Cruise booked: Lost residual hearing. Should I go?

Hang in there. My father (long since deceased)went blind and my opthalmologist has told me I have the same progressive problem. However, he has reassured me that I will never go blind because of the advances in medical treatment and technology. The advances in all aspects of medicine are phenominal! A solution for you may come in the near future that no one has considered today. Thank God for all the blessings you have now, and enjoy your trip to Italy!

Please keep us all posted.

Also, have you looked into becoming a candidate for a cochlear implant? That is completely different than a hearing aid. Definitely ask your doctor.

You might want to read the rest of the thread :)

Hang in there. My father (long since deceased)went blind and my opthalmologist has told me I have the same progressive problem. However, he has reassured me that I will never go blind because of the advances in medical treatment and technology. The advances in all aspects of medicine are phenominal! A solution for you may come in the near future that no one has considered today. Thank God for all the blessings you have now, and enjoy your trip to Italy!

Please keep us all posted.

Thank you, and yes I agree to focus on the blessings I have rather than what I don't have. Negativity will only block myself from moving forward.

The technology today is awe inspiring. The last few days i've been reading so many first hand stories of people who lost their hearing, got the Cochlear Implant, and they're talking on the phone, listening to music on their i pods, having conversations with people in restaurants...things I haven't done in well over a decade. So i'm definitely without a doubt going to get one.

I have to wait about a year to pay down my credit in order to pay for Medicare Part B which will cover the cost. The cruise will stay booked, but looking at the timeline, i'll most likely have to push it out another year to accommodate.

So i'll likely have a 2020 sailing after everything with this settles, but that's ok because I could probably be listening to music by then which will make the trip all the more enjoyable and even a celebration. Options are there that weren't years ago and it's incredible. Good luck with your eyesight. I'm glad the technology is there to help you too. It just boggles the mind what they can do today.

cfr70 - I lost my hearing in the blink of an eye, for no reason that medical science can find, on September 20, 2012 at 6:20 AM. *POOF* I was deaf. I went from Hero to Zero in an instant! I was 49 years old. I learned about cochlear implants that very day and was implanted in my left ear 3 months later, the right ear 4 months after that. I would not hesitate for a moment to get them again. I am glad that your audiologist has recommended this for you.

Like you, I was fearful that it would not work. I was never involved in the Deaf community, so even if I were to learn sign language, who would I communicate with? I knew no deaf people at that time in my life. The good news is that both of my CIs work beautifully and I got back into the hearing world in short order. You can do this!

I would recommend finding the best surgeon possible. Then you have to make your choice of Cochlear America, MedEl or Advanced Bionics brand CIs. Do your homework. It is a very hard decision because all three brands have good things going for them.

Being suddenly deafened and completely without hearing for 3 months seemed like an eternity to me. Once you are implanted and activated, your world will go from black & white to Technicolor! :D

cfr70 - I lost my hearing in the blink of an eye, for no reason that medical science can find, on September 20, 2012 at 6:20 AM. *POOF* I was deaf. I went from Hero to Zero in an instant! I was 49 years old. I learned about cochlear implants that very day and was implanted in my left ear 3 months later, the right ear 4 months after that. I would not hesitate for a moment to get them again. I am glad that your audiologist has recommended this for you.

 

Like you, I was fearful that it would not work. I was never involved in the Deaf community, so even if I were to learn sign language, who would I communicate with? I knew no deaf people at that time in my life. The good news is that both of my CIs work beautifully and I got back into the hearing world in short order. You can do this!

 

I would recommend finding the best surgeon possible. Then you have to make your choice of Cochlear America, MedEl or Advanced Bionics brand CIs. Do your homework. It is a very hard decision because all three brands have good things going for them.

 

Being suddenly deafened and completely without hearing for 3 months seemed like an eternity to me. Once you are implanted and activated, your world will go from black & white to Technicolor! :D

Thanks Taters. The last few days have been overwhelming to say the least. I've had the "pit" in my stomach non stop that won't go away. It's very scary and i've been reading up on the CI's.

It's funny because I went deaf in 2005, but my real strong BTE aid gave me basic sounds that gave me the illusion I was still hearing. I couldn't understand people, haven't for 13 years, but as long as that aid gave me the sound of running water, footsteps, microwave beeping, I still felt "hearing", even though I was far from it.

Now, it's total silence and that's a whole new ball game. Uh uh. Don't want to do it, and I too don't see the point of learning sign language because i'm not part of the Deaf world and at my age, (48) i'm not going to try and ingratiate myself into that world where everyone is long established. The hearing world is mine and always will be.

I've been connected with Advanced Bionics and have chatted with some CI users on their Community Board and it seems i'm going for this one. Users rave about it and talk how they listen to music on their i pods, talk on their phones, use Facetime, all the things I would love to do again after 13 years.

It's going to be a while though since I have to sign up for Medicare Part B and that wouldn't even activate until July. And then it's still another month before I can start the CI process....so it will be months or probably most of this year in total silence. Scary! How did you get through it yourself?

The days are ok because i'm going about my daily routines and being outside helps, but the nights are hard. I know I need to do the CI no matter what. NO offense to Deaf people, but I just can't live in total silence. I need noise distractions, even if I can't understand speech...just to have noises back would be a Godsend!

Sorry this is so long, but your situation seems to almost mirror mine...I had good hearing up till age 35 and boom, just like that....docs had no reason they could find....said "You're now deaf. Learn to live with it." :eek:

Thanks Taters. The last few days have been overwhelming to say the least. I've had the "pit" in my stomach non stop that won't go away. It's very scary and i've been reading up on the CI's.

It's funny because I went deaf in 2005, but my real strong BTE aid gave me basic sounds that gave me the illusion I was still hearing. I couldn't understand people, haven't for 13 years, but as long as that aid gave me the sound of running water, footsteps, microwave beeping, I still felt "hearing", even though I was far from it.

 

Now, it's total silence and that's a whole new ball game. Uh uh. Don't want to do it, and I too don't see the point of learning sign language because i'm not part of the Deaf world and at my age, (48) i'm not going to try and ingratiate myself into that world where everyone is long established. The hearing world is mine and always will be.

 

I've been connected with Advanced Bionics and have chatted with some CI users on their Community Board and it seems i'm going for this one. Users rave about it and talk how they listen to music on their i pods, talk on their phones, use Facetime, all the things I would love to do again after 13 years.

 

It's going to be a while though since I have to sign up for Medicare Part B and that wouldn't even activate until July. And then it's still another month before I can start the CI process....so it will be months or probably most of this year in total silence. Scary! How did you get through it yourself?

 

The days are ok because i'm going about my daily routines and being outside helps, but the nights are hard. I know I need to do the CI no matter what. NO offense to Deaf people, but I just can't live in total silence. I need noise distractions, even if I can't understand speech...just to have noises back would be a Godsend!

 

Sorry this is so long, but your situation seems to almost mirror mine...I had good hearing up till age 35 and boom, just like that....docs had no reason they could find....said "You're now deaf. Learn to live with it." :eek:

crf70: Email me! :D I know you have a thousand questions, just like I did. Even though I'm 5 years in with the CIs, I am still learning about deafness and being deaf and living with bionic hearing. I am happy to help in any way I can. My email address is anne dot hawman @ alaska dot gov . Put Cruise Critic in the subject line, please. I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanksto all the information and support from my local and the national Hearing Loss Assoc I finally, after15 yrs of thinking about it, did get a CI and I am so pleased I did because thesound is so much stronger.

Andat one time the Assistive Listening Devices (the mini mike, phone clip. etc) onlytransmitted to the Ci but now the ALD’s transmit to both the CI and the hearingaid which is an invaluable additional sound enhancement. The ALD’s don’t work as well with everyone, inevery situation, you might not be able hear some (many) of the comedy orinteraction shows and maybe not all of the people at your dining room table butit’s a 1000% improvement over just using a hearing and you should definitely gofor it and by all means go for the trip. You will never know what you are missing if you don’t go.

Mustadd that the surgery was so easy and the next day care non-existent.

Please consider calling an audiologist and getting an evaluation for a cochlear implant! On our last cruise I saw a woman (she was about 60 maybe) with 2 cochlear implants. She was enjoying activities, conversing in the dining room, having a great time! Insurance will probably cover it and it will open many doors for you. Just consider it, have the evaluation. You can always choose not to do it! But it can be life changing. Of course you should go either way- ask what services they have for the hearing impaired- bed shakers for alarms, TTY or caption call for phone, interpreter services, etc. Being dead doesn’t mean the end of your enjoyment of these activities!!!! Good luck!

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I've already requested an information packet from a CI company and am visiting a second audiologist on Friday for a complete hearing test and evaluation and to also completely check my current hearing aid if it's in need of repair. I'll even try on stronger hearing aids they have to see if it'll help me any.

The audiologist I visited last week did neither! She sat with me for 10 minutes and said here's the name of a woman who works for a CI company. I even asked to be given a hearing test in the booth that was right there, and she said no. I don't argue so I took the name she gave me and left.

But after I got home, I was astounded she wouldn't even give me a hearing test to ensure how much hearing I lost, or if the current hearing aid was damaged. It just seems so....incompetent!! It made me wonder afterwards if she was just a shill for that particular CI company.

The whole purpose of an audiologist is to test your hearing! I even asked if I could try on a stronger hearing aid and she said "we have none here". No hearing aids in an audiologists office? REALLY?!

The good thing is that she put the idea of a CI into my head and I do want it. The story above of the 60 year old woman on the cruise with one made me happy. I'm 48 and it may be a few years until I can financially do it myself.

So if I wind up doing it during my 50's, it's great to know it helps older folks too. As for the cruise, it's been a week of this sinking in and i've had time to deal and no way in hell am I cancelling that cruise LOL.

It's not until November of 2019 so by then i'll have long past dealt with all this. Last week was just so much of a shock and everything was so overwhelming. But the cruise is definitely on and i'm still going!!

This board has been absolutely wonderful with so much kind thoughts, advice and well wishes and it most certainly had an effect in keeping my spirits up!! It's been a week now and i'm still breathing and living and going on. Life tends to do that no matter what.

So i'm going to continue doing the things that I enjoy. The most, which is traveling and cruising! The CI will come, but will most likely be a few years down the road. That's ok...i'll still be here. :)

Just an update if anyone is interested....I went to a 2nd audiologist today and he checked my hearing aid and said with 100% certainty that it's shot and in need of repair. He put me in the booth for a hearing test and the residual hearing is still there!!

Granted it's at 110db before I hear anything. He had the volume cranked up to absolute max, but I heard taps on the keyboard, pens clacking in the cup, knocks on the desk. Voices are still without clarity and incomprehensible, but who cares?

As long as I can get the taps and knocks and residual sounds around me, it's enough. He said the hearing aid will be good as new and just like before and i'm a pig in mud at the moment lol. Only I have to be in complete silence for the next 5 days without it while it gets repaired. I can deal with that.

Cruise is definitely on and I can go back to planning it now without all the worrying of the last 10 days. After this, I need a vacation! :)

Always great to read good news.

Great news to hear.

Don't be so sure you will need to pay for the CI, there are programs that can assist and perhaps even through the company that builds them.

I am sure your audiologist (the one that cares) can assist if ever you need to go that route.

Enjoy the planning of the cruise and before you know it you will be on the ship having a grand time.

Great news! Happy cruise planning