From: Hugues.Blanchet@f136.n167.z1.fidonet.org (Hugues Blanchet)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Implant... Should I???
Date: 13 Apr 92 21:00:53 GMT
Reply-To: Hugues.Blanchet@f136.n167.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:167/136 - Ab.'s Place, Montreal PQ

Index Number: 21063

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

Hi again Karen!

KK> Your saying that a person has to really want the operation is
KK> exactly what other people told me at the Cochlear Implant Club
KK> International Convention in Vail!  Most of the people I talked to
KK> were not sorry that they had the implant, even though some had
KK> better success than others. My roommate at the convention was not
KK> totally satisfied with her implant, but talking to others helped
KK> her with tips to work at making the implant successful with
KK> listening exercises, etc.

Well maybe it doesn't work as well on some.  Two persons I met who both
had implants didn't understand me very well Karen!!! One of them, a man
of 52 or 53 who has his implant since more than three years.  Sometimes,
when I spoke to him, I had to repeat myself.  It was even WORSE with the
other one, a girl of 31!!!  She could ONLY understand her husband and
when HE talked to her, you should have seen his mouth doing all those
acrobatics!!!!  On the other hand, when THEY talked to me, I understood
better then they understood me!!!

Maybe I've seen two bad cases or examples of the implant?  Still, when I
first saw what it was all about (in pictures and brochures), I
ABSOLUTELY DID NOT want to have one anymore!

KK> My roommate I have known since we were both 9 years old.  We both
KK> went to a deaf school in Spokane, Wash..  We kept in touch ever
KK> since I moved away when we were 10.

That's a very long (and beautiful) friendship...  Even if you both live
apart, you probably know each other like two sisters.  I don't have such
a friend (but I certainly remember having a great one when I was 6-7
years old and for a period of 5 or 6 years...until we moved away and I
lost touch with him).

KK> Your saying that one should be sure that this operation is really
KK> needed is correct.  I think some of the failures stem from the fact
KK> that the implant would not help certain people as well as others.

Yes! And I think the two persons I met are a perfect examples of this.
One thing that is very weird thou is that both off them would go thru
the same operation again  because they both say that now they can
*hear*.... I think it's weird because what's the use *hearing* something
and not being able to UNDERSTAND what they are hearing!  Maybe this has
to be worked out by these persons but still, if I ever hear again, I
want to be able to understand without going thru a special adaption with
the device.  For me, it's as simple as that and I won't be satisfied by
less.

KK> One of the cochlear implant people here in Denver said he personally
KK> thought that in the beginning, the candidates were very carefully
KK> selected but later, the implant was applied to certain people for
KK> which it might not work as well, thus causing some 'failures.'

Same here in Montreal. They told me that the ones that would be
selected are those who would pass a couple of simple tests. Those being;
1 - the person REALLY WANTS to hear again and thinks that he (she)
cannot live a happy life without hearing at all.  2 - He (she) has to be
deaf (COMPLETELY DEAF) since not more then 15 years.

I'd meet second point... but surely not the first one!!!

 HB> Very frankly, how do YOU feel about this operation Karen?

KK> What I feel are very MIXED feelings.....I'm not sure if this is
KK> really needed, or if I have too much hearing for it to be very
KK> successful.  I would have to undergo testing (hearing tests, etc.)
KK> to even determine whether I'm really a good candidate or not.  To
KK> date, I have not done this.  So until this is done, there are no
KK> answers.

Well then Karen... you should probably wait until you have a VERY CLEAR
feeling about what you want.   If you think, very deeply inside your
heart, that you WANT an implant, well then you should go on with the
operation.  But if you don't feel that strong about it.... maybe it's a
sign that you shouldn't have one and wait.....

  It's only my personnal opinion.

Continued yet again... (Still tired? ...Karen!  Hey Karen!!!....
Kareeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnn!  Are you still there? ....
zzzzzz.....zzzzzzz... aw schucks... she's asleep... shhhhhh....) :-) :-)

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