wonder if your audiologists adjusts the audiograms to show 120 dB as a lesser loss and 125 dB as a higher loss? Most audiograms do not even show a 125 dB level at all, because most audiologists stop testing you once you register a 120 dB loss, because usually by that point most people cannot hear anything at all. At least that is how it has been in my experience with my own audiograms and with my friends' audiograms that I have seen. Maybe you are different and can hear some things even with a 120 dB loss. It shows that not everyone with a 120 dB loss are the same. I have to admit that I am rather surprised you are able to hear (or your audiologist say) things even at 120 dB. I am curious, what things can you hear with a 120 and 125 dB losses? I've never heard anything with a 120+ dB loss. I guess you're just really lucky. :)
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Umm my audiologist show me the audiograms said 120db. The left ear is the worst loss than right ear. My audiologist put a headpiece with vibrator on my left behind the ear to feel it when it's moving. I am not sure what it called. If you have experience like that. She said will give me a copy of audiograms soon. I will update with chart here soon.

And, now that you've told me that you have very very big profound losses in both ears, usually most people with losses that big in both ears, they are often a shoo-in candidates for bilateral CIs unless the insurance company only allows one CI. But if you want two CIs, you can fight the insurance company and try to get them to agree to pay for bilateral CIs unless you prefer to get one CI only right now and wait a few years for the 2nd CI. That is 100% your decision because this is your body. Best of luck again, like I said earlier.
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Thank you for advice! Is that cost about 80,000 for two CI? I have to wait for few years later.

I hope you get your second appointment very quickly and see your audiologist and doctor very soon. Both brands are great, but they are also unique in their own ways. Have you thought about what color you want to pick for the Nucleus Freedom? I think there are 6 different colors. They have a nice strong shade of pink, a nice cooling-feel shade of blue, brown, jet black, beige, and grey. I really wish I picked pink but I couldn't see for sure what the shade of pink it really was because it looked like a very light baby soft pink when I looked at the website, maybe because of my monitor light, I have it turned up all the way up...the colors you see of things on websites are not always accurate because of the monitor settings can vary from person to person. But last month I went to Deaf Expo and Cochlear Americas was there, and they showed CIs in all colors, and I saw the pink one, I actually touched it and looked at it...it's a great shade of pink. a very bold strong pink, not baby soft pink, and now I wish I got pink! LOL too bad. I don't think I can trade in one of my CIs (I got 2 CIs for my left ear) for a pink one so I can have 1 black and 1 pink. Oh well. Maybe I will give them a call later and find out if I can or not. What color will you pick? Don't be embarrassed if people see your CI because of the obvious colors! Colors are fun. Oh, and you can get stickers for your CI too. My audiologist gave me many sheets of real cute sticker covers for my CI when I was activated, and I also buy cute little fake sticker earrings that very little kids have that they stick on their ears (without piercing), I use those and put those on my CI coil, I have them in many different shapes...star, moon, diamonds, squares, and lots of other shapes. Those are very cheap, I think they cost $1 for like 2 or 3 sheets of those kiddie earrings. I also recently bought a sheet of really cool skull stickers from Borders store that I will put on my CI coil too. It's fun to do that. I like to be fun and decorate, I don't want to be boring and hide my CI because it is not something to be ashamed of. But if you prefer to be discreet about your CI color and prefer to match with your hair then that is fine too. It's 100% your decision. :)

I am very glad you have done your homework and that you are confident with your choice of brand. I hope my posts have been helpful and informative and I hope everything makes sense for you!

Again, BEST OF LUCK for you for your CI surgery and activation! I hope everything goes great! Keep us all updated! :)
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I decide to pick a color is black to match on my glasses and sunglasses frame color. I have a dark brown hair. My cousin's left CI got off in the moment. My husband grabbed the processor to see what it alike. He wanted me to put my cousin's BTE on my left ear to see if it's comfortable. His BTE color is silver, black and white. The black is look good on me. I don't really need to have bodyworn on processor. This is for kids. I want to pick different colors like your other thread post. I went to google images to find a pink BTE. Nucleus Freedom have 6 colors. I love the rhinestones and stickers decorate on device. It's same as cellphone, bluebooth and hearing aid skins. That's kewl! And I want to add a bead string on my future coil magnet to processor!

Your post does make sense to me. I understand that clear. Can I ask you the question? I am curious about water resistance CI. Is that safe for water? The audiologist said it's not good to wear CI during swimming and shower. The manual book with girl swam with the dolphin while she wore CI in the ocean. I was alike freak out! That's crazy!

Do you have a numb spot on your behind the ear area from surgery? I am wonder. Can you feel the bump skin on your head when you go to sleep is that comfort?
 
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GOOD LUCK :)

just please tell me that you will NOT get a reciver that blends in to your hair ( unless it's hair like mine ;) ) go for the funky colors and have fun with it.


ps , my hair is blue and my HA's are purple and the ear mulds are hot pink
 
But if you want two CIs, you can fight the insurance company and try to get them to agree to pay for bilateral CIs unless you prefer to get one CI only right now and wait a few years for the 2nd CI. That is 100% your decision because this is your body. Best of luck again, like I said earlier.
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Lucia and Pinky FYI....there's a BIG difference between being totally anti CI and being a bit cautious about a second CI.
All I was saying was that it might be a good idea to try a bimodal approach. Some people really do respond well to that approach. Yes, I'm not an audi BUT it's pretty well known that everyone responds differently to different technology. I would have the exact same "be cautious" attitude if there was all this excitment and interest about a new type of hearing aid. Yes, people can think for themselves.....but there are also many people who get suckered in by the exitement about a new device. I just think people should be very careful about new devices etc.
However now that Pinky's posted some more info......I do think that maybe a bilateral approach is a good idea...I mean she does have deep profound loss. ....and I'm actually very surprised to hear that Pinky has useful residual hearing. That's interesting. Maybe it's time to junk the hearing aid. No more having to pay out of pocket. There's also the plus that she has RP.....it does seem like it would be easier for folks to get approved for bilateral if they have sight issues.. I think even Medicaid might pay for both. ....Actually I wonder..... Maybe a good idea might be to do some real life networking, and see if your audi can't hook you up with someone who uses a bimodal approach currently, someone who used a bimodal approach but switched to CI after and then someone who decided to go for a bimodal approach right off the bat.
 
~♥~Pinky~♥~ said:
I understand what you mean. No wonder about medicare. My PHP insurance is under my husband's. PHP approved it. I checked medicare over the internet. I found the medicare can cover for pain medicine, surgery, ct scan and etc. I want to get one CI for right now. I will get second CI in few years later. Thank you for detail about insurances! :)

LoL You're funny! I can't stop thinking of it. I am relax! I am doing with craft and do organize my stuffs and watch a movie. Of course, the time will be go fly quick. :)
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Sounds like a good plan. Good luck on everything! :)
 
That's awesome Pinky! Congratulations and best of luck to you. ;)
 
~♥~Pinky~♥~ said:
Umm my audiologist show me the audiograms said 120db. The left ear is the worst loss than right ear. My audiologist put a headpiece with vibrator on my left behind the ear to feel it when it's moving. I am not sure what it called. If you have experience like that. She said will give me a copy of audiograms soon. I will update with chart here soon.
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Ah, okay. I'm not sure what that vibrator headpiece is, I've never been tested with that ever and I have never seen it, so I really have no idea. So I will leave this up to the other ADers who have experience with this kind of headpiece to explain about that because I have never heard of it. As for your hearing losses, update us when you get your copy of the audiograms. I think it might help if I saw the audiogram.

Thank you for advice! Is that cost about 80,000 for two CI? I have to wait for few years later.
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I do not know the total cost for surgery expenses and 2 CIs total for bilateral CI surgery. Also it can vary depending on which hospital, which CI clinic, and which CI company you get your CI from. In my case, I had only my left ear implanted, and the CI and the surgery expenses for me totaled about $60,000 but Medicare and Medicaid negotiated with the hospital, the CI clinic, and Cochlear Americas and got everything reduced to $20,000 and then they paid the entire thing off and I did not even have to pay one red cent. I also got a backup CI coil and BTE too.

I decide to pick a color is black to match on my glasses and sunglasses frame color. I have a dark brown hair. My cousin's left CI got off in the moment. My husband grabbed the processor to see what it alike. He wanted me to put my cousin's BTE on my left ear to see if it's comfortable. His BTE color is silver, black and white. The black is look good on me. I don't really need to have bodyworn on processor. This is for kids. I want to pick different colors like your other thread post. I went to google images to find a pink BTE. Nucleus Freedom have 6 colors. I love the rhinestones and stickers decorate on device. It's same as cellphone, bluebooth and hearing aid skins. That's kewl! And I want to add a bead string on my future coil magnet to processor!
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Sounds like you picked a good color. I chose black because black goes with everything. You can't really go wrong with black because it match with every color there is...matches your glasses, hair, clothes, whatever!

Yeah, I am not nuts about bodyworns. The long cord is annoying. Very annoying. Sometimes I even wish there were nothing but the coil on my head, nothing on my ear, LOL, because sometimes I do not like to have the BTE hanging on my ear. Maybe someday the CIs technology will get so good that it will get so small that it will be only a coil with magnet on the head, and no BTE on the ear. That would be nice. Your bead string idea is awesome.
Your post does make sense to me. I understand that clear. Can I ask you the question? I am curious about water resistance CI. Is that safe for water? The audiologist said it's not good to wear CI during swimming and shower. The manual book with girl swam with the dolphin while she wore CI in the ocean. I was alike freak out! That's crazy!
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Sure, ask me anything. Yes, the CI BTE and coil for the Freedom is water resistant but it is NOT waterproof. Water resistant means that you can get a little bit of water on your CI BTE and coil accidentally, but it is built to protect against that. But, you still cannot drop the CI BTE and coil in water like in puddle or toilet or pool, because it will damage the CI BTE and coil - too much water and also the water immersion is very bad. Despite what the pictures show, you cannot just play in the rain or in the pool with your CI BTE and coil on. The resistance is for small minor accidents only - so if like for example you are walking from your car to the store and it is a long way, and while you are walking, it suddenly starts to rain. You say "oh shit" and you have to run to the store but your CI BTE and coil will still be ok, and then when you get home you have to put the CI BTE and coil in the Dry and Store box to make sure it gets completely dry so there will be no damage. Don't just stand in the rain. You still need to run or better yet take your CI BTE and coil off and put it in your bag in a plastic bag or a protective box or something to keep it dry. I always take my CI BTE and coil off if it starts to rain and then go find a dry place and then I dry my hair and then I put the CI BTE and coil back on. The water resistance only just offers a little bit of protection. It also is good for when you sweat a bit, but if you are sweating a LOT, you need to put a paper towel or a piece of cloth between your CI BTE and coil and the skin/scalp so the sweat does not get into the CI BTE and coil. You still need to be careful. I would not go into the pool with a dolphin while wearing my CI BTE and coil. That picture is just advertisement. They design those type of pictures for competition because Cochlear Americas and AB are the two biggest competitive CI companies. They make pictures like this to make one CI look better than the other. It's like any other product out there. Every company that makes any kind of product always designs their advertisements and pictures so that it looks much more awesome than it really is. It's just competition. You still have to protect your CI BTE and coil no matter what. Keep in mind that the Nucleus Freedom CI is $7,000 apiece, so that means it has expensive parts in there. It's so much more expensive than the most fanciest Mac computer out there, therefore it is still quite fragile no matter what the pictures suggest. You still need to be careful.
Do you have a numb spot on your behind the ear area from surgery? I am wonder. Can you feel the bump skin on your head when you go to sleep is that comfort?
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My spot behind the ear was numb for a few months but now it is back to normal and it feels fine now. It's normal. When the skin gets cut during any kind of surgery, the skin around the incision will feel numb for a while while it heals because when the skin gets cut, the nerves will go numb temporarily, and the nerves will for the most part grow back. Yes, I can feel the bump on my head even today. It's still there, but I am used to it. It doesn't bother me. I even sleep on my left side where my CI bump is. It does not bother me, either. You might want to sleep on the non-CI side at first until your CI side heals, then when you start to feel comfortable you can go back to sleeping on the CI implant side if you want.
 
Kateweb said:
GOOD LUCK :)

just please tell me that you will NOT get a reciver that blends in to your hair ( unless it's hair like mine ;) ) go for the funky colors and have fun with it.


ps , my hair is blue and my HA's are purple and the ear mulds are hot pink
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Do you have a picture of yourself with your blue hair? I would like to see one. My hair is hot pink and my CI is black. :D
 
deafdyke said:
Lucia and Pinky FYI....there's a BIG difference between being totally anti CI and being a bit cautious about a second CI.
All I was saying was that it might be a good idea to try a bimodal approach. Some people really do respond well to that approach. Yes, I'm not an audi BUT it's pretty well known that everyone responds differently to different technology. I would have the exact same "be cautious" attitude if there was all this excitment and interest about a new type of hearing aid. Yes, people can think for themselves.....but there are also many people who get suckered in by the exitement about a new device. I just think people should be very careful about new devices etc.
However now that Pinky's posted some more info......I do think that maybe a bilateral approach is a good idea...I mean she does have deep profound loss. ....and I'm actually very surprised to hear that Pinky has useful residual hearing. That's interesting. Maybe it's time to junk the hearing aid. No more having to pay out of pocket. There's also the plus that she has RP.....it does seem like it would be easier for folks to get approved for bilateral if they have sight issues.. I think even Medicaid might pay for both. ....Actually I wonder..... Maybe a good idea might be to do some real life networking, and see if your audi can't hook you up with someone who uses a bimodal approach currently, someone who used a bimodal approach but switched to CI after and then someone who decided to go for a bimodal approach right off the bat.
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DeafDyke. Let Pinky decide whether she wants a bimodal approach or bilateral CIs or just 1 CI. She's already said she's going for 1 CI right now and go for a 2nd CI in a few years. Therefore, she's already made her decision. Please respect her decision.

And...CI technology is not really that new. CIs have been around for around 15-20 years, more or less. The only thing that is new about the CI technology is that the technology continues to improve, just like computer technology continues to improve. I think it's time you go and find a new agenda, because this shit is getting really old. Same old shit day in and day out.
 
~♥~Pinky~♥~ said:
Your post does make sense to me. I understand that clear. Can I ask you the question? I am curious about water resistance CI. Is that safe for water? The audiologist said it's not good to wear CI during swimming and shower. The manual book with girl swam with the dolphin while she wore CI in the ocean. I was alike freak out! That's crazy!

No U cannot use it for showering/swimming like HA's, It's ok for light rain, sweat etc, Freedom comes with Global Dri box so this is what you can use everynight to dry and "clean" your processors

Do you have a numb spot on your behind the ear area from surgery?

It has been 9 months since my op i still have the feelings from the scar, it will take long time to disappear, I am used to it so i am not bothered about it That depends on how your surgeon peforms your operation

I am wonder.

Can you feel the bump skin on your head when you go to sleep is that comfort?
Not at all, I cannot feel my implant at all unless i touch it with my hand
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Another thing i want to correct, N24 is the name of implant not the number of electrodes so it's still 22 electrodes. I have CI24 RE which is still 22 electrodes. But if you have information on 24 electrodes that's very surprising to me as i didn't know about it and would be very interested in reading the information.:D

I like the sound of your colours... I am getting pink battery holder and mic covers.
 
Yes medicare cover only one CI for normal deaf people, but you have reginitis pigmenosa mean you will go blind in future, that's unique case lawyer can go tell medicare that you're special and different need 2 CI (if you want 2 same time in 1 surgery) medicare will pay.
I wonder are you planning to learn braille, tactical (spelling?) sign and how to use stick in few years so you will be ready when you will become blind?
Some people can't learn braille too hard the people will give them different, same normal writing but its raised so you can feel the word shape, its easier because you already know what it look like so you can feel the shape.
 
good luck with your process! I have an appointment next Tuesday (May 5) at Rocky Mountain Ear Center in Denver for another hearing text, and to see Dr. Kelsall the surgeon about the CT scan results. I can't wait! :)
 
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