Monday, February 4, 2008

I'm Getting a Cochlear Implant

Over the past several months I've been exploring a new way to deal with my diminishing hearing. My audiologist at Pacific Hearing suggested I investigate cochlear implants, and the good folks at Kaiser Permanente have agreed to foot the bill. I am going in for surgery on the 12th of February, 2008, and my activation will take place on March 4th.

I am not taking this step lightly; I have been studying papers and reading books on this technology now for a long time, and I am absolutely blown away. While not everyone does well, enough people obtain such amazing results that this particular device has to be categorized without hesitation as a miracle.

I have always been fiercely independent, doing things my way, always figuring things out on my own (for better and for worse). The fact that Kaiser is purchasing this incredibly expensive device for me, and committing the professional resources for the surgery and all the follow-up care---just blows me away. These people are absolutely miracle workers.

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