Getting a CI is most often a wonderful yet overwhelming experience. Sometimes it can be hard to explain what you are going through to your colleagues and loved ones. Here are some tips for you to think about next time you are feeling lost for words!
When it comes to explaining the actual process i.e surgery and switch on, try keeping it as simple as possible.
Try this:
“I’m having a cochlear implant to help me hear better. This means I’ll have a surgical implant in my inner ear that is activated by a speech processor I wear on my ear like a hearing aid. I won’t be able to hear straight away – my implant will be activated about a week after surgery – then the learning bit will start!”
At the beginning of the journey people may assume that your hearing has been magically ‘fixed’ and you can hear just like a hearing person at the flick of a switch. You can try saying something like:
“My brain is still adjusting to the sound around me, I can hear lots of things but I can’t yet understand what I’m hearing. Please still get my attention before you speak to me, especially if it’s noisy.”
Or
“I am still relearning to hear voices and sounds with this new device. Sometimes I can understand you well, other times my brain is overwhelmed and hearing you is hard. I’m trying really hard, please be patient.”
Further down the track some people may assume that because you have ‘mini computers’ for ears that hearing is easy for you or that you should hear the same as a hearing person. You can try something like:
“My cochlear implant really helps me, but I still find it hard to understand you sometimes, especially when it’s noisy or I can’t see you. Remember it helps both of us if you can get my attention and speak nice and clearly as much as possible.”
Remember the more you advocate for yourself when explaining your CI the better it is for the whole hard-of-hearing and deaf community as this spreads awareness not only about cochlear implants but also about hearing loss in general.