Another Big Decision

I bet you can guess what my big decision is going to be...

Over the past year, I've had mixed feelings about how I have been hearing in noisy situations. Sometimes, I do very well and it's not an issue, other times I am catching myself "faking" my understanding of what others are saying in hopes that they won't catch me. Of course being a teacher, I should be advocating for myself always, but sometimes I just get too tired to ask for clarification.

Last weekend was a perfect example. I went to a surprise birthday party for a co-worker. It was very noisy, the speaker on my right was blaring out Christmas music, but I was still able to understand the entire conversation. A few times, I could tell I was hearing better than those who could hear. This was an odd experience, usually it's the other way around. I was interpreting almost for the other person, but I guess this is where lip reading skills come handy. My audiologist who was at the party even mentioned that I should be a spokesperson for cochlear implants because I was hearing so well in such a noisy environment.

Come Sunday, it's the opposite experience. I am at a restaurant watching football with six other people. Two of them are my close friends whom I have known for 15 plus years, but the others I have just recently met. There were probably three times during the the few hours that I completely could not follow the conversation. I noticed I was becoming tired and it was affecting on how I could understand what was happening. I was actually too tired to ask for clarification and just kept trying to grab onto one piece of information that would help me have some understanding of the topic. I left feeling like I really can't hear well. Granted I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before because my ear was ringing for most of the night, so that didn't help.

So, that brings me back to my title... I have been considering getting a second cochlear implant. I went back to Arizona in July to participate in a study. They found that my hearing aid helps me in noisy situations. In August, I went to Mayo Clinic to have a new mapping. My cochlear implant (CI) audiologist did similar tests and discovered I have higher scores when I am using my hearing aid with my cochlear implant in noisy situations. Based on these scores, he didn't think I needed a second cochlear implant and my hearing aid was helping. He just ordered a weaker magnet for me and I was set to leave.

Right before I left the appointment, I expressed to my CI audiologist that I felt like my left ear with the hearing aid has been plugged up and doesn't provide much benefit. Also, that I was constantly making sure everyone is on my right side when I am walking and sitting down. Many of my friends who are hearing have gotten into the habit of saying, "where is the best spot for you". Very sweet friends, but it would be nice to not have to sit in a certain spot all the time. So, he thought for a minute and suggested we test my hearing with only using my hearing aid.

Five years ago, my left ear scored a speech recognition score of 85% and my right ear was 38%, which was why my audiologist recommended a cochlear implant. At my appointment at Mayo, my speech recognition score on my left ear was 18%!!! Agh! That's a huge drop in five years! I must have become used to listening with my better ear or maybe it is a similar progression that my right ear went through years ago. My CI audiologist was surprised with this number and recommended a second cochlear implant.

So, that was in August. I've had some time to process. My parents' response was "it's your decision and your decision only and we will come to Mayo again if you have it". I guess I've always seen my cochlear implant as a really powerful hearing aid because my regular hearing aid no longer works, so it may be time for another powerful hearing aid. I hinted to my brother and another friend with a cochlear implant that we should get a second one together to make it more fun!

In reality, it is another huge decision. I've been trying to warm up to the idea. I told my family in August that I "might" get one next summer. Then, for my program newsletter, I put in my introduction that I am "hoping" to get another one this summer. Today, after my long time student's IEP meeting, his mom asked me if I will be getting another one and I said I was "thinking" about it. So of course it got me thinking about it again and I just realized that June is not that far away.

A few things bother me about getting a second implant...I don't like the ringing I sometimes get on my CI ear when I am sleeping, the area where the magnet is can become sore (maybe need to try an even weaker magnet), the speech processor is big (the newer ones are smaller), the nausea that I got for a week (might be related to the anesthesia), my hair will get shaved again (will grow back) and I will have two things attached to my head (get over it!). The positives would be... be able to wear hats (hats make the hearing aid whistle), no more earmold or itchy ears from earmolds and I might be able to hear (hopefully better than 18%). I guess I should call to make an appointment huh...