I am just fine! I am me again!
Vivien's doctors don't know why she suddenly lost her hearing in 2003. A Cochlear Implant gave her back her life. This is her story.
"Until 4 years ago I had stock standard, run of the mill hearing. As I should. I was born with it.
"But leading up to Christmas 2002 I found I was having trouble hearing in my left ear so I went to the Medical Centre to have it syringed. At this appointment I was told there was no blockage; it was fine and off I went on my merry way.
"In February 2003 I woke with severe vertigo and vomiting as well as worse hearing. I had three weekends in a row like this and my doctor advised I have a CT scan. This revealed nothing so I was referred to an ENT specialist for further investigation. I had more tests, including an MRI, but everything was normal except my hearing. This had dropped to only 40% in both ears. And so began the trial and purchase of hearing aids.
"I was determined nothing would change so my life continued on as normal. My boss asked me if I was scared and my response was "No. Why?" As far as I was concerned I had lost some of my hearing, there was nothing I could do about it, but hearing aids helped so I was fine!
"By November 2003, the sound I was hearing took on a tinny quality. Unaware of what was happening I waiting until my weekly visit with my audiologist before having it checked out. I mentioned it to her and a test showed the hearing in my right ear had gone completely. This shocked me. My specialist prescribed the "prednisone run" again to try to save the remnant of hearing in my left ear. At this stage my audiologist recommended I return my two "in ear" aids and they would swap it for one "behind the ear" model. I could use this until I had no hearing left.
"From here life seemed a bit of a whirlwind. My GP saw me immediately, my husband was my support and that afternoon we organised a visit to SHHH. I arrived in tears but Donna and Gordon were marvellous giving me much encouragement. My husband and GP organised intensive lip reading classes for me at Macquarie University and Better Hearing Australia. I attended the lip reading course for two months and developed good skills and I cannot express enough gratitude to the wonderful people who helped me through this difficult time.
"But life had changed.
It was quiet but I was not alone.
"My husband and children were so strong. They tried to include me in their conversations, remembering to speak "big". My friends were just amazing; there for me, emailing and sending me text messages. It seemed as though the whole world had gone "dumb". I could speak and in my mind I could hear my voice and sometimes, with my family because I knew their voices so well, I would swear I could hear when they spoke to me.
"My husband had been busy on the phone, making arrangements for a TTY phone, captioned TV…. And of course an appointment with Professor Gibson, the leading Cochlear Implant surgeon in Sydney. But that was three weeks away.
Where did I belong?
"I began to focus on my future. I was confronted by my own identity. Where did I belong? I had convinced myself I would not be suitable for an implant and set things in motion for living the rest of my life deaf.
"It was very hard concentrating on lip-reading for communication and I was always tired. One of my close friends looked into getting me a TTY phone for work, but my boss no longer spoke to me - I think he was frightened and embarrassed because he did not know how to communicate with me. At work I relied heavily on technology; enquiries were emailed to me and I could respond. I attended an open night at Kogarah TAFE to learn Auslan - life would go on.
"Finally the day came for my appointment with Professor Gibson and it was amazing. The hearing tests gave me no encouragement. However, when the Professor's 'crew' inserted the test electrodes into my ear I could hear the sound. I could tell when they changed. I cried, my husband cried and I had hope that maybe I could hear again.
"My implant surgery was organised for December 2004, however as I had no residual hearing I was fast tracked for October. I could hardly wait - how could I last? By now tinnitus had set in and these noises in my head were like a motor constantly running. But in mid-July 2004, my mobile phone vibrated. I passed it to a workmate and she began writing 'Professor Gibson'. I knew it was important… 'July 19', she wrote. I could have the operation on the following Monday!
"We had been through so much, my family and I, that when my processor was actually switched on and I found I was able to hear again - it was just the greatest thing. Within five to 10 minutes I could understand, recognise and speak with my husband and sister and I could recognise the voice of Eleanor my audiologist. After some tests to check all was well and to test the level of my hearing, Eleanor was surprised. I was understanding at the level of most implantees at approximately three months post implant.
I am me again.
"From here my life has gone on. Within a month I was using the phone again, my mobile as well. At work I use the phone. I watch TV without captions, I listen to the ABC drive show each afternoon while I drive home from work. I am me again.
"The songs which I kept in my mind to boost my spirits continue - Yes - "I am woman, I can do anything, I am strong, I am invincible" now, "I'm so very lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky".
"Just saying "thank you" to Cochlear does not say enough!"