Gerry Leeper on his cochlear implant and how he can hear his grandchildren laugh again
I suffered my first severe bout of Ménière's Disease at the age of 27, a relatively rare condition which involves bouts of dizziness, nausea, tinnitus and fluctuating hearing loss. From then, my deafness progressively worsened until I lost all hearing in my left ear aged 40 and in my right ear aged 59.
When my hearing went completely in 1996 I was demoted from Production Control Manager to a technical writer at the manufacturing company where I worked. Large family gatherings were difficult and going to the theatre, cinema or concerts became a waste of time and money.
I first found out about cochlear implants from my consultant, Mr. A. Kerr, at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary. He was a real gentleman and put me forward as a potential candidate quite early on.
At first I was wary of head surgery because my father had had unsuccessful eye surgery many years before and I was afraid of having facial nerve damage like my friends who have suffered from strokes.
However a week long course at the LINK Centre for Deafened People made me feel much more positive about having the operation, which I did on 17th February 2004.
At my switch on two months later, I worried that sounds would be mechanical or non-existent but I remember hearing beeps, ‘Can you hear me Gerry?’, then my wife’s voice. That moment was absolutely magnificent. Even better than expected.
Now I can hold a conversation with most people in most circumstances. I can go to the theatre again, use a mobile phone, and share a laugh with my grandchildren. I can even recognise different birdcalls.
I’d definitely recommend cochlear implants to people who meet the criteria and want to go ahead. If the choice is between hearing something or nothing, the choice becomes obvious.
Gerry is a volunteer Advocate for Cochlear. If you would like any advice or more information on Gerry's story, please contact Kate King, Advocacy Specialist at Cochlear. Email: kking@cochlear.com
Comments
Congratulations on the success of your implant. I am going for tests in a few days time, and appreciate this possitive experience. I find it very encouraging.
Posted by: Jenny Turnock | December 5, 2009 03:51 AM
Gerry
Great story and even better outcome. My situation similar. I am most afraid of surgery and complications. I am new to the thought of implants but have reached the point where the left ear is at 22% and the right ear is about 56% working capacity.I wear hearing aids and can not get enough volume or clarity. I am 60 yrs. old and hearing deficient since age 34. The thing that bothers me most about C.I. is the harness connecting the micro phone to the mechanism. Looks like cyborg involvement to me and most awkward in day to day activities etc. I would like to clearly hear the grand kids. This is what drives me to even consider it. Jim
Posted by: Jim Mc Cabe | December 31, 2009 06:20 AM
Hi Jim, Good to read your response and I have to say it gives me a feeling of Deja Vu.
Yes it does look a little like cyborg involvement and that is not the first time I've heard that remark. Interestingly I can remember going through a phase where I felt quit hip about it and that changed when I was told it looked like a bluetooth attachment for my phone, but truthfully over time any thought of being other than normal has disappeared. The more I have explained to people the less conspicuous it has become. Now I really don't think about being anything other than a hearing aid.
I have been asked, very occasionally, about what it is because people are by nature curious but they have always been pleasant and rewarding encounters.
I hope that helps and if you have any more questions please feel free to post them on the blog.
Please have a lovely New Year in 2010
Best regards
Gerry
Posted by: Gerry Leeper | January 7, 2010 05:00 PM