Connect with a mentor

Nucleus® 6 System, Bilateral

I’ve had Cochlear™ implants for thirty years, ten years bilateral. I love going to concerts and listening to music.

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

A quick summary about Margo K.

• My hearing challenges began when I was two years old after a car accident.
• I received my first Cochlear™ implant in 1989 and have enjoyed seven sound processor upgrades since then!
• When I began to hear again, my twelve-year-old son told me, ““Now I can tell you anything Mom”.

I’m Margo. My hearing challenges began when I was two years old after a car accident. I’d lost all hearing in my left ear and part of my hearing in my right ear. When I was 21 I received my first hearing aid for my right ear. At 25 a virus took what remained of my hearing. I was married with a one-year old son and suddenly my world became silent. It was traumatic. My biggest concern was whether I would be able to be a good mom to our son and wife to my husband.  Our family adapted and grew. Some of my biggest challenges were constant fatigue due to the effort it took to communicate. In 1989, I received my first Cochlear™ implant (CI).  My children were 5, 7, 9, and 12, and they became my teachers helping me learn to identify sounds. As I began to understand what was being said, my family and friends were very happy. I no longer struggled to communicate.  I remember my 12-year-old son telling me “Now I can tell you anything Mom”.

In 2008, I received a Cochlear implant in my other ear, which had lived in silence for 54 years. My world of sound became richer and more vibrant compared to having only one CI ear. I was thrilled as it meant the new CI ear had the potential to learn to hear. The hearing journey took a bit longer for my second ear and required more effort and perseverance but, it was well worth the effort.

The biggest pieces of advice I like to give people with hearing loss in those early months after getting their CIs are the P words. Patience, practice, perseverance and a positive attitude are key in getting the most out of your Cochlear implants.

Parent – Nucleus® 7, Bilateral | Sensorineural Hearing Loss

My daughter graduated with her Master’s degree just one year after finishing her Bachelor’s degree.

A quick summary about Iraida W.

• My daughter lost all her hearing when she was 4 ½ years old.
• She graduated with her Master’s degree only a year after finishing her Bachelor’s.
• She’s an intelligent and driven young lady looking forward to helping others.

My name is Iraida and my daughter, Olivia, became a Cochlear recipient when she was 5 years old. When she lost her hearing suddenly, it shot our whole world down. As soon as we learned she had hearing loss, we researched and spoke with the hospital to learn more. As a family, we knew we would go forward with the cochlear implant. I worried that she wouldn’t learn to listen and talk, but I was so wrong. When we first saw Olivia responding to voices and sounds, we were elated. No words could describe our joy. Watching her interact with her twin and respond to questions was amazing. Now, Olivia is a young lady and she graduated with her Master’s degree only a year after finishing her Bachelor’s. She’s happy and looking forward to working and helping others on their hearing journeys.

The three things I told myself as my family and I embarked on this adventure with Olivia is to:

• Be her voice until she finds her own.
• Allow yourself to feel some kinda way… but only for A BIT!
• Never give up. Giving up is just not an option.

Our journey has gotten better and better with time. I share our family’s story in hopes that it will help parents considering a cochlear implant for the hearing loss of their children.

I enjoy music, hiking, camping, geocaching, gardening, and wine making.  I was implanted in 2008 and 2009 with cochlear implants. I have participated in several bilateral bimodal research studies including the FDA Nucleus® 6 Hybrid™ clinical trials. Cochlear implant technology has allowed me to re-engage in life, let me know what questions I can answer for you.

1. The Acoustic Component should only be used when behavioral audiometric thresholds can be obtained and the recipient can provide feedback regarding sound quality. The Hybrid L24 Implant is approved in the US for adults ages 18 and older.

Baha® 5 System – Connect, Unilateral | Acoustic Neuroma

My Baha® enables me to hear riders, walkers and runners on my left side so I’m better able to navigate and enjoy my bike rides.

A quick summary about Marilyn K.

• My hearing journey began with gradual hearing loss over several years until 2015.
• I’ve had my Cochlear™ Baha® System since September 2016.
• I love streaming music from my iPhone® to my Baha.

My hearing journey began with gradual hearing loss over several years. After months of exhausting tinnitus and continuing hearing loss on my left side I met with an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor. The MRI indicated that I had an acoustic neuroma; this was something I had never heard of and it sounded frightening. After various hearing and balance tests I learned that my options were to observe the tumor over a period of time, do radiotherapy, or surgery.  I decided to go with the surgery to remove the acoustic neuroma in 2016. Because total left side hearing loss after surgery was likely, we discussed the benefits of a Baha.

I spoke with a former colleague’s sister, who had the same surgery and a Baha® 5. After six months of waiting between the acoustic neuroma surgery and getting my Baha, I was so ready to get back to hearing. My long-anticipated “hook up” took place, and I was amazed with the technology.  I immediately adapted to new sounds! I could hear my friend while she was driving with me in the passenger seat. I love streaming music through my iPhone®, and telephone calls are so much easier now.

As a volunteer mentor, it is such a joy to help someone else through their decision-making process. I’ve also learned so much from the people I’ve helped as a mentor. For me, it’s a real feeling of family with everyone I’ve met through Cochlear.

My top tips for people considering a bone conduction implant:

• Be patient with the doctor(s), insurance and scheduling process.
• Research and learn whatever you can about your hearing and Cochlear™ hearing solution.
• Reach out to Cochlear recipients, they’ve been through the process and are glad to help.

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Patrick was born deaf and implanted at age 1.  He loves Legos and Star Wars.  He enjoys baseball, karate, and outdoor activities such as hiking, camping and riding his bike.   He is an avid reader (his reading level is many grades above average!).  He listens to music daily and loves traveling.  We love talking to other families about their hearing journeys!

Nucleus® 7 & 6 Systems – Bilateral | Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

I enjoy spending time with the grandchildren, volunteering, and listening to the sounds of nature.

A quick summary about Lori O.

• I lost my hearing overnight.
• I received my first Cochlear™ implant in 2012 and my second in 2014 on the other ear.
• Practice the 4 P’s – practice, patience, perseverance and positive attitude.

One day in 1985 I woke up deaf. My family and I were stunned at the sudden loss. I was able to regain some of the hearing in my right ear and was fitted with a hearing aid. Fast forward to 1991 and I once again woke up deaf. After many tests I was diagnosed with Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (AIED). I struggled for 27 years to keep what hearing I had by using medications and several experimental treatments. Over the years we managed to get past the many “down times” I had. In 2012 I realized the battle to keep my natural hearing was not to be won. I received my first Cochlear™ implant shortly after that. After activation, my husband and I had a blast on the 2-hour drive home. It was the first time in years that I heard and understood music. I understood him while in the car, heard the passing cars and the blinker! My silenced social life blossomed. My two sons and their families smiled from ear to ear as I heard everything they were saying. The little ones…oh how blessed I was to be able to understand them!

Being a volunteer mentor has brought so much joy to my life. Seeing how happy someone I mentored has become after his/her hearing is restored is very exciting. The most important piece of advice I can give to someone (and their family) considering a Cochlear implant is to understand that there’s a learning curve after receiving your Cochlear implant. For some, speech comprehension isn’t instant. It can take time for the brain to connect the dots to hearing and involving family and friends is helpful.

Baha® 5 SuperPower & Baha® 5 Power Systems – Connect, Bilateral

I enjoy traveling and being a Special Needs Daycare Teacher. The Baha® System brought me out of my shell.

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

A quick summary about Amanda D.

• I had hearing aids in both ears by the time I was 8 years old.
• I received my first Cochlear™ Baha® System in 2013.
• I’m able to hear the children that I work with as a Special Needs Daycare teacher.

I wore hearing aids from the time I was 8 years old until I was in college. When I got my first hearing aid, I remember sitting in the hospital waiting area and telling my mom that I can hear the phone ringing and the elevator, it seemed like it was too much, and I wanted it out of my ear. Eventually I got used to my hearing aid and got a second one on my other ear. I was in college when my left ear stopped benefiting from hearing aids. I received my first Baha® in 2013 and my second in 2017 on the other ear.

Life with my Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processors is wonderful. I love traveling to see my friends. I love going to the Cochlear Celebration to meet up and visit with my Cochlear family. My Baha System helps me carry out my duties as a Special Needs Daycare Teacher, because I’m able to hear the children that I work with and, more often than not, I can hear them the first time without having them repeat themselves. The Baha System brought me out of my shell.

I love mentoring people that need more information about the Baha System. My advice to them is, “don’t wait to get it!”

I was born profoundly deaf and have received two cochlear implants. I received my first one as a child and my second one as an adult. I am a teacher of the deaf with children who are in preschool through second grade. I also volunteer with several hearing loss organizations. I enjoy traveling, hanging out with friends and family, hiking, being outside and reading.

I am a retired CPA/CFO.  I enjoy tennis, running, reading and spending time with my grandchildren.  My hearing problems started with sudden hearing loss.  I was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease and since that time have struggled with vertigo and hearing loss.  In 2012 I received a cochlear implant (Nucleus 5) and it was an amazing change.  This April I was eligible to upgrade and now have a Kanso that I use with a compatible ReSound hearing aid.

Nucleus® 7, Bilateral | Sensorineural Hearing Loss

I’m a college graduate with a love of music, fitness and helping others.

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

A quick summary about Olivia W.

• When I was 4 ½ years old I completely lost my hearing.
• I graduated with a Master’s degree.
• I enjoy listening to music, working out and sharing my knowledge with others.

Hi! I’m Olivia and I received a Cochlear™ implant when I was 5 years old. I was diagnosed with hearing loss at 3 ½ years old and initially I wore hearing aids for a short time. When I lost my hearing completely, I remember sitting in the back of the car as my father drove us back from hearing therapy. Suddenly, it sounded as if someone was turning down the volume on my hearing aids. I thought that my batteries needed to be changed, but that was not the case. After that, my parents took me in to be tested and was diagnosed with profound hearing loss. I received a Cochlear Implant at this time. I started kindergarten shortly after having my sound processor activated. I progressed well with my Cochlear implant. Later on I decided to move forward with getting a Cochlear implant on my other ear and I was able to do even better.

One of my most vivid memories of my family reacting to me first hearing with my Cochlear implant is when the phone rang, and I reacted and questioned if that was the phone. They were shocked and excited, realizing that the Cochlear implant was working for me.

Mentoring is important to me because I’m able to let others know they aren’t alone on this journey. There are so many people that have gone through this. We are a community and we stick together. A piece of advice I would give to families looking into Cochlear implants for their children is that supporting your child 100% is so important. Between scheduling the procedure to emotional support afterwards and encouragement and patience as your child learns to listen and speak and even excel!

Nucleus® 7 System, Bilateral

I’m an Army Veteran in my late sixties. I enjoy walking, bike riding, hiking nature trails and helping others.

A quick summary about Stephen K.

• I noticed my hearing loss in my 40s and wore hearing aids until 2007.
• I received my first Cochlear™ Implant in 2007 in my right ear and my second implant in 2009 on the other ear.
• After I received my implants I started hearing sounds that I hadn’t heard in years. Each sound that came back was a WOW moment.

I’m Stephen, an Army veteran in my late sixties. I entered the Army in 1970 and worked with an artillery unit. Many of my assignments exposed me to varying degrees of noise. I noticed my hearing loss in my 40s. My wife started asking why I didn’t answer the doorbell for our apartment. It was because I did not hear it! We both knew that something was wrong. I had my hearing tested, and we found out I had a moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears. I was fitted with hearing aids. Years later, in 2007, I was struggling to communicate even with the best efforts of my audiologist. I became withdrawn and frustrated.

That year, I received a Cochlear™ Implant in my right ear and was activated with wonderful results. I started hearing sounds again that I had not heard in years. Each sound that came back was a WOW moment, I treasure each one. Still hearing those sounds is a wonderful feeling. A year and a half later, I received another Cochlear Implant on my other ear.

My biggest satisfaction as a mentor is providing information that helps answer questions for people considering Cochlear implants. One of the rewards of mentoring others is being able to expand my understanding and reinforcing my knowledge. I’ve supported many adults with hearing loss, many of whom are veterans and enrolled in the VA health care system. I enjoy helping others. If I can help you along your hearing journey, please feel free to contact me.

Top advice for mentees:

• Be patient when going through your hearing journey. Things take a while to sort out.
• Maintain good communication with your audiologist. He or she will be working with you for years and wants you to have the best possible outcome.

Parent – Nucleus® 7 System*, Bilateral | Sensorineural hearing loss

My daughter, MaKayla, enjoys extracurricular activities and sports. She’s in mainstream classes.

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

A quick summary about Angel V.

• My daughter began wearing hearing aids at two months old.
• By age 4 she had lost all her hearing.
• It’s important to keep up the work to better hearing. It’s all worth it in the end!

My daughter, Makayla, was diagnosed with hearing loss through a routine screening. I was upset, scared, and worried. My biggest concern was that my daughter would never hear me say “I love you”. I didn’t know any other individuals living with hearing implants. Her hearing continued to decline over the course of four years, and she was implanted just before her fifth birthday. After her sound processor was activated, she began to respond to sounds and voices and my family and I were excited. Each day when she heard a new sound she would ask us to identify what she was hearing.  I became increasingly comforted by these experiences.

As a mentor it is so rewarding to give back to others at a time when they need reassurance most.

A piece of advice I have for people that are beginning their hearing journeys is to remember that they are not alone.

* The Cochlear implant system is intended for use in children 12 to 24 months of age who have bilateral profound sensorineural deafness and demonstrate limited benefit from appropriate binaural hearing aids.

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

A quick summary about Iraida F.  

• I was a child when I was diagnosed with hearing loss.  

• I wore hearing aids from elementary school through college.   
• I’m bilingual and speak English and Spanish.   

I was diagnosed with mild hearing loss and fitted with hearing aids as a child. I wore hearing aids from elementary school through college. While attending college, my hearing got worse, and hearing aids no longer helped. I moved from Puerto Rico to the U.S. The language change combined with my hearing loss made understanding English almost impossible. My audiologist recommended cochlear implants. Researching all I could, I found information about a hearing health seminar. Going to this event gave me a wealth of information that helped me take the next steps.  

On activation day, I heard a lot of static, and family and friends all sounded as if they were chipmunks – squeaky and chirpy, but I could understand them! After that, the follow up sessions became very important. I noticed very quick and steady improvement, especially when having conversations with family. They no longer had to repeat themselves and began to sound normal, even the static sounds faded away. It felt effortless to listen to them.  

Nowadays, I’m able to attend virtual meetings without scheduling closed-captioning services. I can focus on my colleagues’ faces to see how they are feeling about what’s being discussed.      

My top tips for those considering an implantable hearing solution are to understand that feeling nervous about the surgical procedure is human and is okay, ask friends and family for support when you need it and take time to recover.   

Nucleus® 7 Hybrid™ Implant System* & ReSound Hearing Aid- Bimodal

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

I enjoy sharing my experience with others in support of their hearing journeys.

A quick summary about Susan H.

• My hearing loss began after a severe viral infection.
• I struggled to hear women’s and children’s voices and later men’s voices as well.
• Now, I can hear my daughter clearly, freely talk on the phone, and pursue work projects again.

My hearing journey began after I experienced a severe viral infection. I remember not being able to hear the phone ring and realizing something was wrong.  Shortly after, I got hearing aids and went on with my life. I didn’t realize my hearing loss would be progressive, dropping unpredictably through the next years until hearing aids were no longer effective. I struggled with my career and hearing my daughter, as well as most women’s and children’s voices. Men’s voices came next and I couldn’t function professionally. I was losing my career and my relationships were suffering, I was devastated. I learned about the Hybrid™ implant system through a friend, went in for an assessment and sometime later I scheduled the procedure. My sister shed tears of joy at my activation, and my family was thrilled. Although it took time, I could communicate with them again, and life got a lot more pleasant for all of us! I felt like I’d been given my life back.

I found a mentor early on in my hearing journey. She was tremendously helpful, and we remain friends today. I mentor others because this is a difficult journey and I don’t want anyone to go through it alone.  My advice to others considering this type of hearing solution: Reach out, don’t try to go it alone. The fears and concerns you’re having are likely the same as we all had!

* The Acoustic Component should only be used when behavioral audiometric thresholds can be obtained and the recipient can provide feedback regarding sound quality. The Hybrid L24 Implant is approved in the US for adults ages 18 and older for unilateral use only.