Thinking about CI

cdmeggers said:
Good luck with whatever you decide to do! There is definitely a lot to consider, but only you know what you want for yourself. It couldn't hurt to at least go through the evaluation, and get as much info as you can from the center. They might have an idea on how a CI might work for someone who has austism and epilepsy, etc., then from there you could make your decision on what to do.

I just saw my new primary doctor and he's going to do a referral for me to get the implant (Medicaid guidelines, bah!), so I'm quite anxious to get going.
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I am excited for you! It is a lot quicker of a process here in Canada. I could go from initial meeting with an audiologist to surgery day in 3 months. It's also covered by my provincial health care...
 
Hear Again said:
JennyB,

For the record, I'm not trying to discourage you from getting a CI. I just wanted to point out some facts that people may want to be aware of.
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I know :). My audiologist and I have talked about it all a million and a half time. I like to be thorough and get EVERY side.
 
3 months?! Lucky! for me, it's over 2 years now (with the initial evaluation having been done in Sept. 2007), but with no insurance/funding for all that time... weee. :)
 
It didn't really take me long to be evaluation either. But we had to make sure our cochlear implant people to talk to our insurance about covering and it was all good to go.
 
I feel ya!

I am in your same boat. I am thinking about CIs, too. I really need to talk to someone are proficient ASL that who already have CIs. I am pretty avoiding to talk to any Deaf person regarding CIs. They are pretty much Anti-CIs. It's pretty frustrating for trying to make a conversation with someone with an open-mind over CIs.

Anybody who is willing to have a time and chat via VP would be a great idea. I'd appreicate that.


JennyB said:
Hi all,

I am thinking about cochlear implants. I have always thought about it but now I am really thinking about it and thinking about going for the evaluations and really considering it. I have gone back and forth for a long time and I am at the point where it seems like going for the evaluation (and actually completing it) makes sense. It seems like before I put too much thought into anything I should establish a definite candidacy.

It is kind of scary though. I really have nothing to lose going to look into it. I am just a bit worried about my local community and their view point. We don't have many Deaf people with cochlear implants. In my own little community, we don't have any. It would be a political step for me too and I am not sure I am ready to make it. I would also be very concerned about how it may effect my disabilities, or how my disabilities may effect it. Lots of questions I guess. The CI center in this area is also very ANTI Deaf culture. They are strictly PRO CI and if you don't have one, your life isn't worth living because you are Deaf and therefore have no quality of life. I got that speech from an ENT in their CI program, as have others.

I am not sure what will come of all of this, but I am looking into it.

Jenny
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Endy said:
I am in your same boat. I am thinking about CIs, too. I really need to talk to someone are proficient ASL that who already have CIs. I am pretty avoiding to talk to any Deaf person regarding CIs. They are pretty much Anti-CIs. It's pretty frustrating for trying to make a conversation with someone with an open-mind over CIs.

Anybody who is willing to have a time and chat via VP would be a great idea. I'd appreicate that.
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you can ask me, ASL is my language grew up around deafies whole my life, immersed myself in deaf cultures so im pretty much the type you're looking for and i have CI.
 
Yes......I have to say you're right. CI isn't universally accepted in the Deaf culture......but it's slowly but surely becoming more accepted and common.
I think in five or ten years CI is gonna become more accepted in the Deaf community.
I'm not an audi but if sounds wouldn't trigger seizures with your hearing aid....I don't think that it would trigger seizures with CI. You're basicly just gonna have more access to sound.....
Jenny......kind of off topic, but you don't seem autistic to me. Your grasp on language is very good. Or do you have Asperger's Sydrome? Asperger's isn't exactly autism. It's more like having a cold vs. having pneumonia.
 
Jenny, I know it's a big decision. The important thing is that you should make the decisions for yourself, not anybody else.

So if a cochlear implant is what you want, you should go for it. If you are still on the fence, take your time. There's no rush. If you end up not wanting it, that's your decision.

Do whatever it takes to make yourself happy.
 
Jenny,
What do you hope to get out of a CI? Possibly answering that question for yourself might help you to come to a decision . . ?
 
deafdyke said:
Yes......I have to say you're right. CI isn't universally accepted in the Deaf culture......but it's slowly but surely becoming more accepted and common.
I think in five or ten years CI is gonna become more accepted in the Deaf community.
I'm not an audi but if sounds wouldn't trigger seizures with your hearing aid....I don't think that it would trigger seizures with CI. You're basicly just gonna have more access to sound.....
Jenny......kind of off topic, but you don't seem autistic to me. Your grasp on language is very good. Or do you have Asperger's Sydrome? Asperger's isn't exactly autism. It's more like having a cold vs. having pneumonia.
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Anything that involves doing something different with my senses can trigger seizures. Auditory input does trigger them for me.

I have high functioning autism. There are differences between that at Aspergers. Contrary to popular belief you can be very intelligent with HFA. I know one person who learns entire languages (fluently) within 2 weeks. He is a savant, but it proves that HFA doesn't mean language difficulties in all cases. The difference between the two diagnoses really has to do with when developmental milestones are hit, less to do with the final outcome. I also have more sensory integration issues than the typical person with AS, hence the HFA diagnoses.

However, some psychologists would label me as PDD-NOS too, which is more of a catch-all diagnosis.
 
Banjo said:
Jenny, I know it's a big decision. The important thing is that you should make the decisions for yourself, not anybody else.

So if a cochlear implant is what you want, you should go for it. If you are still on the fence, take your time. There's no rush. If you end up not wanting it, that's your decision.

Do whatever it takes to make yourself happy.
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You know what is kind of interesting? I was recently told that the Deaf communities in Montreal and Vancouver are MUCH more accepting to CI's than we are here in Ontario/Toronto. I know our community in Toronto and Ontario is far more political than other areas of the country, which is a bit frustrating.

I am still really on the fence. I am not rushing it or anything. Just keeping options open.
 
JennyB said:
You know what is kind of interesting? I was recently told that the Deaf communities in Montreal and Vancouver are MUCH more accepting to CI's than we are here in Ontario/Toronto. I know our community in Toronto and Ontario is far more political than other areas of the country, which is a bit frustrating.

I am still really on the fence. I am not rushing it or anything. Just keeping options open.
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Tell me about it. I know exactly what you are talking about. I am involved with the deaf community and I know a good amount of deaf people throughout the province.

However, I can tell you that some people are more accepting while some the others aren't. I'm not surprised some other provinces are more accepting than we are.

:-/
 
Banjo said:
Tell me about it. I know exactly what you are talking about. I am involved with the deaf community and I know a good amount of deaf people throughout the province.

However, I can tell you that some people are more accepting while some the others aren't. I'm not surprised some other provinces are more accepting than we are.

:-/
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Are you in the GTA? The community here seems particularly intense...
 
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