SoCalDeafMom.com Hearing With Cochlear Implant

My name is Sandra Caballero. I will be 39 years old this year in the Covid-19 pandemic time. I'm a mom of two daughters and one son. I love being a mom and yes it's not that easy.

I'm wearing a cochlear implant on my right ear after I lost my hearing completely back in 2000. I woke up one morning and thought my ear mold hearing aid was not working. My audiologist tested the ear mold hearing aid and it was working just fine. I went into the hearing testing booth and the result were that I lost my hearing. For no reason my hearing was gone just like that. I was not sick. At the time I was 20 years old. I was in shock!

My audiologist suggested Cochlear Implant because I was able to understand sounds before I lost my hearing. Also because it was the only solution to hear again. She handed me a Cochlear Implant book. I read everything and did the online review check to see if Cochlear Implant was for me.

It took me weeks before I decided to get the Cochlear Implant. I thought about hearing again and how I would understand the sounds. Since I always spoke and listen to people talked to me. I also thought about the surgery. Would it hurt but pain reliever pills will help. I thought about after surgery that I won't hear anything until my ear is healed and wear the cochlear implant.

I met Dr. De La Cruz at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles,California. Great doctor! He discussed with me the process of receiving the Cochlear Implant. ( May He Rest In Peace)

He explained every step of the surgery and after surgery. At the House Ear Clinic I was told that I would be on the waiting list when someone donate money into the House Ear Clinic. One day I got the call that I was accepted to get my Cochlear Implant! I was so excited! Couldn't wait to hear again! I thank those people who donate to House Ear Clinic.

Surgery day came and was finished by the end of the day. A one day surgery that I got to go home to recover until my right ear heal.

A electrode array was placed inside the cochlear of my right ear and receiver/stimulator inside the side of my head.

When I arrive home from the hospital on the same day of the surgery; I was in so much pain. I could only sleep on one side that was not operated. I felt the pain for few days but the ibuprofen helped so much. Sleeping a lot and eating liquid food also helped. Following the doctor's orders is the key to the best result.

I recovered completely in a month. I went back to the House Ear Clinic to see Dr.De La Cruz. He checked how the surgical wound healed. He was happy to see that I took care of it very good. Because how nicely and healthy the wound came out. I was able to move to the next step and schedule an appointment with a audiologist at the House Ear Clinic.

I was completely deaf for almost two months. Then I met the audiologist to set up the powerful bodyworn speech processor. The box was placed in my Jean back pocket along with the wires going up to place the implant onto my right ear. This was a huge difference from my old ear mold hearing aid. I was able to hear again! The sound was awful loud and weird. The audiologist adjust from her computer to my processor as it was connected to her computer. I raised my hand if the sound beeps were too loud or too soft. I also had to hear words and say what I heard through my processor. When the audiologist put everything together to get the result of my hearing test. She set up programs. Program 1 would be so loud.. program 2 would be soft and thick.. and program 3 just not clear at all. I would pick the one that comfort my hearing and brain. ( yes; I say brain because listening send signal to the brain to understand what sound you heard. ) The processor is connected to the box where it's place in the back of my jean pocket. There are buttons to change the programs and volumes. Even batteries to replace when it dies.

So much to adapt when I received the processor. I w

Dettagli