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Thread: Cochlear Implant Surgery

  1. #1
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    Cochlear Implant Surgery

    Hey All-

    I don't normally make posts about myself or anything but felt with such a large network here and also I have many friends on this website, and some of you are Facebook friends with me and already know the recent developments in my life. Many of you all know I am Deaf. However the past year I have been heavily involved in researching, meeting with and checking things out in response to the possibility of a cochlear implant surgery to help fix my hearing and hopefully hear better.

    I know we have other deaf members on this website, and I have lost a lot of friends some that are deaf because they lost "respect" that I was "leaving" the deaf world" and joining the hearing world. The fact is, the CI is designed to improve social life, work life, relationships, all areas in between, and I am at the low point in regards to hearing. I cannot get any worse.

    So because of all this I went ahead and decided to investigate getting the implant. It took over a year of making a case, fighting with insurance to get approval and whatnot. After months of appointments and whatnot I was given approval to get the cochlear implant.

    October 23rd, 2009 will be the date of my surgery. I will have the cochlear done on my left ear. I hope in due time, it works so that I can advance my career at SWA and maybe become a Flight Attendant. Many of you all know I am employed by SWA, and took a leave of absence, partly due to my hearing loss. I will not go into details what went on in public, but that was a big driving force in having me check the CI out.

    So I just wanted to update those who did not know about the recent developments in my life regarding my hearing loss and hope it improves my life big time regarding being deaf.

    Any questions, comments are welcome. For those of you that are against the CI, feel free to voice it but I have done the research for over a year and feel comfortable to go ahead with it.

    Alex
    www.southwest.com Bags Fly Free. Anytime, Anywhere on Southwest Airlines. Share the LUV!

  2. #2
    Senior Member moose135's Avatar
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    That's great, Alex, I wish you all the best! I hope everything works out well for you.

  3. #3
    Administrator PhilDernerJr's Avatar
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    Alex, I wish you the best.

    As for your friends who may have turned their back on you, that is unfortunate. I would hope that anyone who has the chance to better themselves or overcome challenges would receive support, especially from those who have faced those challenges as well. Jealousy perhaps?

    You're good people and have accomplished much regardless the status of your hearing. If things go well, you would be an excelletn flight attendant, or excel in anything else you'd like to do.
    Email me anytime at [email protected].

  4. #4
    Member diegodangers's Avatar
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    Alex, best of luck with your surgery! I saw a documentary on the implants maybe a year or so back, it is amazing what they can do with technology.

  5. #5
    Moderator Matt Molnar's Avatar
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    Best of luck, Alex!
    Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem.
    All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them under control.
    I trust you are not in too much distress. —Captain Eric Moody, British Airways Flight 9

  6. #6
    Senior Member MarkLawrence's Avatar
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    Good luck Alex!!
    Mark Lawrence - KFLL
    Davie, FL

    Community Manager NYCAviation.com
    email: [email protected]

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  7. #7
    Senior Member lijk604's Avatar
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    Good Luck to you Alex!

  8. #8
    Senior Member JHNA57's Avatar
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    As the Uncle of an 11 yr old deaf niece who has had an implant for 9 years, let me tell you that the device is truly a miracle. I can only wish you the best of luck, and assure you that you have made the right choice.

  9. #9
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    Thank you all for posting!

    Phil--It is sad but I expect it. Deaf World have a STRONG pride, and don't like anything that resembles close to the Hearing Community. It is like Black Pride, Gay Pride, and such. Oddly though the Deaf EXCLUDES other members, where as Gay/black try to involve others too.

    I shrug at it and try not to worry about it and just do my own thing on my own time.

    JHN-That is refreshing to know and certainly boosts my confidence I have not heard one bad thing about the CI yet (maybe because I am Deaf! :lol: )

    Alex
    www.southwest.com Bags Fly Free. Anytime, Anywhere on Southwest Airlines. Share the LUV!

  10. #10
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery



    Having fun with sticking magnets to my head! :borat: :lol:
    www.southwest.com Bags Fly Free. Anytime, Anywhere on Southwest Airlines. Share the LUV!

  11. #11
    Senior Member Derf's Avatar
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    I wish you the best. You will be in my Prayers
    The three most common expressions in aviation are, "Why is it doing that?", "Where are we?" and "Oh Crap".

  12. #12
    Administrator PhilDernerJr's Avatar
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    How's it going so far?

    That magnet thing....so many possibilities. haha
    Email me anytime at [email protected].

  13. #13
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    Thanks Derf!

    Phil- So far recovery has been great, The scab is peeling which today finally made it thin enough for the magnet to start working. I discovered it by complete accident, I had a magnet near my head and without thinking it flew off out of my hands and flew into my head and stck there. I just gasped and went omg it works!

    Wednesday is when I get the activation done! I am very much looking forward to it!

    Alex
    www.southwest.com Bags Fly Free. Anytime, Anywhere on Southwest Airlines. Share the LUV!

  14. #14
    Senior Member moose135's Avatar
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    Quote Originally Posted by Alex T
    Having fun with sticking magnets to my head! :borat: :lol:
    You're a wild and crazy guy, Alex :D
    Best of luck, I hope everything works well for you.

  15. #15
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    Re: Cochlear Implant Surgery

    Thanks Moose! Appreciate it! :)

    I posted this on Facebook and on a.net a story about life with a magnet in my head...hope ya'll enjoy it!

    It's been over a week now since my surgery and it's been quite a challenge living my usual life, only with a magnet inside my head stuck to my skull. Kind of creeps you out doesn't it?

    One of the biggest challenges is driving, and sleeping. As for driving, my god, I forget how much we constantly have to move our head which causes me to be dizzy and stretches my incision which is a BIG NO NO. It is very hard for me to make constant right turns, because I have to stop, lean forward to check for traffic, and if a car pulls up besides me, forget it I cannot look around them to see. I have to wait for them to move on.

    Then backing my car up, you know back it up yo...ya this Boy ain't backing it up Yo...I physically cannot turn my head/body around to the right to back my car up. If I get myself into a backing up situation, which I try hard not to do, WATCH OUT WORLD. I will back up blindly and pray I don't hit anyone Smile

    The other challenge as I said was sleeping, NO ONE can talk about not being able to sleep until your head has been drilled into, and you have a magnet sitting on your skull inside your head, ok pregnant women may complain with me but that's it! Gosh it is so weird and hard to sleep on the side of your implant, especially since I sleep on my left side before the surgery, and now I cannot. I wake up every single morning at around 6:30am it seems like uncomfortable and usually annoyed at the feeling of it inside my head. What a way to wake up to. Then of course I take baths sometimes and the way my tub is set up I have to lean on my left side, ya again NOT HAPPENING...

    I found out the cost of the surgery was, around 74,000, YIKES. My magnet alone was around 57K I believe. I have a VERY expensive head now Smile. When I found this out, I had this image of being murdered and someone digging inside my head looking for this 47,000 dollar magnet. However did find out the resale value is worth nada, so i don't have to worry. Can't you tell I watch CSI on Thursdays? Smile

    On that note, I learned the other day why I should listen to the doctor when he says don't walk around campus and such...I thought what could I possibly do just walking around that would cause injury to my neck..well I found out today for the first time! After I left my fathers office and had picked up my midterm I was walking through to my car (yes attempting to drive) when my Blackberry vibrated signaling me to a text message. I looked down to see a text from my mother, opened it and *THWAP* ran smack dab into a tree branch. It apparently didn't like me as it continued to thwap at my head and in reaction not knowing what it was I turned to the right very suddenly and within that second-OWWW. Felt my incision tug and thus caused my neck to be sore all over again. *whines* And immediately as if I got my hearing back, the voice of my surgeon telling me not to walk around campus echoed in my head!

    Well golly gee, He was right, the man knows what he is talking about! For over 74K buckaroos he better be! Silly

    Oh and Miley Cyrus is probably out to kill me or break my neck. Ya'll know that song "Party in the USA" I assume? Well she has this line that says "nodding my head like ya", and every time the song comes on, and she gets to that line. I start to nod my head, realize what I am about to do to my neck if I nod and her lyrics then becomes "nodding my -- ya not nodding anymore" before I hurt my neck again"

    That is how my past week has been so far I made it to work and work went fine! Hope you all had an awesome halloween and having a great week! Next week is my activation day! November 11th! Looking forward to it!

    Whose ready for Thanksgiving now?! Can't wait to hear those Turkey gobble now! Silly

    Alex
    www.southwest.com Bags Fly Free. Anytime, Anywhere on Southwest Airlines. Share the LUV!

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