There are some hearing folks who are surprised that I cannot yet use the telephone completely unaided with my cochlear implant. While I have come a long way since Activation Day, I still rely on my CapTel phone. It has not been quite two months since the cochlear implant was activated or turned on. I learned that just again today, when someone asked to speak with me on the telephone.
The Director of my office recently asked me if getting used to the cochlear implant was a small or big adjustment. I said it was definitely a big adjustment. I don't think hearing people realize that a cochlear implant is nothing like a hearing aid.
I don't always have a perfect hearing experience day with my cochlear implant. There are days when I am having an "off" day with my cochlear implant, whether it is not recognizing an individual sound, I am tired of the noise, or I have forgotten to turn the volume control to the appropriate setting. People tell me that I can always take off the sound processor, and to me, that is defeating the purpose of the cochlear implant.
I faithfully wear my sound processor each and every day, eight hours a day or more. While I would love to be able to understand speech and singing perfectly tomorrow, I know adjusting to the cochlear implant will take months to a year to two years. I have faith that my efforts and patience will be worth it.
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