| > | | | | me I had otosclerosis, a condition in which spongy bone |
| | | | hardens around the base of the stapes. That’s |
| Do you have any idea of what it is like to be | | | | one of the three little bones in the ear. He suggested |
| profoundly deaf, and suddenly hear again? This, in | | | | that a common 45 minute operation could be |
| layman’s terms is exactly what happened to | | | | performed to replace the bone with a platinum and |
| me. | | | | plastic prosthesis. I should gain some hearing. If it |
| Forty years ago, I couldn’t hear my little children | | | | doesn’t help, we do the implant. |
| properly. I first noticed I was hard of hearing when I | | | | The operation was carried out and a few days later I |
| didn’t seem to mind if they were noisy, but | | | | could hear a few sounds. Twelve days later I heard |
| others did. | | | | the water during my shower for the first time in many |
| At that time, many hearing aids were sold by well | | | | years. My husband was helping me unload the |
| meaning people with little or no professional training. | | | | dishwasher and the clanking of dished and cutlery |
| One kind gentleman came to our home, did a little test | | | | wasÂ…..deafening. |
| and sold me a hearing aid. An impression of my ear | | | | The doctor was very surprised nobody had never |
| canal was taken and shortly thereafter I was hearing | | | | mentioned otosclerosis before to me. When something |
| a hearing aid in my right ear. | | | | such as deafness slowly progresses, it never occurs |
| What little hearing I had in my left ear slowly faded | | | | to a person that it may be repaired. We go to the local |
| away. Over the years I slowly became aware I was | | | | hearing aid clinic, get tested, and leave with the latest |
| losing what little hearing I had left. | | | | and best aid available. |
| New technology resulted in better and better hearing | | | | If I were to suggest to anyone with a severe hearing |
| aids. To my sorrow, my hearing loss could not keep up. | | | | loss problem, a line of action to take, it would be to go |
| A new and better aid would be fitted and help for | | | | to the finest hearing center in your area. Go on line and |
| awhile but soon, I had to try to understand words by | | | | learn all about hearing problems, and the parts of the |
| reading lips. | | | | ears. If you don’t do this you may go through |
| During a vacation trip to Arizona in 2007, I went | | | | life as I did. Withdrawing from social contact and |
| profoundly deaf overnight. Doctors told me an inner | | | | friends all for the sake of a simple operation. |
| ear virus caused it. Returning home I was checked out | | | | I don’t have good hearing as yet. In another few |
| by an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist. An MRI | | | | weeks I will be fitted with a new hearing aid and that |
| showed nothing unusual. | | | | should do the trick. The fact I am able to hear my |
| I was accepted into the Cochlea Implant Program at | | | | husband and family talk directly into my ear is a |
| Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. The audiologist | | | | fantastic start. I can’t wait to hear those dishes |
| confirmed my deafness. A balance test and cat scan | | | | rattling as they come out of the dishwasher. It’s |
| was performed. Everything aimed toward the implant. | | | | music to my ears. |
| I met with Dr. Chen, the head of the program. He told | | | | |