My Two Miracles
Jan's hearing started to deteriorate about 20 years ago. Since she is a bookkeeper she relies on correctly hearing numbers people say. When she found she was mishearing these she knew she had to do something about her hearing. This is her story.
Jan Kelly September 2009
Download a copy of Jan's Story Brochure
I became aware of my hearing loss about 20 years ago. I was working in an office, and I mistook someone saying nine when it should have been a five. Since I am a professional bookkeeper mishearing numbers is very detrimental. I had no alternative other than to start wearing hearing aids. These became bigger, more powerful and more expensive over the years.
While hearing aids helped me in one-on-one conversation, my problem was hearing over the telephone. However, I developed a rather clumsy and time consuming method of getting phone messages which stood me in good stead. I would let the answering machine take the call. Then when the caller hung up, I would replay the message over and over until I understood it.
As my hearing became worse I got confused in conversations many times. The most common response people gave me when I said I hadn't heard was 'It doesn't matter.' This frustrated me - it didn't matter to them but it certainly mattered to me. By now my hearing loss was so severe it caused me to withdraw from Clubs and social participation.
To watch television I used Teletext (captions) and headphones and I never listened to the radio because of the volume I required.
My desire to work lead me to purchase a Franchise with the understanding the franchisor would obtain the work and I would carry it out. Imagine my distress when I found that most leads came in by telephone to ME. Eventually I got around this and with the aid of the Franchisor, as well as my friends, I went onto the internet to get my leads and my business owner journey began.
My audiologist said it would sound like Donald Duck!
Six years ago I asked my audiologist about a Cochlear implant and was informed any hearing I received would sound like Donald Duck and I would have to learn a new language. (Thankfully, this proved to be incorrect.)
My first Implant MIRACLE took place in August 2007. Rehabilitation was easier then I expected and it wasn't long before I was hearing better than I could remember for a long time. Only people who know what it means to hear without the concentration required after so long will understand the delight in the life changes I experienced.
In September 2008 my bilateral implant MIRACLE took place and immediately my life became more relaxed. Rehabilitation was much faster this time, because I knew what was required, and I had such elation when I could hear music.
Were the operations painful? No, I was uncomfortable for a week until the dressings were removed. Do I still have trouble understanding speech or watching TV, hearing on the phone and background noise? Yes, sometimes but this is small compared to not hearing at all and I am so grateful for what I am able to hear now.