OperaJoyce

Offline

Location: Birmingham, Alabama

Who Has Hearing Loss: I do

Hearing Loss Type: Progressive Loss

Hearing Loss Cause: Heriditary/Congenital Hearing Loss

Device: considering

I am Joyce who is waiting anxiously for a Cochlear implant. My hearing loss began and progressed slowly over a period of almost 40 years. At the beginning of the loss there were no hearing aid that would help my situation. Every time I went to my doctor, he would say, "Not yet". Then one day he said, "Soon". And finally he said, "Yes".

 

What a thrill that was and the hearing aids helped a great deal. But slowly throught the years and many new aids, voices became less distinct until now prople sound like ducks quacking. No help available through new aids although my latest pair was bought about 6 months ago.

 

Two years ago I began asking for an implant, but did not qualify under Medicare rules. After being tested every 6 months, I finally became a candidate. Great - except the hospital where I am scheduled to have the surgery has shut down its implant program. Again I am in limbo and very frustrated. I feel like I am on a roller coaster ride, an unpleasant one. I have experienced all the frustrations for the last few years that others have expressed on this community program, first and foremost an inability to communicate with family and friends. Also the ability to enjoy opera, which has been a passion of mine since I was a teenager, has been a big loss in my life. 

 

People around me think that I am handling the situation well. I am not. I hide my frustration even though at times I want to cry. Possibly I am playing "poor little me" which is not my normal self. Or maybe I am just glad to have a place where I can unload my true feelings, I hold so much back fron those around me. Although I haven't painted lately, I am an artist and fortunately still have 20/20 vision after cataract surgery and eye glasses. I try to focus on this positive aspect of my life.

 

I know this story is too negative and I shall try to update it in a more positive way. In the meantime I live from one phone call or email to the next with the news that the surgery is on tract. 

 

An addition: I have decided to post this upon advice from one of my new community friends. Hopefully I will update it soon with a positive outlook.