Help me make a big decision

[C_Gibby]

Ok, first off, y'all know that my hearing abilities are similar to that of a dirty potato, and I am at a god damn huge disadvantage because of it. If you didn't know that, now you do. Today, I just saw this video of a girl who just got herself out of my level of hearing with the help of a cochlear implant:

29 years old and hearing myself for the 1st time! - YouTube

She is so goddamn happy. And it made me think. From what I've read, this girl was in a spot similar to mine - she's profoundly deaf like I am and for all her life she's been a hearing-aid user. Like me, she still struggles daily, she's a lip-reader, and I assume she always does other deaf-related stuff like use captions on DVDs whenever possible. In this area of hearing, we seriously do not hear things the same as other people. According to cochlear implant-users who have got themselves out of this level of hearing, those who are still using hearing aids have always been hearing things very distorted and muffled compared to what they're hearing now, with the implants. There's an astronomical difference.

So if I make this decision, I have the obvious advantage which goes something like "OMFG I CAN HEAR FOR REAL WOOO" coupled with possible tears of extreme happiness, and then I have the disadvantages that have put me off ever since this option was brought forth when I was 9 or so. As you know, I'm very concious about how I look. Silly, I know. For all this time, I've been trying to hide my deafness. For all the years I've been at school, from preschool to the end of highschool, I've been treated horribly just because of one sodding little hearing aid. Having what is essentially a bigger hearing aid coupled with a wire and a big magnet clapped onto the side of my skull is certainly going to get me loads of funny looks and enquiries, or possibly discriminated against yet again, just for being obviously disabled in that way (despite actually having my hearing put up to the same level as non-deaf people).

So if I do get it done, I can hear, and I could possibly hide it under my long, sexy hair. I will have to deal with its appearance and its physical presence, which I don't like the sound of at all. If I don't get it done, I could probably get a lucky break and the theory of using stem-cells to restore hearing becomes a reality. However, my hearing level is decreasing and decreasing over the years. By the time I'm in my late twenties, I'll probably not be able to hear a thing. The disadvantages are obvious, but the advantages come from my own self-conciousness.

Here is a pic of the cochlear implant on a little girl.

So, I ask you to be amongst the people helping me make this decision - should I get this implant within the next year or two?

TL;DR: I'm sorry, if you haven't read the thread, you're not going to be able to make much of an answer.

 

[Moyako]

That girl is really beautiful D:


Ohh, about Gibby's decision. Well, in my opinion you should do it. I don't know how severe is your hearing problem, buddy... but man, I can't live without music.

So, go for it!

P.S: I read the whole thing xD

P.S. #2: what are the disadvantages?

 

[Colt .45 killer]

hmm Gibby, I'm colour blind and thats not all that annoying, but if someone came along with some implant to remove that I'd be tempted. For something like hearing I'd be all over that.

I know someone through someone else at university who is deaf but has an implant of some kinda, but afaik that can barely be seen.

Also mate in the end you have to make your choice in life, are you basing your decisions off what other people will think of you? or off of what you want/need and what is best for you?

I too was horribly bullied through younger school years, but I am glad for that now as it has given me a very individualistic mentality, I don't need to give a rats arse about the opinions of others, nor do I have to strive to 'fit in'.

I know why you put the post here, but in the end it's you that has to live with it. Personally I'd say go for it, but I also do not have to live with the result, I do think that proper hearing is worth having though.

 

[Makino]

IMHO, go for it.

Think of it as glasses but for your ears, its just the technology getting there. If you can hide it behind your hair its nice but don't get worked so much over the appearance.

I still remember when i got my glasses when i was a kid, people mocked me a little but soon they stopped because i didn't give it a damn, i was happy that i was seeing things crystal clear.

If you are still annoyed by the visual appearance wait a bit and see the how fast the advancements on this particular technique are going, the miniaturization processes nowadays are very fast and maybe with some more time it could end being almost unnoticeable.

 

[Shadrach]

I say go for it, you won't know if you don't try it. Besides, the (receiver?) thing on that picture is pretty small, and they are bound to get smaller as the tech comes of age.

Remember when you thought it was strange to see people talking with handsfree sets? Now you see people with those bluetooth things attached to their ears all the time. In 10 years we'll there'll be all kinds of stuff attached to our heads I bet, soon we'll all be friggin' Adam Jensen

Is it expensive and/or covered by the NHS?

That video is amazing by the way, had me in tears too this is the kind of stuff that makes science look great.

 

[Crusher]

I used to have scoliosis, my spine was in an S-shape. Not really a handicap, actually I never had alot of hinder by it since it wasn't that extreme but I would mostly get problems when I would be older, also one of my ribcage was curved to the right and it was getting worse. So I got spinal surgery, basically they cut my back open, screwed metal rods in my spine to keep my spine somewhat straight and closed me up. I'm relatively fine, I have still scoliosis but much less, I should be careful what I do, I shouldn't pick up heavy objects. Also now I have a huge scar on my back, the surgery was 9 years ago and you can still clearly see it. It's easier to hide then that hearing implant but still, you should do it. It improves your life and you can hounestly tell people you're a cyborg.

 

[kablooie!]

Looks like the person is resting their headphones on their head.

Personally, I do care a fair bit what other people think. Too much sometimes but I'm working on it. But as far as this goes? **** what other people think! Hearing is 100000000000x more important.

EDIT: Looks like I've got my first troll. <3

 

[kablooie!]

Anyone who shed a tear watching that video is a pussy. I guarantee you I did not. I

 

[Capt.Marion]

GO FOR IT! Just be advised that being able to hear a lot better can be rather difficult since your mind is not used to being able to hear.

My father recently got hearing aids after being quite deaf for most of his life, and it has been quite difficult for him since he is basically having to relearn how to hear after 60+ years of not hearing.

 

[LugNut]

I don't know how old you are exactly (early twenties I suppose) but don't let your past experiences with idiots at school influence your decision here. Kids will make fun of anything and anyone who is different and as you get older, you'll realize that's just what kids do and you just happened to be the convenient target.

Run to get the freakin implant, you are missing out on life's full experience by choosing to stay with reduced hearing. If people can't deal with what it looks like, they are not worth your time.

I've seen a few people with them, neither of which had long sexy hair and other than the fact that I'm a techno geek and wanted to talk to them about it and how it works, it was like "eh whatever". They aren't freaky looking or anything, kind of cool actually.

I got a little teared up over that vid BTW, technology is amazing sometimes.

 

[Alexander Ostmann]

Go for it. Everyone is different, and everyone is criticized for it. You just have to get by it and ignore it, as hard as it can be sometimes.

I got a little teared up over that vid BTW

Same here.

 

[Unus Offa Unus Nex]

Go for it mate, hearing is a wonderful gift, don't pass up on the opportunity to keep it just for the fear of what others might think of seeing you with a hearing device.

People who bully others who suffer from handicaps are seriously sad individuals, so just ignore them cause they're not even worth the thought process.

 

[[-project.rattus-]]

Working for an assiciation of service providers for people with disabilities, I have occasional contact with people who have cochlear implants.
Even though they are noticable, they are not disfiguring. So vanity should not stop you from getting implants. Go for it!

 

[fiftyone]

Do it...

I'm older than most of you and have been slowly degenerating over the last ten years or so..

My right ear has the volume turned down (thats the best way to explain it); it is a pain, I have to juggle while answering the telephone and writing down information.
The eyes are going off as well, so I have often three pairs of glasses on my head when at work, one pair to work on the computers, another to magnify what I am working on (I work for a jeweler) and last but not least a good old pair of reading glasses.
Let me inform you, it's shyte.

This is all natural of coarse but I really do miss my good ears and eyes.

Do it...

 

[C_Gibby]

Alright well, thank you very much for the responses for the responses, guys. Out of the sites I've put this poll on, and amongst all the family/friends I've asked, everyone has said "yes". I'm gonna seriously consider doing this, and if I do get it, I'll officially be a cyborg before the end of next year.

 

[dogbadger]

I heard somewhere it's a good idea to do 1 ear only (that may be what you're planning anyway)
If your deafness can be treated with this implant it's also possible future stem cell treatments may also work - and i remember being told that the implant process would possibly render that ear irreparable by future treatments, so you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket.
Might not apply to you but look into it.

 

[UncleDrax]

I'm sure you've already researched if it's for you and any possible side-effects/downsides and all that jazz.. so if it's a good fit, I say pursue it.

Also.. you should get some tattoos.

 

[LHeureux]

Go for it, now that you finished the years where discrimination is leading you won't have too many problems with mature people about this. And like you said you can hide it under your hair. The girl picture shows that the implant is not that big, not worse than a pair of glasses.