What about when I go to the dentist and they inject those shots deep in the back of my jaw that tend to numb my ear... would it affect the implant in anyway?
How about when I'm at the dentist and they are drilling my tooth... is the sound of the drill while wearing the cochlear going to be very uncomfortable??
What about when I get an xray of my teeth... would it do something to the magnet in my head?
Does anyone even dare leave their CI's on while at the dentist?
Is the first month after the surgery really uncomfortable? I mean, about being completely deaf in that ear... considering I'm not completely deaf in that ear currently...
How long will it take for the shaved hair to grow back so I can look like a girl again? If I had the bone structure, I'd certainly go for a Demi Moore/Natalie Portman shaved look. But I don't.
When going through the security gates at airports, will they make me stand in those round things to scan my entire body?
Do people stare at you when wearing the CI?
Do they treat you even more different when they figure out what's on your head compared to when they find out you simply have a hearing loss?
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You asked:
ReplyDeleteWhat about when I get an xray of my teeth... would it do something to the magnet in my head?
Nothing to the magnet; and nothing to the circuit in the implant itself, as it is hardened. In fact, they are designed to withstand even the high radiation of a CAT scan, which will be used instead of an MRI.
Also, in and by itself, an MRI is harmless to the implant itself, up to 1.5 Tesla field strength. The issue with the MRI is the intense magnetic field interacting with the magnet, physically moving it around. AND, the magnet in your AB implant can be popped out under a local, the MRI done, and another magnet dropped in.
BUT! for people who have an ABI, and for those with other brain issues requiring frequent MRI's, you don't have the magnet installed: Instead, you use a coil hanger attached to your scalp with wig tape or toupee glue -- Slide the coil out, and into the MRI you go.
You asked:
Is the first month after the surgery really uncomfortable? I mean, about being completely deaf in that ear... considering I'm not completely deaf in that ear currently...
The "Cliff Notes version" is that if you don't have any vestibular issues, such as Meniere's Syndrome or LVAS, then it should just be a couple-few days off from work, depending ... See Moreon the cocktail the anesthesiologist gives you. Most people check in at 7AM & are walking out by lunchtime.
When there are underlying vestibular problems, then it can be a bumpy ride. When you meet with your surgeon after the audiologic work-up & MRI or CAT scan, he'll give you an honest assessment of what you're in for.
You asked:
"How long will it take for the shaved hair to grow back so I can look like a girl again? If I had the bone structure, I'd certainly go for a Demi Moore/Natalie Portman shaved look. But I don't."
How much hair is shaved is a decision the surgeon makes with you, on a continuum between risk of infection vs psychological consequences. ... See MoreThere are techniques that don't require removing much, if any hair; instead relying on sterile surgical drapes and stretching the scalp. On the other end, some of the best surgeons take off a bit more hair than absolutely needed, specifically to minimize the risk of infection -- Which you do NOT want to get.
As for me, I'm planning on showing up with a Mohawk (Mohican), already neatly shaved to the skin & already scrubbed when I walk in the door. Besides, I'm getting a bit gray on the sides, so why not?! :)
You asked:
"When going through the security gates at airports, will they make me stand in those round things to scan my entire body?"
No, you will have an ID card that is part of the kit you will get to alert airport security you have a device in your head. Also, you can walk right through metal detectors, be wanded, and also go through RFID scanners at retail stores with no problem whatsoever. In fact, the FDA tightly regulates implanted devices, with extensive testing of CI's to assure there is NO OVERSTIMULATION; with the default to shut down if there's even a whiff of a problem. (This is especially crucial for infants & small kids, who don't know how to report a problem).
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ReplyDeleteYou asked two questions:
"Do people stare at you when wearing the CI?
Do they treat you even more different when they figure out what's on your head compared to when they find out you simply have a hearing loss?"
Nichole, there are two answers pretty much at the 4 corners of a square.
In one set of corners is your speech quality: How "normal," or how "deaf" your speech sounds to others is one set of parameters. Fixing your speech after you get your CI's will take some work, to adjust to the new sounds you'll be able to form.
In the other pair of corners is how you strut -- or hide -- your hearing hardware. Older people, especially those with good speech, may choose to hide their deafness with processors & coils that blend into the hair -- Especially longer woman's locks.
On the other hand, there's a whole new generation of kids & twenty-somethings who already use iPods, Bluetooth headsets, and other devices. To this generation, it's cool to be hearing impaired… And it's even cooler to have the ultimate in bionic hearing -- A cochlear implant… or even two! For these people, it's "strut your stuff, Baby -- It's not a flaw, your Bionic Ear is a feature!
Go to Katie-louise "Bionic Bailey's" blog and look how she struts her processor & coil like a peacock -- She's the Big Star on the Uni Derby football team, and on the track as a 250cc MX racer! To Katie-louise, her CI isn't a flaw -- It's a feature!
<img src = "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_R54yNkVIeUM/SyK42kctlAI/AAAAAAAAAmA/X_FMm9ltDEA/s1600-h/16434_196467719862_602549862_2794525_3521160_n.jpg>
Oh Crap! I didn't form the tag properly. FML
ReplyDeleteClick this link to see one photo; click this link to see a second photo; and click this link to see a third.
Thanks for the information Dan. I'll certainly write up more questions as they come to me. I noticed you didn't answer my first question... is there no information about it around? I suppose some ppl would say it's fine... no pain or nausea... but I dunno. The Idea of being at low pressure after implantation doesn't sound so good... so I've been purposely determining that I might hold off my surgery til end of Sept (cause I'll be on a plane in early Sept).
ReplyDeleteTo All:
ReplyDeleteUse this link for my public photo gallery
@Nichole:
ReplyDeleteMany surgeons allow you to fly right away. However, Dr. John T. Roland at NYU, who is one of the top CI surgeons in the world, has written his own "Roland's Rules" he gives to his patients. One of those rules is to not fly until 1st stim ("activation"), which is typically 2 to 4 weeks after surgery. Another "Rule" of his is to NOT blow your nose for about 3 weeks after surgery.
Looking at these two rules together makes sense: If you have clogged eustachian tubes, funky stuff can get into the middle ear cavity, where it's still healing.
In any case, if you won't be flying until after 1st stim, then it's no problem whatsoever.