We talked about the implant, I asked some daft questions like will it leak in me, will it break in me, will I be able to wash my head or is it going to break if water gets on it. All of course were answered with no its going to be fine once the wound is healed up, its even flexible inside you so it will move with your head in the event of an impact or something.
Also the question about if it would need to be replaced (the internal part) was answered that its designed to be a simple as possible in the internal part, its just a connection all the processing and other stuff is done on the external part, which is changeable, also the company that the NHS use for the implants has a policy of making sure that their new external parts are eventually compatible with every implant they have ever made, most reassuring that as the technology moves on I will at least be compatible with it (assuming I can pay/get the funding for these upgrades but thats a bridge to cross when it happens).
They then showed me the actual implant, its tiny, and thin its barely thicker then a credit card. And the actual outer part itself a couple of points about it:
- It has rechargeable batteries! JOY no more trips to get special hearing aid only batteries!
- Apparently it will eventually be able to use Bluetooth with a “software update”
- Not 100% sure about this since the booklet they have given me shows two different models so not sure which one I will be actually getting but the bigger one of the two has an accessory port to basically plug things in like anything with a standard headphone socket, hopefully I will be given a choice but I’m not sure yet, we are talking about the NHS I am getting this for “free” at the taxpayers expense, they might not stretch to the “Delux” model.
- It has a full colour screen remote control (yes they showed this to me)
- Said remote lets me play about with the settings like bass, treble and volume.
- It has covers for the fashionable Itchy. Both the head coil and the processor I wear on the ear (like the aids I have now)
- It can apparently adjust itself to different situations automatically by itself that I can override with the remote
Assuming the testing goes well I can’t wait to get it in and start the slow process of learning to listen again.
Richard/Itchy