I absolutely LOVE my cochlear implant processors. Every Cochlear Implant Recipient who I have met has been happy with the brand of implant that person chose.
I am all for freedom of choice and don't believe in what we call "brand bashing." That said, I am absolutely biased in my opinion that my cochlear implant brand is Number One. I admit it.
As I am a bilateral cochlear implant recipient, I am blessed to have two sets of cochlear implant processors. One set is worn behind the ear, much like traditional behind the ear hearing aids.
The other processor set, was officially launched with great fanfare in December 2011. When I had my right ear implanted in February of this year, I was delighted to find out that my health insurance allowed me to order the new processors. These processors are very unconventional and don't look like the traditional cochlear implant processors at all.
The new processors are worn totally off the ear, and are truly waterproof. The processors are quite popular with adult and children alike. You can clip the processors to your hair, clothing, bathing suit straps, the waistband of swim trunks. You can wear arm bands and tuck the processors in the arm bands, a swim cap, a headband, or a lanyard.
I love the versatility of the new cochlear implant processors. As we are having a warm summer, it is nice to remove the behind the ear cochlear implant processors with the rechargeable batteries, plug the batteries into
the charger, put the processors away.
Next, I take out the waterproof processors and insert a disposable AAA battery inside, and clip the processors to my tank top straps. Having cochlear implant processors which operate on disposable batteries come in handy during power outages.
My new processors really and truly ARE waterproof. At a recent convention, we had a booth promoting the new processors and stuck a processor in a goldfish bowl full of water and left it there.
Talk about a conversation piece!!
Each and every cochlear implant manufacturer licensed to sell cochlear implants and processors in the United States, are going all out to convince people that their particular cochlear implant and processor is the right one.
When a cochlear implant candidate is evaluating cochlear implants, it is imperative that you read the fine print of those glossy brochures. If you are an adult cochlear implant candidate or a guardian, parent of a cochlear implant candidate, think long and hard about your hearing needs. If you love the water, love water sports such as water skiing, surfing, swimming, then you want a cochlear implant processor that is TOTALLY waterproof.
I have lived with deafness for many years. I was startled to learn of a teenager who is in high school who hated pool parties because he couldn't hear or follow conversation in the pool. Well, when the totally waterproof cochlear implant processors were launched last December, this teenager was thrilled at the prospect of being able to HEAR in a swimming pool.
Being in a swimming pool and not following a conversation was never an issue for me, as I was always with someone who was used to my deafness and would face me in the pool so I could lipread the conversation.
It makes no sense to me to select a cochlear implant, along with a cochlear implant processor that you cannot totally immerse in water.
There are trade-offs with each cochlear implant manufacturer. A big draw for me, when I was evaluating cochlear implants, was the fact that a lot of late-deafened adults were choosing the brand of cochlear implant I eventually chose. That intrigued me.
I am very happy I chose the cochlear implant brand I have. It is so important to choose the cochlear implant brand carefully and to talk with cochlear implant recipients. Read the fine print. A cochlear implant isn't a device that you can return to the hearing aid dealer or cochlear implant company before the 90 day warranty is up.
A cochlear implant is a lifetime investment. So choose wisely.
Being a bilateral cochlear implant recipient is such a gift. I continue to be absolutely stunned at how deaf I am every night when I remove the cochlear implant processors for the night.
Hearing with two cochlear implants is a blessing, noisy world and all.
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