Connect with a mentor

Nucleus® 7 System & ReSound Hearing Aid, Bimodal | Usher’s Syndrome

As a visually challenged individual, I made the right decision to receive a Cochlear™ Implant.

A quick summary about David K.

• I’m a visually challenged individual.
• I no longer shy away from social engagements or meetings.
• I enjoy sharing my experience with others, giving back and encouraging them.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I had worn bilateral hearing aids for many years and thought I was hearing well. My son, an otolaryngologist who implants Cochlear Baha® devices, noticed I was favoring my right ear and encouraged me to get tested. I made an appointment with an otologist to be evaluated. She told me I was a candidate for a cochlear implant and should consider having the procedure. I had several concerns, but after discussing the situation with my family I decided to go ahead. I had the procedure in 2016 and received a Nucleus 6 Sound Processor. I upgraded to the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor in 2021. My family and friends noticed that my hearing improved dramatically.

With my Cochlear Implant, I now enjoy listening to music, TV, radio, and nature. I’m able to actively participate in everyday, business and social situations. I don’t regret for a second getting a Cochlear Implant, especially since I’m visually challenged.
My advice to those considering a cochlear implant or those who have just received one, is to keep in mind that better hearing doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and effort to “train the brain” to interpret the sounds it receives from the cochlear implant. My wife, Judy, who has been an integral part of my hearing journey, and I are experienced and knowledgeable volunteers and can answer most of your non-medical questions. We can provide additional support to your loved ones and you as you are beginning or are in your hearing journey.

Kanso® 2 Sound Processor – Bilateral

I’m involved in the hearing loss community as a Cochlear Volunteer and a 2020 Community Hear-O Award recipient winner.

A quick summary about Kristin P

• I Lost hearing from my mother who had German measles in her first trimester of pregnancy
• I enjoy being around people and engaging in other people’s stories
• I enjoy watching movies and travel

Tell us a bit about yourself

My mother contracted Rubella-German Measles during her first trimester of pregnancy which resulted in me being deaf. When I was 2, my parents noticed I was not responding to sound, so I went to the doctor where they discovered I had severe to profound hearing loss. I couldn’t hear without hearing aids. At the age of 52, my hearing was declining and I wasn’t hearing people very well. I also have middle ear disease and developed many episodes of Vertigo/Tinnitus and it was so terrible I couldn’t do daily activities. I went to the doctor and they suggested I get a cochlear implant. I was reluctant so they gave me brochures to read at home and I also did some research on my own.

I had my first surgery in 2017 and the second side in 2018. Since I had worn hearing aids all my life, I decided to get something different. I like the Kanso 2 sound processor because it is not worn on the ear, like the hearing aids.

I’m so glad I had the implants done on both sides! My friends, parents, siblings, in-laws and children commented I hear so much better than before. That makes me smile!

I’m involved in the hearing loss community as a Cochlear Volunteer and a 2020 Community Hear-O Award recipient winner.

I’m so excited to help other people and share with them how getting a Cochlear Implant can be life changing. I’m forever thankful for Cochlear Americas and their innovations.

Baha® 5 Sound Processor – Bimodal

My Baha has made a complete difference in my life, especially safety-wise since I am a first responder.

A quick summary about Konstance G

• As a first responder, I feel much safer with my Baha
• I have way more confidence when I communicate with people
• Having 10+ years of experience, I can offer you guidance

Tell us a bit about yourself

My Baha has made a complete difference in my life, especially safety-wise since I am a first responder. I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for my Baha. I’ve had it since 2012 and it has made a tremendous impact on my everyday life. Now, I have way more confidence when I communicate with people. I no longer have to sit in the front of the class to hear the instructor. I can hear when someone is walking or talking behind me without having to turn around. I am finally able to use a stethoscope that is compatible with my Baha. The list goes on…

As your mentor, I can offer you guidance. I know that hearing loss can affect a person’s mental health and some people may feel isolated if you don’t think anyone can relate to you. My Baha has been a part of me for over 10 years and it has done nothing but wonderful things in my life. Cochlear continues to thrive which benefits me now and will for many years to come!

Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor – Bilateral

I am very blessed to be bilaterally implanted. I love being able to hear waterfalls.

A quick summary about Patricia W

• It was 14 years between my first implant and the second
• I love being able to hear waterfalls

Tell us a bit about yourself

I am very blessed to be bilaterally implanted. It was 14 years between receiving my first implant and the second. I know I am one of the lucky ones and enjoy volunteering to pay it forward and help others as they go on their own personal hearing journey.
In my spare time, I enjoy photography and searching for waterfalls. It is a beautiful thing to see and hear the water cascading over the falls or rippling over the rocks at the bottom.

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

Osia® 2 Sound Processor – Unilateral

I love to be outdoors, walking and hiking. I can hear so many subtle sounds now thanks to my Osia Sound Processor.

A quick summary about Jeannie G

• I avoided crowded situations until I got my Osia®* System
• Being a childcare provider, I can hear my kids now
• I love the outdoors

Tell us a bit about yourself

I was told at age 16 that my hearing in my right ear was gone. 40 years ago, there was nothing that would help with my combination of a nerve and conductive loss. I just accepted it as part of who I was. As I got older, I started avoiding crowded social situations because I would miss so much of what was being said. When Covid hit, masking took away my ability to read lips, making communication even more difficult. It was at that point I learned about the Osia system. I felt like this was something I needed to pursue. I was also very worried that after 40 years, the amount of sound I would be hearing could be a sensory overload.
I was implanted in July 2021, activated in August and have been smiling ever since. I love to be outdoors, walking and hiking. I can hear so many subtle sounds now thanks to my Osia Sound Processor. I work as a childcare provider; it has helped so much with hearing my kids during language development. Taking phone calls is something I can now do with ease.
As a mentor I can share my very positive experience with my Osia Sound Processor.

Check my story on the Hear & Now blog: https://hearandnow.cochlear.com/hearing-solutions/bone-conduction/partial-hearing-loss/

* The Cochlear Osia 2 Sound Processor with Aqua+ is dust and water resistant to the level of IP68 of the International Standard IEC60529 when used with LR44 alkaline or nickel metal hydride disposable batteries. This water protection rating means that the sound processor with the Aqua+ can be continuously submerged under water to a depth of up to 3 meters (9 feet and 9 inches) for up to 2 hours. Refer to the relevant User Guide for more information.

Kanso® 2 System – Bilateral

I’ve had Cochlear™ implants for thirty years, ten years bilateral. I love going to concerts and listening to music.

A quick summary about Margo K.

• My hearing challenges began when I was two years old after a car accident.
• I received my first Cochlear™ implant in 1989 and have enjoyed seven sound processor upgrades since then!
• When I began to hear again, my twelve-year-old son told me, ““Now I can tell you anything Mom”.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m Margo. My hearing challenges began when I was two years old after a car accident. I’d lost all hearing in my left ear and part of my hearing in my right ear. When I was 21 I received my first hearing aid for my right ear. At 25 a virus took what remained of my hearing. I was married with a one-year old son and suddenly my world became silent. It was traumatic. My biggest concern was whether I would be able to be a good mom to our son and wife to my husband.  Our family adapted and grew. Some of my biggest challenges were constant fatigue due to the effort it took to communicate. In 1989, I received my first Cochlear™ implant (CI).  My children were 5, 7, 9, and 12, and they became my teachers helping me learn to identify sounds. As I began to understand what was being said, my family and friends were very happy. I no longer struggled to communicate.  I remember my 12-year-old son telling me “Now I can tell you anything Mom”.

In 2008, I received a Cochlear implant in my other ear, which had lived in silence for 54 years. My world of sound became richer and more vibrant compared to having only one CI ear. I was thrilled as it meant the new CI ear had the potential to learn to hear. The hearing journey took a bit longer for my second ear and required more effort and perseverance but, it was well worth the effort.

The biggest pieces of advice I like to give people with hearing loss in those early months after getting their CIs are the P words. Patience, practice, perseverance and a positive attitude are key in getting the most out of your Cochlear implants.

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

Osia® 2 Sound Processor – Unilateral

It’s opened up a whole new world of sounds I had not heard before

A quick summary about Linda K

• My Osia sound processor opened a whole new world of sounds
• I lost my hearing from mumps
• The Osia sound processor has been such a blessing for me which is why I volunteer

Tell us a bit about yourself

I lost the hearing in my right ear from the mumps around age 6. Wearing hearing aids did not improve my hearing plus they gave me frequent infections. I learned about the Osia®^* system in August 2020 and after some research, I was implanted at the end of 2020.

It’s been a life changing experience in so many ways. It’s opened up a whole new world of sounds I had not heard before and to new hearing experiences with social interactions, sounds of nature, listening to music and TV watching without closed captioning.

Being a recipient of the Osia 2 sound processor has been such a blessing for me, that for this reason I have chosen to volunteer my time to those who need a little extra help in their hearing journey research by sharing my experience.

* The Cochlear Osia 2 Sound Processor with Aqua+ is dust and water resistant to the level of IP68 of the International Standard IEC60529 when used with LR44 alkaline or nickel metal hydride disposable batteries. This water protection rating means that the sound processor with the Aqua+ can be continuously submerged under water to a depth of up to 3 meters (9 feet and 9 inches) for up to 2 hours. Refer to the relevant User Guide for more information.

Nucleus® 7 Systems – Bimodal

I’m retired and I love that I can hear my grandchildren and that it’s easy to converse with family and friends.

A quick summary about Marty G.

• I was in my mid thirties when I learned I had a mild hearing loss in both ears.
• In 2011, I lost all hearing in my right ear.
• I enjoy walking on trails and attending Classic Fit classes.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I was in my mid thirties when I learned I had a mild hearing loss in both ears. It was recommended that I wear hearing aids. With time, my hearing loss progressed in both ears. Then, in 2011, I lost all hearing in my right ear suddenly as I was preparing to return to work as a high school librarian. It was vital that I be able to communicate and understand fellow teachers, students, and, of course, my family. I saw more than one ENT as I researched solutions for my hearing loss. A cochlear implant was recommended by one of the ENTs. I received my first Cochlear™ implant in 2012 and the second one more recently. When my sound processor was activated, I could hear at that very first appointment with my audiologist but was somewhat overwhelmed when I went home and heard lots of good sounds but also very loud annoying sounds. I knew from that first day, that I would focus on hearing again and I became my own cheerleader. Within 3 months I was hearing so much better that my book club friends and family commented on it.

My top tips for new recipients are to keep a journal right after activation, noting new enjoyable sounds but also recording any issues or questions you might have. Prioritize your questions or concerns before your next appointment with your audiologist. I emphasize the 3 P’s, Patience, Practice, and Persistence as good strategies to make the most out of your hearing.

Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor, Nucleus 6 Sound Processor, Auditory Brainstem Implant

I am one of just a few people in the United States that has an auditory brainstem implant.

A quick summary about Jess T.

• I can now hear my kids and participate in many activities
• I am one of just a few who has an auditory brainstem implant
• Life SOUNDS good

Tell us a bit about yourself

In 2009, I was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis, benign tumors also commonly known as acoustic neuromas. Over the last 13 years, I have been through many medical obstacles including deafness. I am one of just a few people in the United States that has an auditory brainstem implant (ABI), which directly stimulates the hearing pathways in the brainstem, bypassing the inner ear and hearing nerve. I also have a cochlear implant.

I was implanted in 2016 after being deaf for 8 years. Using my Cochlear Implant and ABI, I can now hear my kids, serve in my church children’s ministry, run the local youth football league, and participate in many activities I once was left out of. Life SOUNDS good.

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

Baha® 5 SuperPower & Baha® 5 Power Systems – Connect, Bilateral

I enjoy traveling and being a Special Needs Daycare Teacher. The Baha® System brought me out of my shell.

A quick summary about Amanda D.

• I had hearing aids in both ears by the time I was 8 years old.
• I received my first Cochlear™ Baha® System in 2013.
• I’m able to hear the children that I work with as a Special Needs Daycare teacher.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I wore hearing aids from the time I was 8 years old until I was in college. When I got my first hearing aid, I remember sitting in the hospital waiting area and telling my mom that I can hear the phone ringing and the elevator, it seemed like it was too much, and I wanted it out of my ear. Eventually I got used to my hearing aid and got a second one on my other ear. I was in college when my left ear stopped benefiting from hearing aids. I received my first Baha® in 2013 and my second in 2017 on the other ear.

Life with my Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processors is wonderful. I love traveling to see my friends. I love going to the Cochlear Celebration to meet up and visit with my Cochlear family. My Baha System helps me carry out my duties as a Special Needs Daycare Teacher, because I’m able to hear the children that I work with and, more often than not, I can hear them the first time without having them repeat themselves. The Baha System brought me out of my shell.

I love mentoring people that need more information about the Baha System. My advice to them is, “don’t wait to get it!”

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor – Bimodal

I had my implant at age 78. I am so happy with my cochlear implant.

A quick summary about Woody

• I had my implant at age 78
• After a family vacation I decided I needed more than hearing aids to hear my best
• I am so happy with my cochlear implant

Tell us a bit about yourself

I was born with normal hearing. Unfortunately, about 35 years ago when I was in my 40s, I had a traumatic experience, nothing physical but slowly started to have hearing issues. I started wearing hearing aids at that time. My hearing continued to deteriorate. I went on what should have been a wonderful vacation. On a tour with guides describing what was happening, I was not able to use the device they gave to the others in the group because I could not attach them to my hearing aids. Instead, I ran along with the guide trying to get close enough to hear. When we had meals, I was very quiet and did not talk much even though I would have liked to participate, but I was fearful of repeating what had been said by others. I realized when I got home that I missed much of the social and informative conversations that would have made it even more enjoyable. Mostly, because of the unhappiness on the trip, I decided to revisit my options with an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT), who explained that my hearing aids were ‘top of the line’ and working but no longer enough for me and I should consider getting a cochlear implant. I attended a Cochlear support meeting* and last year, at 78, I decided to have the surgery. I am bimodal (I have an implant on one side and wear a hearing aid on the other side). I am so happy with the result of my cochlear implant that I want to help others attain what I now have.

*To find a meeting or event near you, please visit: https://www.cochlear.com/us/en/home/ongoing-care-and-support/connect-with-us/events

Nucleus® Kanso™ 2 Sound Processors – Bilateral | Rapid decline in hearing loss

I am outgoing and an advocate for anyone who thinks their hearing loss is holding them back from living a full life.

A quick summary about Deb A.

• I wore hearing aids in my 40’s. They made sounds louder but not clearer.
• I have bilateral cochlear implants. My first surgery was in 2009 and the second in 2014.
• I can talk on the phone at my job again.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up with normal hearing, but in my 30’s I started to notice I could hear better out of one ear than the other. I got my hearing checked and sure enough, I was told I had mild hearing loss in one ear. In my 40s I was fitted for hearing aids, which helped for a while. However, I experienced a fairly rapid decline to the point where hearing aids no longer worked for me. They made sounds louder, but not clearer. It got to the point that I really could not understand speech very well and I was missing most environmental sounds. I worked in a call center at the time and was devastated at the thought that I might lose my job, but my leadership was very understanding and kept me busy with non-phone related work.

I was missing out on a lot of conversations. I am a naturally outgoing person, but I found myself becoming more isolated as time went on.

In June of 2009, I had cochlear implant surgery on my right ear. It really was like a miracle. My audiologist encouraged me to start using the phone again soon after I was implanted. With some practice I started taking calls at work once more. A few years later I had the same surgery on my left ear and now I was hearing in stereo like I did years ago! At that point I was unstoppable.

Has it been easy? Not always. I still miss words or sentences here and there, but most of the time I do just fine. I have been a Cochlear Volunteer for several years now. I work with others with hearing loss who are looking for options. I share my story, answer questions, share resources and listen.

Feel free to ask me about my ears!

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor

Nucleus® 7 Hybrid™ Implant System* & ReSound Hearing Aid – Bimodal

I enjoy sharing my experience with others in support of their hearing journeys.

A quick summary about Susan H.

• My hearing loss began after a severe viral infection.
• I struggled to hear women’s and children’s voices and later men’s voices as well.
• Now, I can hear my daughter clearly, freely talk on the phone, and pursue work projects again.

My hearing journey began after I experienced a severe viral infection. I remember not being able to hear the phone ring and realizing something was wrong.  Shortly after, I got hearing aids and went on with my life. I didn’t realize my hearing loss would be progressive, dropping unpredictably through the next years until hearing aids were no longer effective. I struggled with my career and hearing my daughter, as well as most women’s and children’s voices. Men’s voices came next and I couldn’t function professionally. I was losing my career and my relationships were suffering, I was devastated. I learned about the Hybrid™ implant system through a friend, went in for an assessment and sometime later I scheduled the procedure. My sister shed tears of joy at my activation, and my family was thrilled. Although it took time, I could communicate with them again, and life got a lot more pleasant for all of us! I felt like I’d been given my life back.

I found a mentor early on in my hearing journey. She was tremendously helpful, and we remain friends today. I mentor others because this is a difficult journey and I don’t want anyone to go through it alone.  My advice to others considering this type of hearing solution: Reach out, don’t try to go it alone. The fears and concerns you’re having are likely the same as we all had!

I’m also available to connect on Cochlear Americas – Connect with a Mentor Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CochlearConnectwithaMentor