It was a great opportunity to hook up with CI adults and get more information on the process and gather various individual experiences. Throw in a scrumptious raffle, a few Irish Dancers, one generous buffet, an introduction to the new surgeon and the simple Luncheon became a mad hatters tea party (in my part of the room that is!) as most deaf people ignoring the speeches (no ISL Interpreters/speed text available!) the dancers (some CI'ers complained that the music was just noise to them, plus it went on too long... 65 minutes!) and us calling for the expected coffee that never came - our serving staff only had tea left by the time they got to our table, they promised to come back with coffee but... none was forthcoming still it was a strange but enjoyable day!
I met some Deaf people there, like me, waiting to get the CI. For some seeing me was a total shock, one of my good friends did a double take at the sight of me, and just stared at me til I asked if my mascara had ran down my face or I had something gross stuck to my chin! 'What are YOU doing here? You never told us you were going for a CI!' she ranted. Off we went to find a table together and swap stories. Another Deaf CI'ee joined us, not only had she a CI herself but 3 of her children were also implanted; she confessed that herself and her Deaf husband had a 'very tough time' with the Deaf community after allowing CI team to Implant their daughter 6-7 years ago, and still gets the odd criticism now thrown in her face and then. Hubby was evaluated for CI but doesn't meet the criteria "...yet!" she's also considering getting a Bilateral CI (Bilateral CI is where you have a CI on both sides) but the fact that it took her a long time to 'recover' after the CI operation is putting her off somewhat. Speaking of Bilateral there was a man there who was Bilateral Implanted; I was totally stunned seeing him - I remembered him and his 'then girlfriend' as one of the most outspoken critics of CIs years ago... what a turnabout for the books! When I asked him about the benefit of having two CIs over having one CI, he ignored me and walked over to the next table... guess he was afraid I'd bring up the past and embarrass him? Hmmm!
As I sat at the table, a suave young man proffered his hand and introduced himself 'Hello, I'm Conor...' as I gave my name I noticed he was sitting with another young Deaf CI'ee who sometimes plays with Irish Deaf Poker. I asked if he was involved with the Deaf Community, but Conor shook his head. He knew the other lads via the CI programme, he had been mainstreamed and had just finished his masters degree in Computer Applications. He had no sign language. We got talking about his CI experiences. Conor had no difficulty hearing the speeches, and everything going on about him, when I lowered my voice he picked me up fine. I was amazed to discover he only had the CI 5-6 years, but it wasn't all rosy he admitted. His 'hearing journey' took a 'long slow 3-4 years' to peak to the level where he is now with 85% word recognition. His only regret was that he didn't have it before he started second level, as some of the issues he had would have been lessened. We had a great conversation going all throughout the meal.
I was delighted to catch up with another 'mainstream Deaf' who got the CI 2-3 years ago. Like me, Cathy (pictured below) only 'discovered' the Deaf community late when she was in College, and had concerns with this when g
etting the CI. While she did noticed a 'subtle change' in some Deaf people's attitudes after her CI she refuses to let it bother her. Personally I think her sports status helped big time (she's the Top Lady Golfer on the Irish Deaf Golf Team with several awards under her belt, plus she was on the Deaf Women's basketball team at the height of their success on the women's premier league) plus her degree from Gallaudet garnered enough brownie points to minimise any damage. Cathy is happy with her CI but pointed out that there were several people who were far more successful than her, pointing out a very confident, Californian-looking individual to me. He was to her immediate right holding court on her table with a group of young girls hanging on to every word. As I joined the conversation, I discovered that he only had his Implant switched on February 2009 and achieved 75% word recognition in quiet environment and 61% in noisy environments at his last assessment, compared to his previous score of 39% in quite mode and <10% pre-CI - very impressive results! I wished I had asked more about his 'Journey' - was he late deafened, born deaf, hearing aid user, etc. He did admit that music was still strange, Cathy agreed with him "It's just noise... " Moving on to the next table, I was delighted to bump into Maria O'Gorman from Limerick. I first met Maria 6 years ago on a Deaf Information Roadshow I did in Limerick. Maria had lost her hearing 3-4 years previously and was not getting any benefit from hearing aids. She was finding life very tough at the time, had lost her confidence, found it hard to keep her speech level and was learning ISL to enable her to communicate and finding it hard to get used to it. Today's Maria was a totally changed person! Brimming with confidence, speaking clearer and praising her 2 year old CI for it all! "I can follow the radio in my car no problem!" Wow... I want to be able to do that too!
Spotting Fiona from the CI meeting on the other side of the room, surrounded by an audience. I was disappointed not to be able to say hello but there was too many people around. I counted 20 tables with 10 people at each... I must to text her to apologise in case she thought I was ignoring her!
Bumping into a nervous young man, on discovering I was waiting for my operation, confessed the reason for his nervousness - he is facing the operation NEXT WEEK! Wishing him the best of luck, he asked me if I had made a decision on which implant to go with? Advance Bionics (AB) or the Australian Cochlear? I admitted that I hadn't given it any serious thought but I would like to talk with someone with an AB implant... he admitted that he was looking for someone with AB too! I left him to his search.
Apart from some of the initial CI Team who came back especially for the occasion, the guest of honours also included the first man/woman adult-CI operated on in Ireland by Beaumont CI team. But as far as my memory serves: they don't have the distinction of being the first person in Ireland, that falls to Melanie O'Grady - who was the first Irish person to go to Manchester and get an implant 20 years ago. I was good friends with Melanie before we lost touch as she moved to UK to study then on to USA with her new husband. I recently discovered her on Facebook, that's the amazing thing about facebook... finding long lost friends!
Saying my goodbyes to the Team, I had a brief chat with Gary Norman (in photo holding microphone) as I was leaving. Gary was the first CI Team member I met, a really nice guy - easy to talk with. He assigned me my first digital HAs then broke the news that I was 'outside the criteria' way back in 2005. I was sad to hear he left to go home to the UK, it was lovely to see him again! We had a brief conversation about the Deaf community, are they more accepting of CIs now? Might be best to ask me again after my operation Gary! LOL! I hope he returns to Beaumount some day!
Beside him was an man in his mid-50's who asked me 'How are you getting on with your CI's?' replying that I hadn't been implanted yet, adding my operation date in November. He beamed at me "I have my implant 14 years! And there's not one day that I don't regret it! Nor will you..." I hope so too, Sir!
In the Ladies, just before I left, I got talking to a young pretty girl in her mid-20s. Susie just got switched on 4 weeks ago and declared it 'too soon' to comment on the benefit of her CI. She is 'hearing everything' but finds it hard to place the sound, to differate between the words being spoken and make sense of what she is picking up. She also showed me her scar, which had completely healed and looked really neat! We exchange numbers, I look forward to hearing how she's getting on...
Going home I felt more positive about getting the CI... one common thought I got from them was the operation itself was doodle, apart from one woman. No one mentioned any problems with the actual operation but the Switching On week was 'tough'. They were 'tired', 'emotional', 'stressful, and/or 'all over the place - couldn't concentrate on ANYTHING! Advance warning to take time off work for this I guess.
Strangely enough apart from the people I shared a table with, the rest of us Deafies practically avoided each other and sought out the CI'ees to hear their experiences . A few days later I bumped into one of the Deaf people from the Lunch the conversation went like this:
- Hey! So sorry I did see you at the CI lunch but I was too busy getting information to talk to you, then I had to rush home...
- That's okay, me too!
- Urm... do the (DEAF) Community know you going for a CI?
- Some do, the rest will find out soon enough I guess
- Ah... okay... well I haven't told anyone that I'm on CI list yet...
- Don't worry, I won't say anything!
- *big relief on face* Thanks, I really appreciate that... so when is your CI?
- 18th November...
- Wow! THAT soon? I just had my first appointment earlier on this year... how long did it take you from then til you got your date(of operation)?
- I was referred by my GP in 2003!
- 2003???!!! SIX Years??!!! My... you kept that quiet!
- Yeah... I may talk a lot, but I am VERY GOOD at keeping secrets!
LOL!
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