The hearing and cochlear implant debate! Share your opinion!

jillio said:
It would apply to that one person only, and whether or not they define different for them as less than. That is exactly what I am saying. You cannot say that just because another perceives an object of art through touch, while you perceive it through sight, that their enjoyment of that object is less than yours based simply on sense differences.
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Again, you are comparing two people. I'm comparing two experiences by the same person.
 
Jiro said:
sigh..... again - you failed to see the simple point. Why are you pushing some "blind power" agenda on me? Why do you continue to assume that I said being ----- is better than -----???? I've REPEATEDLY asked you to point out in my post where I said such thing. PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

I am a sighted person. I have something to compare with if I go blind. You do not therefore you do not intimately understand the aspect of being a sighted person. That's why you thought it's not a big deal if Pinky would go blind. Just by simply labeling the color to beads and remembering what color looks like IS NOT THE SAME THING as seeing the shape and color of beads. You enjoy arts as a blind person while Pinky enjoys arts as sighted person. To lose eyesight, it would be devastating for Pinky and for me as well. Of course I can cope with it but it won't be the same thing anymore as I won't be experiencing it the same way that I'm used to.

Pinky and I are sighted people. We both are visual-based people. We would be devastated if we lose our eye sights. Read Pinky's comment in post #276 - "I don't want to lose my sight either." For deafies - we are dependent on our eyes and blind people are dependent on their ears.

Again - this is not about some Deaf vs. Blind bashing on which one is better to have. I have no idea why you turned it into that way when I have not said such thing in my posts. This is about individual's experience that is being affected & changed by a loss of sight/hearing/etc. Not superiority or inferiority.
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Jiro, why don't you go over to the stem cell thread and point out exactly where I said my CIs improved my quality of life?

If you expect a direct quote from me, I expect the same in return.
 
Jiro,

Please do not assume what I know or do not know. I probably understand more about being sighted than you do given the fact that I've dealt with sighted people for the past 38 years.
 
Jiro,

I am a totally blind person. My experiences of hearing and touch are no less significant than your ability to see.
 
Hear Again said:
Jiro, why don't you go over to the stem cell thread and point out exactly where I said my CIs improved my quality of life?

If you expect a direct quote from me, I expect the same in return.
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wow talk about double standard! Guess what? If you expect an answer from me, I expect the same in return.

:hmm:
 
Jiro said:
wow talk about double standard! Guess what? If you expect an answer from me, I expect the same in return.

:hmm:
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Did I hear an echo? Stop parroting me. If you want to parrot someone, dig out that talking parrot in your closet.
 
Hear Again said:
That's the point I'm trying to make. Even if I hear with CIs, it does not mean it's any better or worse than the close to normal hearing I used to have. It's just different.
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Since you never had normal vision this is probably why your CI was so successful. You got back what you were used to have. Plus being totally blind means your brain had more free space to devote to hearing with CI.
 
Bottesini said:
Yes it does. That is why Hear Again is much happier with CI since she grew up hearing.

And when Pinky loves visual art, it is normal for her to mourn the loss of her vision. The art experiences will be different if she is blind and she won't enjoy it the same way.
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Hear again grew up HOH. but I do get your point.

YOU CAN adapt to differances but you have to put energy into it I think. I won't let my limitations bother me. Which at times takes concious willpower.
 
Jiro said:
I'm an extremely visual person and my life revolves around my eyes while the world revolves around ears for others. If I went blind or nearly blind, that will be very very very devastating for me. I would opt for any kind of surgery that will restore my eyesight.
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You would at first, but then you would adapt over time. People useually do eventually.

I was born with almost normal sight. The only thing my sight lact was depth but apart from that I was fully sighted.

I can't say going blind was a bed of roses but I adapted to it eventually. In fact I adapt to it better then my dad I think. He says he wishes I could see the pottery pieces I make now. So I have to tell him:
But I can see them. I see them with my fingers.
 
Whoa! Jiro and Hear Again chilling out. Jiro, I understand that you're not enjoy the music. That's your decide. You don't want to get CI. That's your decide. The CI does help deafblind improve in their life to be hear when they can't see. CI is fit for Usher syndrome, deafblind, other disabled. And the real hearing until hearing loss at late age. It can restore to hearing with CI.

For example.... What if you become blind. How would you feel?? What you will do??


Hear Again, Yeah I will PM about blindness.
 
dreama said:
Hear again grew up HOH. but I do get your point.

YOU CAN adapt to differances but you have to put energy into it I think. I won't let my limitations bother me. Which at times takes concious willpower.
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Good post dreama.

By the way, you're right. I did grow up HoH. I had mild to moderate hearing loss from age 3-14.

By age 15, it was moderately-severe and severe-profound by age 24.
 
The CI does help deafblind improve in their life to be hear when they can't see. CI is fit for Usher syndrome, deafblind, other disabled. And the real hearing until hearing loss at late age. It can restore to hearing with CI.
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Indeed. CI is AWESOME and a very viable option for those who have maxed out their hearing aids.
The beef that I have with CI, is that it seems to be currently being pushed as " It can overcome ALL disadvantages of being hoh/hearing aids."
I totally and completely support it when it's obviously and totally needed. I even support it being used "off label" for things like Meniere's, severe tintinus and recruitment. But when people who have a lot of speech perception with HAs, are looking into it as an option...... The marketing is almost akin to what was seen with digital aids back in the 90's.
 
So, a CI can help improve a deaf person's quality of life for those who can benefit greatly from it? No? Yes?
 
kokonut said:
So, a CI can help improve a deaf person's quality of life for those who can benefit greatly from it? No? Yes?
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We already know this, its a big reason why they get CI in the first place. Those who are happy being deaf and don't care for sounds consider their quality of life acceptable the way it is and don't want a CI or stem cells.

I will admit I look forward to stem cells improving my hearing and quality of life. My reasons are the same reasons people get a CI today. However id rather save both of my ears for future technology. That and there's no guarantee CI will give better hearing than what I already get with powerful HAs.
 
i have not read through this thread yet but would you choose stem cells? I have basically been deaf all my life and do not want a cure for my deafness. I am perfectly happy hearing with my implant
 
DeafLissa90 said:
i have not read through this thread yet but would you choose stem cells? I have basically been deaf all my life and do not want a cure for my deafness. I am perfectly happy hearing with my implant
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Of course! This is one of several reasons im afraid to get a CI. Id like to save both ears to improve my chance on stem cells giving good results. Id really like to have some ability to hear unaided. I look at other's audiograms and don't understand why some with much better hearing than me are unhappy, I wish I had their hearing! Also from what I read, stem cells is safer and gives better results and its faster and easier for your brain to adapt than to a CI. Plus my friends say CI will be obsolete and no longer produced once stem cells for deafness becomes widespread.
 
Wow, I am glad to have found this this forum. My mother in law told me today she is thinking of getting a CI. She wants my opinion and I dont know what to tell her. She was born legally deaf, and can hear some with her HA.
She was told 20 years ago she was a good candidate but was afraid to do it. Now she is about 72 and is seriously considering it. She reads lips very well.
She gave me a book to read called "Hear Your WORLD with Harmony." Its looks like a big advertisement to me, and I want to learn more. I would love to hear from anyone who can help me figure out what to tell her.

By the way, tricare does not pay for HA for most people, I have 3 HOH children and wear HA myself. Tricare did not cover even one cent of the cost!
 
gr said:
Wow, I am glad to have found this this forum. My mother in law told me today she is thinking of getting a CI. She wants my opinion and I dont know what to tell her. She was born legally deaf, and can hear some with her HA.
She was told 20 years ago she was a good candidate but was afraid to do it. Now she is about 72 and is seriously considering it. She reads lips very well.
She gave me a book to read called "Hear Your WORLD with Harmony." Its looks like a big advertisement to me, and I want to learn more. I would love to hear from anyone who can help me figure out what to tell her.

By the way, tricare does not pay for HA for most people, I have 3 HOH children and wear HA myself. Tricare did not cover even one cent of the cost!
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neither does most insurances. When one insurance see it as cosmetic, so does the rest. But hearpo insurance is catching up now (but I can also see hearing aids become expensive too result of that). but they will cover CI though.
 
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