Recently I have become more courageous and I'm phoning friends to practice numbers, colors, the days of the week, the months of the year and simple conversation. But it has taken me almost six months to really understand why Dr. Schindler and Jan Larky encouraged me to have the CI even though we all thought that only four electrodes could be inserted. I did not know the importance of environmental sounds. When talking about hearing, most of us only think about hearing voices, not realizing that what really makes us feel alive are the sounds of life around us. Only after we listened to it together did he realize with tears in his eyes how much he takes for granted, sounds that mean the world to me.
Life is full of surprises.
At age 62 my biggest surprise is the quality of hearing the Clarion CI has given back to me. I did not expect it to be so good. It still surprises me. Sounds with the implant feel softer to my brain, less annoying than loud sounds through a hearing aid. After only five months I realize that the more I practice and the more I accept with patience the results obtained, the better I hear.