Cochlear Implant Activation

Four weeks after the surgery, I went back to Quebec City to receive my hearing device for the first time and to have therapy sessions with the cochlear implant. I can't remember when, but it was probably during my hearing tests in Quebec City doing the tests to become a candidate but I remember picking out the color of my cochlear implant, there were three colors - brown, black, silver. I liked the color of the silver one, it was really pretty but I picked the brown one because it matched my hair color. I got to the hospital in Quebec City and I met the the audiologist, and she hooked my cochlear implant to a computer. My cochlear implant was about to be turned on for the very first time, and I was anxious to see if it was going to work. When it was turned on, I was expecting to hear sounds but the sounds were muffled and I was disappointed and felt discouraged.. I could hear the voices but they were muffled. My mother decided to look on the positive side, she said the sounds will come and it will take time and I had to believe that, we stayed in Quebec City for during the week and we would go home on the weekend and I remember coming home on the metro and I remember hearing the station's names and whenever I would hear the announcement even though it was muffled, it was a like a signal was sent to my brain to receive the message as I looked up on the board, there was a sound as I heard the station's names which I found kind of cool. I remember coming home and everything would be muffled, my dad would be talking to me and telling me to look away and he would knock on the table and I would turn around just from that sound, and that was a positive thing. 

I would  go on the laptop and put on music, I'd put the volume on a little higher and I would hear the singer's voice but it'd be muffled. I had to practice putting on my cochlear implant because it was difficult back then to put it on but eventually I got the hang of it, I was going to remain positive because hearing muffled sounds was better than not hearing anything at all. I went back to Quebec City after the weekend, I forgot how long we were supposed to stay but our stay ended earlier than we were supposed to. I was in the office hooked up to a computer and as soon as the session was over, I walked out out of the office and suddenly I could hear sounds in the hospital. Some sounds were startling to hear and others were a delight to hear, I was so excited! I could finally hear, I could hear my mother talking to me and I could hear my little brother William who was with us this time in Quebec City. 

I stayed two weeks in Quebec City and during those two weeks after turning the cochlear implant on, I was finally able to hear. I couldn't wait to go home, everything sounded so clear and so new. I couldn't wait to explore the world with my cochlear implant, but I still had a lot of work to do with the cochlear implant as I still had my therapy sessions at The Montreal Oral School of The Deaf which I always looked forward to going but after every session, I would get tired. It was normal as the sounds at first get exhausting to hear because there is so much going on but I loved hearing everything.

It's been five years since I had my surgery, and my cochlear implant still works perfectly and whenever I see family or friends, they often tell me my speech improved since getting the cochlear implant, and I feel proud. I go to the  Mackay Centre every now and then to re-adjust the sounds as sometimes it might need a little change. I have no regrets in getting the cochlear implant, it was the best decision I had ever made for myself and my life, I became an aunt a few months after I had the cochlear implant done and it was amazing to interact with my nephew when he was a baby and since then, I'm a proud aunt to two nephews and my first niece.

Every year I celebrated the day of my surgery, it was a special day for me to remember and I remember on the third anniversary of the surgery, I was 24 weeks with my son also and I couldn't wait to meet him and hear his cries when he was born and hear his voice for the rest of my life. He is now two years old and he talks so much, to hear my son talking and laughing and exploring the world around him is truly a blessing.

I hope you all enjoyed reading my blogs, please feel free to share with your family and friends! Here is a picture of the cochlear implant, the same kind I have except the color I have is brown.