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Bionic Ear Successfully Implanted

I had the implant surgery Monday, now boys I am telling you I had a rough surgery, they failed the first attempt but was able to place successfully on the second attempt. I had major complications for 3 days but doing so much better now. I am completely deaf in the right ear where they did the implant but on August 9th they will activate. I have to wait 3 weeks for it to heal first. I am so looking forward to being a part of the hearing world. It will take 12 to 18 months for me to become fully adjusted in the new sounds, understanding speech and ect.. It will take the 3 P's Patience, Practice and Perserverance at the end they say my life will be transforming like I never knew could exist. Imagine never being able to hear a cricket, bird, whisper, fizz on a soda and all other sounds you take for granted and then being 38 years old and having the switch turned on!!! You can imagine how excited I am. Here is a detailed account of the surgery that I posted on the Cochlear deaf community message board. Checked in yesterday at 9 am. Prep me. Go into surgery wake up and the night mare begins. First off I woke up with a huge knot or tumor like bump on the middle of the left side of tongue, no one could tell me what this came from except that it must have been complications from the breathing tube. Second, I woke up and realized I have been in surgery going on 5 hours because they could not get the spiral electrode in place so they had to start all over and do the straight Nucleus electrode, (does this mean I am not going to get the same coverage or strength?) I woke up and had to pee so bad that I could not go in the urinal laying in bed. I begged them ididots to let my dad help stand me up so I could pee, they would not and I mean I was in misery, I was begging for a in/out catheter. Finally after doing a few tricks and numbers I was able to pee a little and then really got the flow going. I woke up from surgery with a burn like cut on my earlobe no one seems to know how that happend. I threw up all night till going on 12 am, I never got no rest, was never offered a menu and I was starving, out of 15 people that came to check on me during my 30 hour stay no one knew I was deaf and it was exhasuting to explain that, you would think they would put it in the file or on the door, "Patient is deaf please speak loud and allow patient to read lips!!" Now I am at home with a huge bump on my tongue its not going down and its hard to swallow food with it. I can walk but a little spinning, the pain is not bad yet where they cut me and I got this constant humming or low pitch ringing in my ear, it gets better then comes back, how long will that last. I am sorry to any one who is thinking about getting this surgery, I am sure I am rare case please do not let it discourage you, God allowed this experience in my journey and I acceppt it. You have to accept it with a great aditude otherwise you could be disappointed. It is weird to be completely deaf in my right ear now, I mean I cannot even hear enviromental sounds, I knew this was a part of the journey to so I just sit back now and have a lot of hope that it all comes together, even if it doesn't my hearing in the right ear was on out the door and I had to try something while I have full coverage insurance. Well thanks for all the encouragment and messages leading up to this and I am sorry I could not give a great report. Hopefully future reports will be better LOL!!

Good luck. I hope everything works out for you. In our prayers.

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Just remember to leave it in GODS hands and he will give you everything need.I hope you get the results your looking for.Thanks Mike

Bradley

I know you prolly don't remember me but we are an old acquaintance from a long time ago good luck hope every thing works out for you would love to draw you in a cast again someday..

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I am completely deaf in my left ear and a 45% loss in my right ear.It is amazing what is now available to help people with hearing loss.I'll have to live with a hearing aid until maybe VA will give me bionic hearing.
I still enjoy pleasure hunting and working with my hounds on coon and bear.I go to the hunts just to visit and show a dog every now and then.
Good luck on your recovery and enjoy your new found hearing.

Glynn Holmes
www.tellsblueticks.webs.com

Good luck Brad. I sure hope the implants work out for you. I got my new hearing aids last Wensday, major improvement over the old ones I had.

Good luck Brad

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Rory never forgot you! You one of the best men I met 18 years ago I always enjoyed seeing you at the hunt glad to see you back!!!

Jim I am so happy for you man enjoy them dogs and hitting the hunts with better ear power!!! Btw looking forward to seeing you at the meeting next sat at Danville come early I only live a mile from club and you can have a cold pop and I will show you my litter of Big D pups I call them the "litter of compact" because I am all out of space they have compact what I have now Lol!

Brad, I believe we played a little music together at Walker Days about 5 years ago. I hope and pray it all works out for you and maybe we'll meet again down the road. Take care, Nathan

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***GRNTCH LATE NITE BIG BUBBA 6/15/97 - 12/24/09***

HI BRAD

YOU SAID IT ALL !{GOD ALLOWED THIS EXPERIENCE IN MY JOURNEY}GOD WORKS ALL THINGS FOR GOOD.PRAY AND KEEP YOUR FAITH,ALL THAT YOU WENT THROUGH WILL OF BEEN WORTH IT IN THE END,WE WILL SAY A PRAYER FOR YA ,HAVE A BLESSED DAY,RON

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RON MAGGART FIELDON ILLINOIS
{TEAM BIBLE THUMPER}
ALWAYS REMEMBER GOD GAVE US FRIENDS AND COONHOUNDS, " I AM A GREATLY BLESSED",HIGHLY FAVORED" " IMPERFECT BUT FORGIVEN CHILD OF GOD "KEEP YOUR {FAITH IN GOD } FAITH SEES THE INVISIBLE,BELIEVES THE INCREDIBLE,AND RECIEVES THE IMPOSSIBLE. WERE BLESSED !!

Nathan I do rember you. I am sad to say they told me that music will be very difficult for me because its a mechanical digital sound that I will be hearing not a normal "tone", my bluegrass picking days are over but I will always enjoy listening to others.

Ron Yes you are right brother Amen!