more on today's evaluation

Ok, here's a bit more from today's evaluation. I made a post at hearingexchange.com and mentioned some stuff that I didn't even mention in the earlier post. Basically, here's a copy/paste from that particular post.


Did the hearing testing, blah blah no surprise. They even put a hearing aid on my left ear but that ear still had no results at all. But I got a 52% score for the repeating/word recognition/sentence recognition testing part, which is good haha. So I am a candidate due to the audiological testing. Next, the CT scan to see what the cochleas are like. Mom said when they considered an implant for me when I was a very young child (this was in the late 80's), they wouldn't do the implant on my left ear due to ossification; apparently half of my cochlea was ossified at that time... So it's probably FULLY ossified now. So that basically leaves me with my right ear for the implant. The audiologist believes I will do very well with an implant in the right ear.

Now mom's all worried and concerned and scared. Scared that once I start this, that I'll give up at some point. I keep trying to tell her I WON'T give up, that I know it takes a lot of effort and time for the implant to work and all, and even before t She's just worried, and sometimes it drives me crazy. She gets a bit over protective with me at times.

So, yeah. Also, the audiologist wants me to go to my HA audiologist and have him adjust my hearing aid again so I can hear more of the lower frequencies. When the recognition test was done, it's a loop instead of a decline, and the CI audiologist said it was more common to see a decline, not a loop like mine. I didn't hear the lower frequencies (I heard TOM instead of THUMB, and YOU instead of YOUTH, etc.). That's the first thing she wants me to do. Then get a CAT scan, then make another appointment for a visit with the surgeon.


Funny how I forget some details. Eh, it happens with everyone at times.

The evaluation.

Finally, Allison came and got me. Mom and Rob left and I went into a
room with Allison and an intern. We talked about the implants, and I
gave her some information. Then we did the hearing test. Beeps, tones,
repeat words and sentences, three or four times. Without hearing aids,
right ear with hearing aid, left ear with hearing, both ears aided...
Turns out, audiologically I am a candidate.

She showed me what the internal and external components looked like of
the Cochlear device. She also told me that their center is more biased
towards Cochlear over AB and MedEl. They prefer Cochlear as they have
the best reliabilty with their devices. MedEl and AB both have had their
devices pulled off the market a few times due to reliability issues.
Turns out there are 2 manufactures in charge of the internal device for
AB, and the 1 that does the covering of the internal device doesn't
always seal the "package", so fluid gets inside and ruins the device
after a couple of years or so. I didn't know that abou AB, so I
definitely learned something new.

Then Mom and Rob comes into the room. More talking and discussing.
Allison says I should have Shane bring up the bass levels on my hearing
aid to hear more of the lower frequencies. Also get a CT scan done, so
they can see what the cochleas look like. There is a major concern with
my lft ear. I've had abolsutely no responses at all, and they are
concered of the ossification. So I may have to do the right ear, and
I've realized that in the last few years. But, I am willing to take that
risk and lose whatever I have left in my right ear to get the implant,
if it will help me to hear better. And Allison thinks that the implant
would benefit me greatly. She also said that if there is no ossification
in the left ear and I choose to have the left implanted, that it could
take up to 2 years before I may even understand any speech and such. But
there's a good chance of ossification in the left ear, we just don't
know how much. So I may just do the right ear. Lots of things to
consider.

She also mentioned that I'm the only one they're working with that has
no insurance. She gave us a number to call, and said to try SSI again
and such. So when we get home, we'll see what we can do about the
insurance. $105,000ish is what the entire thing costs. I'll definitely
talk to Huma Resource about the insurance some more, for sure.

Now, my mom is really scared. She's scared that I may stat the process,
then quit at some point. Yes, I may be really strongwilled, but I am
very determined to do this and to make the implant work for me. I know
it takes time and effort, but I feel like I can go through with this. I
don't see myself giving up, I really don't. But then again, there is
never knowing what will happen in the next month or week even. There's
never knowing what I'm going to do and what my mind decides, usually. I
know, my mom is being a mom, but sometimes I feellike she doesn't truly
think I can do this. She assures me that she is 100% behind me on this,
whatever I decide, but she is still scared of the outcome. Will I give
up after a few weeks or will I keep working away? That's what worries
her. We already have had a small fight over this.

Well, now I've got this book of materials to sift through and share with
my mom. Do a lot of thinking and considering... And get my hearing aid
bass levelsback up, CT scan done and a meeting with the surgeon to
discuss the C scan results. Great, lets find out how much a CT scan
costs.

leaving in the morning

Well! We get up really early in the morning to make our trip to Denver. Originally my mom and I were hoping we would stop in Loveland to do some shopping, even check out the Halloween store. But then, of course, leave it to Rob to ruin that plan. He's gotten 3 $300 tickets for the Denver Broncos game which is at 2 tomorrow. So we'll be heading straight to Denver instead. Gameday tomorrow, then Monday at 11 is the CI evaluation. Let's hope the evaluation goes very well and that I leave the center with some good news! I probably won't even bring my video camera afterall. But I'll bring my digital camera along, try to get some shots and post them on here when I get home.

Wish me luck!

it's set!

Monday, September 17th is the cochlear implant evaluation appointment date, at 11 a.m. Woot! Now I'm anxious for that date to approach. Heeeee.

September?

Cochlear implant evaluation will happen sometime in September. The first opening they have is Sept. 12, but that's right in the middle of the week. It would be easier if it was a Monday appointment, that way we can go down on Sunday, I can go through the evaluation on Tuesday while Mom and Rob do whatever they want to do (evaluation will take a few hours, no need to have them sit around waiting for hours being bored). Then we come home either Monday night or Tuesday in the morning. I emailed the CI Center's director back and asked if there were any openings on a Monday. Getting closer! I'm getting kind of excited. Of course, I shouldn't get my hopes up. I mean, it's just an evaluation to determine if I'm a candidate. I shouldn't just assume I'll be a candidate, cause I won't know until after the evaluation. But we'll find out.

straightened out a bit

Sooo... They can determine eligibility just from doing an evaluation only. Ok, good enough for me! Do the evaluation, worry about the cat scan stuff LATER. I don't really see the implant surgery happening anytime soon anyway, since I'm still trying to find out more about the insurance thing at the Star Tribune. So I'll let the center and the founder of Meningitis Angels work out costs, and let the founder get the approval to pay for the evaluation, then an appointment will be set up. Let's just worry about getting through the evaluation and find out if I'm a candidate. And if I am, then I'll work on getting the money to pay for the cat scans later on, and go from there.

confusions

Turns out there was some confusion over the evaluation price. The evaluation part costs more than $300, but for those paying out their pocket (those without insurance typically) would be given some sort of discount apparently? I don't know. If I were to do the FULL evaluation, with the doctor visit and all, that'd be over $600, and I have to get the cat scan done locally. Oh gee, cat scan of the head, now that's gonna be a bit pricey. So right now I'm thinking, lets do basic evaluation, with the hearing test and what not, and worry about the cat scan and doctor visit some other time. But we'll see what Meningitis Angels says. The founder, she says she'll call the implant center for more information on the cost, as she and the Organization want to help out somehow. So now, I'll just wait and see what happens.