Cochlear Implant Journey - RSS publisher Clarity Now: My Cochlear Implant Journey At the age of 9, I was diagnosed with severe hearing loss in both ears. -- hearing. I FINALLY shared my truth, and made the life changing decision to get a cochlear implant. My journey began as a quest to hear, but it's so much more. This is my self-acceptance story. This is my search for CLARITY. Showing posts with label cochlear implant. Show all posts Sunday, February 8, 2015 -- hare of intense frustration. Then there was the introduction of my cochlear implant in 2012, and the shiny hope attached to it that life would quickly get better. And then... there was its aftermath with its -- to achieve better hearing. The time my sister, also living with progressive hearing loss, pursued a cochlear implant and how her results differed from mine. -- I had a lovely reunion with my childhood friends, one who hadn't seen me since I received the cochlear implant. It's always fun to gather others' feedback as to how they perceive I am hearing, and I was -- tranger named Joan. She had found my blog about a month after receiving a cochlear implant, and was struggling with painful “zapping” following activation, as if someone was flicking her head each time a -- Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest Labels: cochlear implant, cochlear implant results, concealing hearing loss, Pam Fisher, self acceptance, truth, Vanderbilt University Cochlear Implant Study Thursday, May 23, 2013 -- activity in his life. Recently, I happened to meet a woman through an online cochlear implant upport group. The woman is not in the military. However, she has -- years old- is she considering treating her hearing with a cochlear implant. The reason? After 40 years of significant hearing loss and straining -- Posted by Pam Fisher at 7:13 AM 2 comments: Labels: Aprons in Action, cochlear implant, Home Depot Foundation, military and hearing loss, Saratoga, Saratoga VET HELP, veteran -- Simple Summer This past week, my cochlear implant was re-mapped- AGAIN- and once more, I'm growing accustomed to different versions of sounds in each of -- Mellow. Enjoyable. Of all of life's activities, THOSE are the types of experiences I want with my cochlear implant-- the moments that are eemingly so easy to others. -- Posted by Pam Fisher at 5:01 PM No comments: Labels: adirondack, cochlear implant, easier, hearing problems, high peaks, Lake George, lip reading, remapping, what is cochlear implant Wednesday, January 23, 2013 -- was by no means a life-changing conversation, but this example is EXACTLY why I wanted the cochlear implant in the first place. Being able to call to your child and receive a response is such a -- damning them, agonizing over what to make out of them. I'm thinking my cochlear implant journey is my path to a refreshing glass of lemonade. Cheers! Posted by Pam Fisher at 4:15 PM 2 comments: Labels: cochlear, cochlear implant, cochlear implant surgery, event planning, hearing impairment, hostess, lemonade, motherhood, Pam Fisher -- Posted by Pam Fisher at 6:39 PM 4 comments: Labels: baby boy, born deaf, cochlear implant, cochlear implant urgery, hearing impairment, hearing test, infant hearing screening, -- understand the world. I was going on seven months with the cochlear implant, and I miserably acknowledged that I was still in such an early development stage -- Posted by Pam Fisher at 6:25 PM 1 comment: Labels: cochlear implant, cochlear implant surgery, Giving Tuesday, Glens Falls, North Country Coffee Cafe, OBrien Insurance, Pam Fisher, -- Posted by Pam Fisher at 5:19 AM No comments: Labels: Acceptance Speech, cochlear implant, Dreams, Foreign Hollywood Press, Golden Globes, Hearing Impaired, Justin Timberlake, Les -- At this point, I tell the owner, "Yes, I am hearing impaired but I got a cochlear implant this year and I'm re-learning to hear. You don't need to yell... I may ask you to repeat yourself sometimes, but for the -- Posted by Pam Fisher at 2:47 PM 6 comments: Labels: Advocacy, Barbie, cochlear implant, Disability, Fitness Barbie, Gym, hearing impairment, New Years Resolutions -- Me and Claire-December 2012. “Look at my mom’s COCH-LE-AR IMPLANT!” chimed my daughter Claire as she reached to the right side of my head. Surrounded by her friends, she -- hearing so in the spring, I got a surgery to help me hear better. It’s called a cochlear implant.” I then lifted my hair to show them the processor. “I’m still trying to -- In her signature high pitch singsong voice, she exclaimed, “Look at my mom’s COCH-LE-AR IMPLANT!” And you know what I realized? She’s proud of me. After years of worrying that my situation would somehow embarrass my kids, Claire looks at my cochlear implant as some kind of badge of honor. In fact, sometimes when I’m not wearing the processor, I catch -- Posted by Pam Fisher at 2:09 PM 5 comments: Labels: cochlear implant, cochlear implant surgery, hearing, hearing impairment, kindergarten, motherhood, Pam Fisher -- headache. I’ve had two colds since my surgery, and both times, it eems my cochlear implant’s functionality is compromised during cold and flu season. For me, a simple cold now coexists with head pressure urrounding my implant site, and more annoyingly, a constant buzzing that remains ringing through my head regardless of whether I am wearing the processor or not. That’s right; even when the implant is OFF, I till hear noise—a condition common to people with cochlear implants known as tinnitus, also known as “ringing of the ears.” Some people have this without being hearing impaired or having an implant, and it’s my understanding that deaf or not, it sucks for everyone. -- And so, I’ve spent the last few weeks pretty pissed off toward my cochlear implant progress. Today, however, and in more ways than one, I was lucky to see some -- understand him… that is, until I slid my processor magnet off my head to see what he would sound like without the implant. He wasn’t clear. And he wasn’t loud. I had no clue what he was aying. It would be a disservice to the implant not to acknowledge its value to me when I’m attending presentations and lectures. In that setting, and -- brightness. During the 2012 holiday season, my first Christmas with the implant, I choose for my days to be merry and bright. I wish the ame for all of you. Posted by Pam Fisher at 6:36 PM No comments: Labels: bright side, Christmas, cochlear implant, cochlear implant urgery, deaf, diversity, flu season, gratitude, hearing impairment, -- on the right side of my head. Now in November, I had reached a plateau with my cochlear implant progress, and even more embarrassing is that in recent weeks when I struggle to hear, I have suddenly burst into -- Posted by Pam Fisher at 6:10 PM 2 comments: Labels: Ace of Base, All 4 One, cochlear implant, Flanders, Hurricane Sandy, Pam Fisher, Rico Suave, Rockefeller Center, Rockefeller Center -- When I started the blog, I wanted to inform my family, friends, and colleagues of my decision to get a cochlear implant. I figured it was easiest to update everyone all at once as social media carried my news -- proved to be challenging, and as frustrated as I was with the new cochlear implant, I at least recognized as a writer that my experiences made for a good story. I was also generally optimistic. I figured in -- connected and whole. I tend to describe my cochlear implant success based on how well I communicate in “bigger” milestone events as opposed to everyday -- unrecognizable noise. NOT a great hearing weekend. Then came my first family vacation with the implant, and the reality that life with a processor was often inconvenient. I mourned the loss of natural -- around me were noticing a difference, saying I was more relaxed and eemed to understand more than when I was without the implant. My BIGGEST event of 2012, the one occurring a whole six months -- And I did. The wedding was beautiful, the resort was amazing… but it’s not a complete story if I didn’t admit to the cochlear implant frustrations. First, before I even made it to LaGuardia Airport en -- had never been able to hear in an airport before), but I found it just as difficult to communicate as it had been in pre-implant life. I also found group conversations to be more difficult than I expected. -- months post-activation is really no different than three months ago. Sometimes life with the implant is fine, and other times, it’s annoying. I remain grateful I can hear the phone ring, but totally -- Posted by Pam Fisher at 7:43 PM 6 comments: Labels: best friends, cochlear implant, cochlear implant surgery, destination wedding, Jamaica, wedding -- reader.... Me and Claire-December 2012. “Look at my mom’s COCH-LE-AR IMPLANT!” chimed my daughter Claire as she reached to the right side of ...