I just thought I'd start a post about this. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to come back and take you on a little journey with me back to the world of sound.

On June 8th I'm going to get some tests done to see about getting a Cochlear Implant. I looked into it years ago when it first came out but at the time they said that although it could give me the ability to hear some sounds. It couldn't, at that time, give me the ability to hear in the pitch that most speech is in. So basically there was no point in getting one if I couldn't hear peoples voices. But the technology has made a lot of improvements since then so I'm looking into it now.

I've always been hard of hearing but when I was younger I could hear well enough to get by with hearing aids. I went to normal public schools and all that. But it slowly decreased and I've been deaf for almost 20 years now (I'm 38 now). Right now I have no hearing in my right ear and very little in my left. If I was in a room with a live band I could hear the drums and sometimes a hum from the bass. It has to be very loud and low pitch for me to be able to hear it.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up until I find out if I am indeed eligible to get it. But the thought of being able to hear again is both exciting and a little scary. I'm sure it'll be a pretty emotional thing when I get this senses overload. I'm really not looking forward to hearing my own speech for I know that it's slurs some. I'm easily understood when I talk but sometimes they tell me it slurs more then others. I'm sure I'll spend a lot of time freaking out and the smallest sounds. I remember when I was a kid and I got my first set of hearing aids I freaked out when I found out it makes sound when you pee in the toilet. LOL

Anyway, I'm excited and a bit scared and just flt like sharing. If any of you have experience with this implant. Or just have any advice, suggestions or thoughts I'd love to hear them (maybe literally someday).

I'll come back and let you know how it goes. If I do get it I plan to document it. I'm a professional magicians so I'm thinking about calling it "The magic of sound" and post it on line somewhere.

Thanks for listening.

Good to look into.

I requested a doc about that a while ago. Have you seen it? if no it is supposed to be good. http://ipb.quicksilverscreen.com/index.php?showtopic=125323 It is supposed to be a good discussion about it.

great news hope it works out for you

Good luck matey.

Hope it all goes well for you Magicjax!

i hope this works out for you as advertised. i (and im sure all of us) are pulling for you. good luck.

Well I really hope you are eligible! And I'm sure that they will continue to make improvements on cochlear implants, or perhaps find something even better. Science and technology are wonderful things. There may even come a day, soon, where you actually hear even better than most people.

This kind of thing always excites me, because it's one step closer to humans and machines merging. I seriously think it may happen one day. We'll all be cyborgs. It seems to be a logical next step.

But anyway...Good luck to you!

Good luck

That's awesome MJ... I hope that works out for you... Keep us updated on how that goes!!!

this made me happy.
i love happy stories. imma be thinking about you and your implant. and i really hope youre eligable for it.
i wish you tons of luck bud.
and i hope everything works out just fine

Good luck.

Good luck! I hope it works well for you.
Technology is rapidly advancing in the area of restoring and improving hearing, so there is good reason to be hopeful.

freakin' sweet!!!
man, emotional. best of luck mate =)

I hope this works out for you... we've all got our fingers crossed.

were all hoping for you

That! was the best topic/post, I have read since I got here!!!

You shared....communicated! sooooo well, concept, reasoning, memories, emotions, experience!!!!!

Thank you so much, for sharing that with us!

Im so looking forward.....to reading how things progress.

I am deeply moved on certain levels.......and wish you all the very best.......the very best.

Til an update......

Take care,

Dee

Thats awesome I hope it goes through

hope it works out for you mate... we have several deaf users and i am sure they would be interested in your experience...

Good luck Magicjax!

good luck!

i had loads of issues with hearing as a kid (had 6 operations) my hearing is about 80 percent of what it should be and i remember getting some weird tech things fitted on my ear for a while after i had some ops.

The only thing that got me through those ops was 27 year old nurse who should have been a model...

good luck

That's wonderful! I wish you the best of luck!

I want to see that movie too. Let me know if someone finds it. I looked around and so far no luck. I keep getting some movie about Mohamed Ali of the same title though.

I'll let you know if i find it, i'm still looking also.

Of course you are all grown up so to say so you can weigh the pro's and con's and make a balanced decision. I am pretty curious how you feel about the subject of getting heavy surgery done on kids because the parents want to make them "whole" or "better"? I know you can only speak for yourself, so your perceptions would be unique, i think in more ways then one.

If you get the chance to do it, i would like to read your experiences. That peeing made sound freaked you out had me laughing for a long time
I'm sure there will be lots more of those, like a sense o.d. or a creepy silence. You could write a book. Or better yet, a movie script.

Good luck to you Magic. I wish you the best, you are in my prayers hon

This is truly great news! With the advances that science is making it won't be long before they will be able to use stem cells to regrow things like the cochlear and other parts of the inner ear. And as Trebek said, maybe even better than human hearing is on the horizon. I hope you are eligible for this and hope that it brings you back to the world of sound.

Best wishes mate.

...thats truly wonderfull MJ,i hope you are eligible and that it works out just fine,thanks for sharing and do keep us posted...

...good luck...

I will keep you in my prayers, homie, and the best of luck to you.

i can't even begin to imagine... i hope it works out for you, Magicjax.

Thanks so much everyone.

Well, tomorrow is the big day. I get tested tomorrow morning and from the test I'll find out if I'll be able to get this done and hear again.

Wish me luck.

Good luck. *crosses fingers

good luck mate

so hope it goes well for you,,,,good look,,,ill say a payer,,,for yea,,,kisses,,

Good luck

So what's the verdict, Magic?

don't think you can,
know you can =)
good luck mate!

Sorry I didn't come back and tell you what happened sooner.

I go back this coming Tuesday to find out. So Tuesday is the day I'll get a "Yes" or "no". Just 2 days away.

Thanks for all the support.

Good Luck! Hoping for the best.

think positive thoughts Magicjax... * wishes really hard for you*

GREAT NEWS!!!

I just got back from my appointment and it's official. I will be getting this implant!

Right now they are contacting the insurance and getting all that take care of. Then They'll send me mail to let me know when my surgery will be scheduled. It could be any time in the next few weeks.

After the Surgery it'll be about a month before I'm actually hooked up and switched on (Called Activation day). Once that's done it'll take some time and therapy for my brain to actually learn how to hear again. Each case is different. It's likely that at first I'll hear sounds and voices but not really be able to identify or understand them.

So I'm very excited.

Great News! thats fantastic!!!

AWESOME.



I'm really glad to hear that, and I really hope that it all goes well, and works great. I am excited for you!

Science and technology FTW.

Keep us posted.

Outstanding! Good for you! I hope all goes well!

fucking fantastic!
qss cyborg xD
keep us up to date yo, i wana hear about the learning to hear again.

Whoah, that's fantastic news MagicJax!!

Like everyone else here I too wish you all the best. Whilst I'm sure everything'll go swimmingly and you won't need them, I'm sending out good thoughts and positive vibes for ya man...

And I gotta echo Sm0key: keep us all up-to-date on your progress - like everyone else I'm real excited to hear about the positive effects it'll have for ya!

That's great news, hope it will be a success.

that's great news Magicjax, i'm happy for you!

thats great news,,,,hope all works out,,,kisses,,you are so brave,,,,its a big step,,,,kisses,,,,and i so wish you well,,,