Today, 6 years after I was referred to the Implant Programme, I was finally considered 'within the criteria' for implantation and will get a Cochlear Implant (CI) in November 2009!
I was stunned speechless when I got the news... Must have had my best poker face on too, Jackie had to ask if I was 'okay', she pointed out that 'most people' are usually 'visibly taken aback' when they are told how soon their CI operation would be and I wasn't 'appearing at all THAT shocked'... I was taken aback - I was shocked - I just wasn't showing it! LOL!
It’s been an emotional journey to this point. More so in recent weeks since my audiologist asked at my annual assessment in June if I was still interested in getting the CI, so she could refer me to the surgical team for a decision on my 'borderline criteria status'. I was hesitant at first, but said yes, half-expecting to be declined again.
I have a bilateral profound hearing loss since a severe bout of Meningitis at 2 years old that left me in a coma for 15 days, on waking up I kept touching people on the lips as they were talking to me but it was few months before anyone copped on that I was deaf. My right ear is marginally better than the left, with the residual 'ability' to distinguish some speech.
The audiogram here from the first Assessment in October 2005 shows my hearing ranging from 80dB downwards. Normal hearing varies within -10 to +10dB range; anything 25dB or more is considered a hearing loss.
It took 18 months from the initial GP referral in 2003, before I was called for my first appointment in October 2005, where it was discovered that I had 39.5% word recognition with my old hearing aids. This, along with having a profound hearing loss, put me into the CI criterion that was set at 42% word recognition. My MRI was clear and I was all set to meet the surgical team for the next step.
Noticing my old Analogue Hearing Aids, the audiologist suggested I try the new digital aids specifically designed for a profound hearing loss. Accepting the new hearing aids, I found them brilliant but not as 'satisfying' with some sounds as the old analogue aids. 
Before I got my Digital Aids: I never knew the EazyPass Tag 'beeps' as the car passed the Toll readers on the M50!
While the new Digital Aids DID open a new range of sounds I never heard before, I found the speech notes had flattened to an extent... To explain this, the chart above demonstrates the difference as best as it can be described*. The Analogues basically amplified what residual hearing I had equally across the spectrum, while the Digital counterparts are programmed for each frequency, giving the boost only where it was needed to produce an 'evener support' across the spectrum. (*Note: this it is not an accurate representation but it gives an idea how both hearing aids worked for me).
I was totally gob-smacked at the next CI Assessment, just over one month later, the digital aids actually produced a much higher word recognition score of 56.3%, putting me cleanly out of the CI criteria. I was delighted with my results but disappointed too. I genuinely didn't think I was hearing that good; while the Digitals enabled more environmental sounds, I was still missing out on some of the speech tones that my old Analogue Aids offered. With reassurance of an ongoing annual assessment, I would remain on the CI list in the event of any future changes in my statistics or the CI criteria. At every assessment I had to ask for the programme to be re-checked and adjusted, time and time again... I still wasn't satisfied.
Shortly after getting the Digital Aids, I started to develop a series of ear infections, slight skin irritations developed inside both ears that naturally affected my hearing big time. It was 9-10 months before they discovered I had an allergic reaction to the acrylic ear-moulds! Once the new hypo-allergic ear-moulds were in place the infections went away but my hearing had changed. Initially blaming a malfunctioning in my digital programme, I went back for my annual Assessment planning to request that the Digital Aids programmes be re-checked. To my amazement the hearing test showed my hearing had decreased to one level lower than 2005 test. My word recognition score had also dropped to 52%, putting me into borderline consideration with the new CI criteria that had been increased in recent years to 48%.
The audiologist decided to do individual ear word recognition test, and discovered that my left ear scored 21% while my right ear was 37% approx. These scores, along with the changes in my hearing test and work recognition, were enough to suggest putting my case back to the CI team for possible Implant consideration.
One month later I received a letter for an "Aural Rehabilitation Pre-Op Counselling" appointment with Catherine Percival (Speech Therapist) and Jaclyn Smith (Audiologist). The letter had me thinking positive that this was 'maybe' the starting point of the long path toward getting approval for a CI in late 2010 or 2011 even.
But nothing prepared me for the news that awaited me today: due to my position on the list I've been fast-tracked approved to have a CI on 18th November 2009 - 14 weeks from today in fact...
Wow!
I know there's a lot of work ahead of me, a lot of thinking and decisions to make. My emotions are all over the place; from fear to excitement, from confusion to delight, I am still in a daze... someone pinch me please! Yes, it's official: I’m getting a Cochlear Implant!
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