Josie's thoughts
13-year-old Josie, from North Yorkshire, was fitted with a cochlear implant in summer 2005. Here are her thoughts...
I don’t mind being deaf, but it's annoying sometimes. I misunderstand people and then they get annoyed and get impatient and can't be bothered to repeat what they have said.
Boys also mimic me about being deaf and the words I can't say very well and that upsets me.
I only have one deaf friend and she is called Lucy. She is the same age as me and she speaks better than me. She has a cochlear implant too, but has had it since she was two - I have only had mine for less than a year.
She uses some sign language and knows it more than me but she speaks so she doesn't sign apart from rarely. I used to use sign language when I was little because I didn't hear much then.
A year ago, I had two hearing aids and I knew inside I wasn't hearing much. I didn't hear conversations very well and I was really struggling with friends. I hated the thought that I was not a single piece normal - my speech was like a robot and I didn't enjoy year seven much.
Now I have a life! I’m popular and I have fluent conversations!! I now have that thought that I am normal and my speech is so much better! My school work is not as good because I like to chat a lot!! But I don’t need a microphone and I have less hours of support. I don’t worry so much about hearing people and I'm a lot more relaxed!
My operation went really well, I was only under for two hours. I did wake up really sick and afterwards I was really poorly. It took me three weeks to recover. The reason of that is that I have a syndrome. That is why I am deaf; it’s called Wide Vestibular Aqueduct. It is a sack in my ear that change fluids. The only problem is when you are a baby the sack is small and narrow. I have it like that now.
I get dizzy because of that. I have something called vertigo which happens when my fluid from the sack changes. When that happens my hearing goes up or down.
I hear so much now with the cochlear implant and most people don't know I am deaf until I tell them!
Olivia - my younger sister - wants a cochlear implant. The sad thing is that the hospital won't give her one until her hearing dropped so that is annoying.
I love music!! Everything about it I love! I like heavy metal and a bit of pop! My fave song is Crazy Chick by Charlotte Church!! Gasolina is very good even though it’s Spanish! Kaiser Chiefs are the best!! I like Black Eyed Peas too.
I have a normal life, I will look forward to living it and someday the deaf will be normal like you and me now.
Comments
I have a 6 year old deaf boy born in Sydney Austalia where the support was 100% better. He is classed borderline for a cochlear and we are unsure what to do. He is main stream and we only use audio verbal. his language is not excellent and he constantly has only the use of one aid due to infections or blockage so we feel he's not achieving his best. would a cochlear give him a better cance in life, we don't want to waste valuable time.
Posted by: karen | September 15, 2006 10:21 PM
I have a little girl name melody and she is deaf and can't talk she try's to talk very little words there is a program i saw on TV that for the deaf that it helps u with your communicating with others
Posted by: carmelo | September 19, 2006 10:40 AM
Hi Karen and Carmelo,
Thank you for your comments.
Karen - I'd suggest you contact your local cochlear implant users group (see http://www.nciua.demon.co.uk/local.htm for details) and have a chat with other parents with similar experiences. It sounds like your son could be a good candidate for a cochlear implant but it would depend on why he is classed as borderline.
Carmelo - It's hard to tell whether a cochlear implant would be suitable for Melody or not. First of all, do make sure that her hearing aids are optimally fitted. You could also ask your GP to arrange a cochlear implant assessment with an ENT surgeon.
I hope that helps and I wish you and your children all the best in the future.
Posted by: Rose | September 20, 2006 09:59 PM
A very nice blog Josie, I read it to our daughter and son (he is deaf, as am I), translated of course. He likes to learn about other children who are deaf, and finds blogs like yours very re-assuring, thank you.
Posted by: Judith van der Roos | September 26, 2006 03:49 AM
Do you have any experience with kids who were born deaf and got a coclear implant later on their lives? Does it work for them? I am talking about being born deaf, not born hearing and then becoming deaf at the age of 1 or 2 ish.
Posted by: Joseph | September 26, 2006 05:29 AM
The effectiveness of cochlear implants for people who are born deaf varies hugely dependending on how old they are when they get the implant and what previous experience they have had with hearing aids and aural communication. If you wonder whether you or a family member might benefit from a cochlear implant, it is best to check with a cochlear implant professional for more specific advice.
If you live in the UK and would like to know who your nearest cochlear implant professional is and how to get in touch with them, please e-mail me at: hello@thedeafblog.co.uk.
Posted by: Rose | September 29, 2006 01:19 AM