Ezmikee

Hi, my name is Michael.  I was born in Pawtucket, RI in 1968.  I was born with a broken jaw (dr's error) and by the time I was three years old, my family realized that I was severely deaf.  I started out with one hearing aid at age 5, and short while later, wore two.  I started Kindergarten at a public school in Cumberland.  But I was struggling terribly.  My pediatrician didn't want me to go to the RI School for the Deaf because I was already talking and communicating without sign language.  A special program was found for me in Providence (Windmill Street School) with a hearing-impaired classroom.  I was there for 3 years, then was mainstreamed into regular school for middle school and high school.  I graduated from Cumberland High School in 1987.

I worked for a gas station construction company from 1988 - 2001.  I did very well because I lip read and I still had 50% hearing at that point.  In or around the year 2000, I was fitted for digital hearing aids.  I noticed a huge difference at the beginning and continued to function in everyday life.

I met my lovely wife, Laurie in 1999 and we were married in July 2001.  After leaving the gas station construction company, I worked for an environmental company for 5 years.  During that time, my son Brandon was born.  Last year I got a big break and began working for the local gas company (National Grid) as a service technician.  My second son, Brendt was born last January. 

The last two years of my life, I have noticed that I was losing hearing in my left ear.  My audiologist Robert Norton said that I was probably eligible for a cochlear implant.  I made an appointment with Dr. Brian Duff and after tests, he told me I was eligible for implants in both ears!  

I waited for approximately 4 months, and had my surgery on my left ear on December 29, 2008.