The benefits of an implant
Harry's loss was first measured when he was in high school. But it wasn't until about 30 years later that his hearing loss really impacted on his life. This is his story.
Harry Kimble 2009
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I was 15 and undertaking a routine medical check at my school, Homebush Boys High, when my hearing loss was discovered and this was reported by the Department of Education to the Department of Health.
The following year, my parents were asked if I could undergo a new treatment that they were testing at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. So off I went to RPA to take part in the trials. First of all sticks with swabs containing cocaine were inserted into my nose. When this deadened my senses, tubes containing either radon or radium were then inserted in place of the cocaine. Radio-active treatments were all the rage at the time and it was thought the radio-activity would somehow make the eardrums and ear nerves work properly. Of course it did not work and I still don't know if it did me any harm.
My hearing loss stablised for many years
However, my hearing stablised and in 1960 I was accepted into the Navy. The only thing I noticed during my time there was in 1964 when I had my ears cleaned out because I did not seem to hear properly. After I left the Navy in 1965 there was a fast loss of hearing in my right ear. The only solution was a hearing aid and the doctor told me to get one for my right ear to balance my good left ear. As so many before me I did not wear my hearing aid all the time and it was not until 1966, when I met my future wife, Ronda, that I wore the aid continuously.
Gradually, over a period of the next 20 years, I lost all hearing in my left ear. Since I am left handed I held the phone to my right ear and could use my left hand to take messages, so was not particularly handicapped, was able to work normally as an accountant and played cricket and Rugby. After retiring I still managed with just a hearing aid in one ear and became a referee and administrator.
But the crunch came in July, 1999 when I lost all my hearing in my right ear overnight. I thought my hearing aid had broken but tests proved otherwise. I was sent to a hearing specialist who immediately put me onto a course of steroids. After two weeks these were not working so he told me to stop immediately and sent me to Professor Gibson for a Cochlear Implant evaluation.
At first Professor Gibson was loathe to put me into the implant program because he believed he could help me with a stapedectomy on my right ear. It worked to a certain degree and allowed me to once again hear with a hearing aid. He waited six months and then performed another stapedectomy, this time on my left ear. Again this was partially successful and I could hear reasonably well with an aid in each ear.
When my right ear went totally deaf I had a Cochlear Implant.
However, in 2006, the hearing in my right ear declined rapidly until I was completely deaf on that side. Professor Gibson could not understand it as his tests showed I heard better with my right ear than my left. After much deliberation and concern, he finally decided I should have a Cochlear Implant in my right ear so in April, 2008, he did the operation at RPA Hospital.
From the first switch-on I could hear sounds but not fully understand words. After many tests and mapping at Gladesville Hospital with Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre, I was able to pick-up and understand speech. I still wear the hearing aid in my left ear which is necessary so I can hear to a better degree. With the Cochlear alone, I probably hear about 30% and with the hearing aid alone, I hear about 30% also but with both, I have a hearing rate of around 85-90%. I still have lots of trouble hearing in noisy environments, such as clubs, hotels and restaurants.
This new hearing has allowed me to rejoin society. I have joined Probus, the Historical Society, a Camera Club, National Seniors and assist Cochlear in testing new systems.
It is for this reason, I have joined the Cochlear Awareness Network to pass on my story and let potential recipients know what benefits are in store for them when they get a Cochlear Implant.