It actually works! In my last post I told you about my year-long process moving toward Cochlear Implant surgery on November 10, 2025. The surgery went well and then began a 3 week plus one day wait while everything healed inside and outside my head to the point the implant could be switched on. Switch-on was Tuesday, December 2, 2025 at 4:00 PM.
I was more stressed and nervous about the switch-on than I was over the surgery stuff! And the 3 weeks and one day wait after the surgery until switch-on was the hardest wait I’ve had in years. But it’s “on” and it works!
It’s hard to describe what it felt like when the audiologist began tapping away at her keyboard, then said, “Are you ready for this?”, and suddenly sounds – tones – started popping up in my head! The switch-on involved a process called “mapping” to assign different frequencies to the range of electrodes now threaded through my Cochlea, and to set the initial loudness or softness for the frequencies related to various sounds.
Today was my second morning of using the implant. I take the battery out of the charger, place it in the processor, and turn the processor on. Then I gently raise the processor to the side of my head just behind my left ear. As it gets close, the magnet in the processor pulls up against the magnet in the Implant inside my head and as it touches my hair/skin, suddenly I can hear! It’s so different from hearing aids I’ve had for the past twelve years! It’s like the sound isn’t coming into my head, but that it just is suddenly there in my brain.
Anyhow, now begins an intensive period of training: training me how to use and manage the implant and equipment, training my brain to recognize electrical impulses rather than nerve impulses as sound, and learning to make sense of words – speech recognition. I still have a hearing aid for my right ear, so that’s a tremendous help as I “train my brain”.
There are a lot of resources for people beginning the Cochlear Implant journey; on-line videos, on-line training sessions, even an on-line community of implant users including people who have had implants for years and newcomers like me.
I know people have been doing this Cochlear Implant thing for a long time, but I feel like an explorer discovering a new country. I’ll keep you informed of my progress!
As always, I’d love to hear from you. If you have a question or a comment simply reply to this email or if you’re reading on the blog, comment below.
Grace to you today, Jim Stephens