We followed up with Fred, after previously connecting with him a few years ago. He wanted to share the new, exciting activities he is experiencing in retirement. He is taking advantage of the latest technology, with his Cochlear™ Nucleus® 8 Sound Processors.
Fred’s hearing loss started in high school, first in his left ear. At the time, he had never had a hearing test; he just learned to live with limited hearing in one ear. He also didn’t look into getting a hearing aid because he felt it would make him different and he really wanted to feel “normal.” Now, he wishes he had handled things differently. After using only his right ear to hear for 15 years, he suddenly lost all hearing in that ear too, describing it “like someone flipped a switch.” He used hearing aids for much of his young adult life until meeting with the Michigan Ear Institute in 2001 and receiving his first Cochlear™ Nucleus® Implant. Fred is honest that the process is unique to everyone and may not be easy, but after the initial adjustment and practice the results come.
The Power of Practice: Relearning to Hear
“To practice my hearing, I would call in to the Cochlear Telephone with Confidence and listen to the reading of the day. I bought an audio book and a real book of the same title. I would listen to the audio book while following along in the real book. Also using close captions with TV programs helped me too. I usually did an hour a day practicing listening.”
A few years later, Fred worked through insurance to obtain a cochlear implant for his second ear. “Now with 2 cochlear implants I felt that I gained a superpower.” For the first time, Fred was able to hear in stereo. With each upgrade and technological advance, Fred sees greater results in his hearing. This is especially true when he listens to his favorite classic rock music, using Bluetooth®1 capabilities.
The Nucleus 8 Sound Processor: A New Level of Confidence
With the latest upgrade Fred now has 2 Nucleus 8 Sound Processors. This is the first time that he’s had the same model in each ear. He not only appreciates the hearing benefits, but also the convenience of charging both batteries with one cable. “The N8 [Nucleus 8 Sound Processor] has given me more confidence to more fully engage with groups and in places that are very noisy. My family loves that I no longer say “What?!”
A Journey of Resilience and Technology
One of Fred’s greatest joys in his retirement is as a volunteer miniature train engineer for the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, Michigan. He helps museum guests, adults and children enjoy this ¼ mile track which parallels Shiawassee River Trail. The institute is also the home of a Pere Marquette 1225, the steam train used as inspiration for the Polar Express movie. This summer, Fred participated in the “Hands on the Throttle” program and was able to operate the 1225 for an hour. Having never been in the cab when the train was operating on full steam, Fred was concerned about the noise level and his ability to hear the instructions. By giving the Mini Microphone 2+ to the engineer to clip on his overalls, he could hear all directions clearly. “What an experience it was to make a 16-ton steam engine move. I now had major bragging rights.”
Are you interested in learning more about the latest technology with the Nucleus 8 Sound Processor? Find out more here.
To read Fred’s previous blog article, click here.
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