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- Location: West Jefferson, Ohio
- Who Has Hearing Loss: I do
- Hearing Loss Type: Progressive Loss
- Hearing Loss Cause: Unknown
- Device: cochlear
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Block This MemberJBWestlake - Cochlear Awareness Volunteer
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My Story
I contacted measles at age 6. At that time, I lost a significant amount of hearing and progressively lost the rest by age 30. I am 52 and decided on the implant when I realized it could benefit me.
From age 30 on I've been using sign language and interpreters. I will be activated on 12/31/2009 and am looking forward to ringing in the new year with sound!
Blog Entries
Last mow of the year
Today was hopefully the last time I have to mow this year. With almost 6 acres to mow, I'm usually ready to quit around May or so. But today...
One Year Ago
Stairway to Heaven
Sitting here home alone an a Friday night listening to Led Zepplin's "Stairway to Heaven", one of my all time favorite songs. Just that in...
One Year Ago
Another way the CI improves one's life
I've done something recently that the "deaf" me would never have the courage to do. Let's just say that maybe I've always had the...
One Year Ago
Finding the words tonight
I had my mind set on posting a blog tonight and when I finally got settled to do it, my mind went completely blank. I'm pretty sure that's a sign...
One Year Ago
Hello again, CI friends
I have been feeling a little confused lately. I haven't blogged as much because I usually wanted to talk about my latest music enjoyment...
One Year Ago
First volunteer event
Sitting here on a beautiful summer evening decompressing and dreading going back to work tomorrow, but enjoying a little Led Zeppelin to take my mind off the...
One Year Ago
A great night!
Finally, after almost 2 years on this site I finally met a cyber buddy in person. And, it happened to be one of my closer buddies, Wayne Pringle, aka...
One Year Ago
Missing my community
Hello everyone! i've missed you all and hope you've missed me. One of these days I'll be able to retire and keep up with everyone's stories...
One Year Ago
Catching back up!
I have been away from this community too long. I've missed a lot of things. I've missed the opportunity to support a number of new...
2 Years Ago
Oh my....the water bottle!
My 8 month old Boxer pup is ornery and playful. Sometimes it seems as if she can't have enough toys or play time. She has a ton of doggie chew...
2 Years Ago
Wish you were here
I've actually written about this before. I wrote about my last rememberance of hearing. I was profoundly hearing impaired...
2 Years Ago
An inspiring article
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2011/01/29/no-giving-in.html?sid=101 This article appeared in the January 29, 2011 issue of...
2 Years Ago
Sadie
About 11 years or so ago our family got our first dog. We found Sadie at the local Humane Society and, at only 6 months old, she had already been...
2 Years Ago
Final Football pictures - Senior Day
Ben and I Denise, Ben and I Notice the blue Cochlear Awareness bracelet on his left wrist. I'm proud that he wears...
2 Years Ago
Sorry for my absence
Well, I hope my firends have missed me because that means you still care. I haven't had time to get on much lately because I've been dealing...
2 Years Ago
I know this is not CI related, but in some ways it is. Many of my friends already know that I was about to land a much desired new position and this...
A-Day Anniverary
Boy, it's been a while since I blogged. The holidays keep me pretty busy and I would like to wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas and a Happy...
2 Years Ago
For my fellow football friends
I just spent an hour writing this post only to have lost it due to internet connection failure. Hopefully, I can remember it well enough to reconstruct...
2 Years Ago
Wonder if anyone can explain this
I've been activated almost a year now. A-Day was last New Year's Eve. So, my family and I have had plenty of time with the CI and all the new...
2 Years Ago
Yet another music update
I haven't posted much lately mainly because I've been following the journeys of other on here and, I really haven't had much to...
2 Years Ago
Asking for your prayers tomorrow - job interview
A little unusual request from me, but with my current company in Chapter 11 bankruptcy and facing a very uncertain future, I have finally secured an...
2 Years Ago
Sometimes it's just the smallest things.
First off, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got to spend plenty of times with their loved ones. This was my first Thanksgiving with my...
2 Years Ago
One year surgery anniversary
A year ago, on the Monday of Thanksgiving week, I had my biateral CI surgery. I picked that week because I could afford to take some time off work and...
2 Years Ago
Follow up story
Hello everyone. A week ago I told my story about having a short conversation with my daughter from the kitchen while she was in the family room and we...
3 Years Ago
I couldn't sum up my feelings any better
"And when my mind is freeYou know a melody can move meAnd when I'm feelin' blueThe guitar's comin' throughTo soothe meThanks for...
3 Years Ago
Some family pics I wanted to share
Ben sandwiched by my mother-in-law (Pat) on the left and my mother (Hazel) on the right. My Dad and my son, Ben. Ben was...
3 Years Ago
Small milestone: The no-see conversation
I've always had to see someone to talk to them. Obviously, it's the only way one can lip read. I know I've driven my wife and kids...
3 Years Ago
Top Gun
Jeanne actually inspired me to write this blog. I've become obsessed with listening to music again. I've blogged that a number of...
3 Years Ago
Voting CI moment
I went to vote yesterday in this small community where I live and our voting site is actually the high school gym. In a small town like ours, you...
3 Years Ago
My "hearing aids"
I love it when people ask me about my CI's. I understand that the average person out in the world likely knows very little, if anything at...
3 Years Ago
Flower Power
It seems that lately most of my CI experiences and posting has been related to music. I often wish I had more to blog about, but the truth is, this...
3 Years Ago
Football Saturday again
Sorry, more photos, but I love football season! Eyes of a warrior! Ben, strutting his...
3 Years Ago
Microphone covers
So, last Friday I finally received my N5 microphone covers. I recall being told at activation that these should be changed monthly, but cochlear...
3 Years Ago
My beautiful daughter Kylie
My 15 year-old daughter Kylie ready for homecoming this past Saurday, October 2, 2010. She's the first one from the left next to her...
3 Years Ago
My son Ben - calling out defensive assignments. Ready for action!
Ian and Aiden - this pics for you!
My daughter recently took this picture guys and it's the first time I've actually seen myself from the back. Either my surgeon was...
3 Years Ago
47 years ago my ears broke...
...well, they didn't really break but rather were damaged by a nasty measles virus that was rampant in the US during the early 60's. It...
3 Years Ago
It feels good to sing again
Not that I'm a a very good singer. I sincerely doubt that I can carry a note at all. But that never stopped me when I was a teenager and college...
3 Years Ago
So, we can talk to you now
That is what a man actually said to me this Saturday as I waited in line at our community bank. I live in a small Central Ohio village of about 4,000...
3 Years Ago
Remembering a past life
It's been one of those very busy, challenging weeks for me and I just felt the need to write and purge some of these feelings that I've been...
3 Years Ago
Lots of joy today and this week
I don't have much to say in regards to my CI journey today, but I surely see a lot of joy on here this week and today. From Ellen's activation...
3 Years Ago
Phone call from a Deaf guy?
I was stuck this past Saturday. A friend had texted me needing to relay an urgent message to my dear friend and one time golf partner, Todd. My friend...
3 Years Ago
I need to work on my social skills
Yeah, that sounds weird but after a lifetime of deafness, I'm not skilled at carrying on a conversation. I've noticed it before but it is...
3 Years Ago
Why did this take so long?
I've been wanting to write this blog for a while now but just haven't gotten up the courage to do so. I want to say I'm angry at times,...
3 Years Ago
This is an interesting journey
I've struggled with comprehension of speech since my activation almost 8 months ago, but my recognition of environmental sounds has been pleasing....
3 Years Ago
Yes, I am the one that dropped his CI in a dark, flooded crawl space this spring only to find it by feel after a few minutes submerged. It worked fine...
At the 2 mile mark....
On this past Father's Day, my children bought me a TomTom portable GPS system for my car. They felt it would help me with directions when I travel...
3 Years Ago
Mini Space station
I don't know about the rest of you, but since I received my rechargeable batteries my night stand looks like a mini space station. Along with the...
3 Years Ago
Only an idiot...
...would dive into his backyard pool with his processors still intact. But, of course, said idiot probably wouldn't have done that if he wasn't being...
3 Years Ago
Awareness at the Golf course
I had the good fortune of playing in a golf outing this past Saturday. An old friend that I hadn't seen since my implant invited me to play in...
3 Years Ago
Most recent CI moment
I love hearing about CI moments and I feel that I had a major one this past Sunday. I wanted to tell everyone I saw about it and couldn't wait to...
3 Years Ago
Who likes baseball?
Well, I do for sure. In fact, I'm pretty much a fan of any sport. I love athletics and love to compete. I'm a good loser, but I readily admit...
3 Years Ago
People I want to meet
I've always kept a list of people I'd like to meet. Marlee Matlin, Ronald Reagan, Neil Young, Pamela Anderson...well, you get the...
3 Years Ago
Remembering my last "hearing" experience
Since I received my CI's a little over 5 months ago and am slowly reaping the benefits of this wonderful technology, I've found myself often...
3 Years Ago
Cochlear Implant thoughts
A couple of recent blog posts regarding the possible "overly optimistic" results of implantee's really got me thinking. I know I've...
3 Years Ago
The CI and physical activity
I wore HA's for a number of years. I never liked them for a number of reasons. For one, I never really liked the sound I got from them and they did very...
3 Years Ago
Happy Birthday to me!
Yeah, I know, Self promotion doesn't look good, but it is my first birthday post CI. Now, I should be able to hear everyone singing the happy...
3 Years Ago
Friends
My personality could best be described as quiet. I'm not shy because I was always involved in academic things and athletics growing up so I'm...
3 Years Ago
Battling a case of the blues
Yes, I am feeling depressed today. I have lots of reasons, but it has little to do with the CI's. I have had tremendous success with my CI's...
3 Years Ago
Golf with CI
It's become quite obvious to me that the CI benefits all of us in many different ways. We've gained back independence, used the phones again, feel safer...
3 Years Ago
CI moments
I get such enjoyment from reading about everyone's CI moments everyday. What may seem like small things to normal hearing people can be huge...
3 Years Ago
Country sounds
Last weekend, very late at night I sat in the dark by my fire pit relaxing after a long day of raking, cleaning and mowing 6 acres after a messy winter. I...
3 Years Ago
Enjoying sounds in my "own" way
I just read a blog by Daneila where she touched on enjoying CI sounds in her own way. Of course, l understood exactly what she was talking about. Having had...
3 Years Ago
Another CI milestone; the job interview
The company I've worked so hard at the last 8 years is planning to file bankruptcy within the next few weeks. Unfortunately, that means I have to venture...
3 Years Ago
Ben plays for the Capital University (Div III) Crusaders in Columbus, Ohio. He will be a senior next year and is studying criminology and social...
How do I get rid of these ECHOES?
I went to my audi for a mapping this past Monday because a lot of "sharp" sounds like plastic crinkling, etc were just really grating to me....
3 Years Ago
LOUD sounds to all of us C/I wearers
I recently visited my audi to have some of the sounds toned down because certain noises were almost unbearable to me. I was positive that, although loud,...
3 Years Ago
First business call in, oh my, 30 years?
Having been activated almost 3 months ago my progress has been exciting but very erratic. My right ear (longest dead) still doesn't sound right to me and...
3 Years Ago
Spring sounds
We've lived out in the country for about 18 years now and after getting activated on 12/31 I've been anxiously awaiting the start of spring so I...
3 Years Ago
Waiting on processor #3
I suppose I've been the unlucky recipient when it comes to the N5 processors. In all my research before my surgery and activation I was convinced that the...
3 Years Ago
Processor problems and solutions
As many of you already know, I was activated bi-laterally on 12/31/09. So, it's been just over 2 months since I've had sound for the first time in over 25...
3 Years Ago
My faithful pets
Josie, the Boxer, was put to sleep in August 2009 just less than 6 years old. She had bone cancer. We have a new Boxer named Maddie just 5 months old. She...
3 Years Ago
Ipod/audio assistance
I am just not starting the process of listening to music/books on the IPOD and I am in dire need of help from anyone. I am using the audio cable that...
3 Years Ago
My latest experiences - 6 weeks post activation
You know, this whole process is simply amazing. Many of the people I've met on here will attest to that and the blogs I read daily also confirm...
3 Years Ago
4th Audi visit
Well, today was my 4th Audi visit and my last for a month. My journey through the CI process has been documented in a couple articles in the...
3 Years Ago
3rd mapping - 3 weeks from activation
Well, today was my 3rd visit with the audiologist since my activation on 12/31/09. I'll call it my 3rd mapping but I think we've mostly just worked with...
3 Years Ago
12 Days since activation
It's been 12 days since my N5 activation and I'm wondering already how I managed before my C/I's. I can't even begin to recount all the...
3 Years Ago
My Story Part II - Activation Day
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/01/03/MIKE03.ART_ART_01-03-10_B2_L5G6AUV.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101 This...
3 Years Ago
Surgery and activation update
It's been a long 4 weeks since my bi-lateral implant surgery for the Nucleus 5. After suffering from a number of side affects; pain, vertigo, loss of taste,...
3 Years Ago
My Story
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/06/MIKE06.ART_ART_12-06-09_B2_D3FTFQH.html?sid=101 Here is a link that better explains...
3 Years Ago
Photos, Files & Sounds
Friends
