Cochlear Implant Basics

Cochlear Implant Basics

por Richard Pocker

Temporada 1

Dr. Kelly Breese- Let's Talk About Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the topic and Dr. Kelly Breese is the expert I wanted to interview. Tinnitus is often insidious.It can build gradually before a person realizes they have a problem. Sometimes it happens suddenly. It comes in many forms from a minor ringing in the ears to a roaring torrent of sounds that drive the victim to distraction. Certified by the American Board of Audiology, as an Audiologist and a specialist in Tinnitus Management, her videos on this important topic caught my attention and I was fortunate to have her take the time from her practice, Hearing Aids of Sarasota to sit down for this interview. Candidates for cochlear implants often ask if a CI will help with their tinnitus. As Dr. Breese explains, the answer is maybe. While there is currently no cure for tinnitus, there are methods to help cope. In addition to her interview, further information is found on her website hearingaidsofsarasota.com as well as her Facebook page, of the same name. TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE AT COCHLEARIMPLANTBASICS.COM

Mike Dailey-A Bilateral Cochlear Implant Recipient Who Has Followed His Dream to Become a Paramedic

I have seen glimpses of Mike Dailey, the fireman with bilateral cochlear implants. His story seemed to peek out now and then on social media from time to time. Until he joined the Facebook group, Bilateral CI Warrior, I had been unable to contact him. Now I have his interview, and this is why is it so important that candidates and recipients take time to listen to it or read the transcript. Mike embodies the concept that if you have talent, a cochlear implant is not an impediment to accomplishing your dreams. He is a shining example of that. Many times, I have seen people post the question: What kind of job can I look for if I have a cochlear implant? As Mike tells it, there are no limits. Zero. Nada. None. Inspirational does not begin to describe Mike Dailey. Mike recently posted this follow up on Facebook: "In May I was able to get my National EMT Certification thanks to my bilateral implants. Fast forward to last week, and I learned I had been accepted into the Paramedic Program! This was a dream I had before I lost my hearing, and now almost 27 years later I am moving forward!! A day does not go by without me being thankful for the opportunities that my implants have given me! No Limits!! Thank you Richard Pocker for helping keep the dreams alive by reminding us how lucky we are!" TRANCRIPT IS AVAILABLE AT COCHLEARIMPLANTBASICS.COM

Dr. Victoria Moore-An Audiologist's Viewpoint on Cochlear Implants

Dr. Vicky Moore is an audiologist and co-owner of The Hearing Spa in Sarasota Florida. Along with being an independent hearing aid dealer, she does evaluations for cochlear implants candidates and is an expert programmer for all three major makes of cochlear implants. New candidates often want to know about how the audiologist does the testing. Dr. Moore discusses the process from the beginning to end and gives a very unique perspective about activation day. Her interview covers a wide range of related issues and is a good starting point for your research into your hearing journey. TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE AT COCHLEARIMPLANTBASICS.COM

Sue Wolfe Smith-Running Her Business Without Hearing. The Cochlear Implant Journey of an Entrepreneur

As she describes it, Sue had a lifelong progressive moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss in both ears. Wearing hearing aids from the age of eight, she struggled but used many of the compensation tricks that are familiar to those of us with a hearing loss. But she went beyond what we may have done, and her story would take hours and provide an encyclopedia of useful tips. My interest was to have her focus on music, a topic of major interest to many candidates. Her involvement with music and being married to a musician, meant that as her hearing loss progressed, her world was shrinking. Sue received bilateral cochlear implant surgery and was activated with two Cochlear Nucleus 7s in 2018. She talks about her experience with music both pre and post activation. I hope to do a second interview with Sue so she can share her experience of how she managed her career and business without hearing. In the interim, I am glad she agreed to share her knowledge and experience with music.

Janet Fox-Part 2 After Getting a Second Cochlear Implant. The Journey to Stereo Sound

Janet Fox recently received a second cochlear implant and became a bilateral recipient. This is Part 2, the follow up interview done after her second cochlear implant activation. Part 1 of her interview was done just prior to her operation. At the time we sat down for that interview it was my stated intention to do another after she was activated with the new one. Many cochlear implant recipients who are qualified for a second one hesitate for a variety of reasons; fear of losing any residual hearing in their other ear; loss of fidelity of music if they still have any residual hearing and sometimes being in denial, believing and stating that one ear is good enough to get by with. Janet moved beyond that point, realizing that after more than two years after receiving her first cochlear implant that her remaining hearing was in decline and of no practical use. It was time to take the plunge. Drs. Wazen and Nayak at Silverstein Institute in Sarasota, who performed her original surgery also did the second. They complied with an unusual request from Janet which she talks about. Although her activation was very recent, she already sees the results and the improvement. I felt it was time for her to share experience while it is still new. I was also interested in her reaction to her upgrades from having a single side Cochlear Nucleus 6 to becoming a bilateral Nucleus 7 recipient. She wrote to me in a follow up communication after the interview: “BTW you can quote me saying, I’ll never take this off, and it’s so great to hear in stereo!” TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE AT COCHLEARIMPLANTBASICS.COM

Janet Fox-Part 1 Prior to Getting a Second Cochlear Implant. The Journey to Bilateral

I met Janet just after she received a cochlear implant. There was a genetic component to her hearing loss. Her brother received a cochlear implant before she did. She is an intrepid personality who refused to give up even as she was struggling to get the best results. Activated with a Cochlear Nucleus 6 and wearing a ReSound hearing aid in the other ear, her bimodal hearing was never optimal. I believed at the time; she would eventually opt to get a second cochlear implant. As her hearing in the HA side declined, she was ready. I asked her to sit down with me to talk about her experiences and her decision to go bilateral. She also shares her experience with tinnitus and how receiving the first cochlear implant had an effect on it. TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE AT COCHLEARIMPLANTBASICS.COM

Nanette Florian-Former Lead Singer with The New Christy Minstrels Learns to Hear Music Again

Many cochlear implant candidates are more concerned about music than speech. When I learned about Nanette Florian’s passion for helping fellow cochlear implant recipients and those with hearing loss get the best out of music I knew I had to ask her to sit down for an interview. She started playing the piano and singing when she was five years old. She is a former member of The New Christy Minstrels, she was the standing bass and lead singer during her time with the group. Eventually, her hearing declined to the point where she stopped playing. That was until she received a cochlear implant 14 years ago. Today her outreach is through her website Hear Music Again hearmusicagain.org Along with her brother John, who also suffers with a hearing loss, they have two internet radio stations WHMA (Hear Music Again) and WHRA (Hear Rock Again). They are an eclectic mix of genres that were selected not only for the clarity but variety. There is a wide range of rock, blues, and funky soul as well as soft rock and country and classical music. I will leave it to Nanette to tell her own remarkable story. TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE AT COCHLEARIMPLANTBASICS.COM

Jack Barnes- Received a Cochlear Implant in 1988 and Its Still Running Strong with External Upgrades Along the Way

Jack Barnes was implanted in 1988 when he was 11 after suffering a total sudden hearing loss. It was an experimental process at the time. Thirty-three years later is still using the original surgical implant but is now on the 8th generation of external, improved technology. He recently received a Cochlear Nucleus 7. He is a unique resource who has traveled the entire road of the history of cochlear implants. Inspirational because of his perseverance and, as you will discover, his unstoppable drive in his endeavors. TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE AT COCHLEARIMPLANTBASICS.COM

Dr. Loren Bartels- A Surgeon with a Unique Perspective and His Criteria for CI Qualification

I recently learned that Dr. Loren Bartels had performed a cochlear implant surgery on a five-month-old child. He was also the surgeon who performed bilateral cochlear implant surgery on me in December 2015 just before my 65th birthday. His career with cochlear implants predates the time of FDA approval for them in the United States. In other words, he has seen and performed surgery and the restoration of hearing through these miracle devices from the start. He talks about his background and the advancement of cochlear implants as well as his own criteria for determining a candidacy. His views on pediatric cochlear implant surgery are invaluable to those parents who are seeking answers. His unique perspective is invaluable to those starting their hearing journey research. I am glad he agreed to take time on his busy schedule to sit down with me for this interview. TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE AT COCHLEARIMPLANTBASICS.COM

Maria Anderson- A Marathon Runner Who Does Not Let Her Cochlear Implants Slow Her Down

Maria Anderson is a shining example of a cochlear implant recipient who has never let them slow her down for a moment. A marathon runner, hiker and adventurer she recently completed a marathon in Greenland while wearing her Advanced Bionics processor clipped to her running shorts. She has also hiked Kilimanjaro, and to the base camp of Mt. Everest as well as around Mount Blanc. Maria’s hearing loss began in her mid-30s. She continued to compensate, determined not to wear a hearing aid so not to show her disability. She continued to struggle for 10 years before a total loss in her right ear forced her to reconsider. She received an Advanced Bionics implant in 2007 and two years later went bilateral. Both operations were done by Dr. John Niparko at Johns Hopkins. She discusses her fear of losing the 8% residual hearing in her left before going bilateral, her work environment, and the support from her family. At first embarrassed by her deafness, she discovered the Sarasota chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America where she learned how to advocate for herself, and others and her insights are invaluable and mentoring to help others has become a passion. TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE AT COCHLEARIMPLANTBASICS.COM

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