The Operation

Note: I actually started writing this post on the night of the 14th, but only just got around to checking it and posting it. Oops ahh well no harm done eh?

I’ve started writing this on the ward I’m staying in overnight. Hopefully it will be a quite fresh account of for a lot of people is the most scary part of getting a Cochlear Implant.

The day started with meeting my parents at the hospital at 7:00am (despite my mothers attempts to get me to stay the night at hers the night before, I wanted to sleep in my own bed!) we then went to Ambulatory care, which is obviously medical speak for “massive ward taking up a chunk of the ground floor of a massive building” I was on bed 68 or something and I don’t even think that’s halfway in the ward!

Then after a bit of waiting, the nurse called me in for pre op assessment, just stuff like sticking on my ID bracelet (which is really just a sticker that sticks to my hairy arms, that’s going to be fun to pull off tomorrow) asking questions (“Do you have a metal implant” not yet!). And giving me a pair of fetching tights to prevent DVT. Curiously no photos of me in said stockings exist, they all mysteriously were not taken (perhaps some threats were issued my memory is a bit hazy…).

A while after this the anaesthetist asking similar questions to the pre op assessment, things like any health problems, allergies that sort of thing. She then explained what would happen in the anaesthetic room, putting in the drip thing into your hand, making you breathe through a mask and well falling asleep.

Then the surgeon came around with a team of students, after handing him a notepad to write things down for me (asking the same questions and by this time I had worked out the order exactly so I started preempting his questions before he wrote them down).

At about 10:30 it was time, my little push bed came with me as I walked to the, well I’m not sure what it was theatre waiting bay? After more waiting another guy came out to ask me yet more questions! How deaf I was (very) what operation am I having (Cochlear Implant) and am I wearing cotton pants, well I had no idea so they needed to be checked, luckily they were not so got to keep my pants on!

Then got wheeled into the anaesthetic room, full of people, had a drip inserted into my hand, had to have these blow up what I can only describe as cricket shin guards but fully around the lower leg (That dam DVT thing again). They took out my hearing aids and glasses at the last moment, then I got the mask started breathing then, well woke up straight away in another room being told that its all done. Was still a little out of it at this point but distinctly remember shooting the guy telling me this a disbelieving look, I was then wheeled back into the ward quite soon after that, still a little out of it and just wanting to go back to sleep. The whole thing took 2-3 hours, I was “awake” (and I use the term loosely) some time after 1pm, I had no pain what so ever just a strange feeling that my ear was stuffed up, a big bandage on my head and the fact that my natural hearing what is left of it has not changed at all.

When I was more fully awake, I asked to stay overnight (it was a choice, at this point the dizziness started to kick in, and the thought of getting into a car was not an appealing one!) and was then moved into a ward room with 4 proper beds (the kind that have those electric controls to make them sit up, yes I played with it for about 5 minutes).

Other then that there is not much to tell, hospital food is well, hospital food, but I was fed an evening meal, something just before bed (basically drink and biscuits) a breakfast with cereal and a bread roll and a sandwich for lunch.

The next day was simply waiting to be discharged, getting an X-ray done (although that was a little bit undignified, basically “mush your face up against this X-ray plate on the wall please”. Then after more waiting got discharged.

And thats about it, currently at home recuperating!

Next big thing should be the start of the Switch on appointments which start on the 10th August.

Also changed the tagline at the top, I’m no longer “hopefully” getting a Cochlear Implant. I have one, I am a Cyborg!

The kitbag!

So this post is going to be about the Cochlear Nucleus 6 equipment that I have received. Basically pictures and explanations of tech gadgets! If this is well boring to you, skip this post and I will see you back here sometime on or after the 14th of July for the operation.

Still here? right then lets begin. I’ve made a swish gallery of all the equipment maybe even some witty comments:

Thats the kit bag itself, much bigger then I was expecting since well this is just something you wear on the ear, why is it in this massive bag?

Its full of stuff thats why

This is the box with the actual processor in it

A fully assembled processor with the coil, this is what I actualy will wear

The remote control with a colour screen, this is about the only thing I can actually “play” with at the moment after discovering a practice demo mode on it

Remote came with a leather belt clip case, not sure if I’m going to wear this though

Lots of random stuff, things like replacement cables, hooks, microphone protectors and a battery module that can use normal hearing aid disposable batteries

Case…. its well a case….

The rechargeable batteries, two normal size one compact size

The battery charger, also has a USB port on it for charging the remote

A mini microphone! a wireless battery powered mic that can be given to whoever you want to talk to and lets them talk direct to your processor. Supposedly its brilliant in noisy enviroments

Also has a 3.5 inch headphone port….

.. for directly connecting anything that uses such a port to stream the sound direct into the implant!

Dry and store box. This is a plug in box that you store your processor in over night

Sucks out all the moisture accumulated during the day for a healthy processor.

Pen/screwdriver thing. Yeah kinda random

Stack of manuals, thats some chunky reading to do, also came with a DVD full of tutorial videos (that are subtitled)

Ok so maybe the comments were not witty, still thats everything in the kit. Next up is the big op on the 14th of July!

The Waiting

Right before we start a warning, this is a rant, so far no new info to share about the implant still waiting for my op (14th July) the switch on a month after and getting my hands on the actual equipment pack which should be the next thing actually, should be available for me to pick up in the next few weeks, hell I might even do some sort of post about it, speaking to other implant recipients suggests that I might need a wheelbarrow to get it all home! So it’s a lot of kit, I can see the tech geek in me geeking out about it.
But that’s not the point of this post. The point is the waiting, waiting for something to happen. It’s driving me loco. I know it’s all coming but every time somebody talks to me, every time I try to listen to the TV, or a game, or even some music (base stuff is not out of bounds at the moment, just don’t ask me what they are singing, they could be singing a recipe for cake and I would have no bloody idea). It’s all a reminder that “This is going to be better/easier when I’ve learnt to use the implant fully” it’s maddening.
So if I’m distant, frustrated, irritable, testy, pissed off or just downright unsociable it’s not you its me!
My time is now, so why won’t it bloody get here already!

Hospital Appointment – Decision clinic

So this past Wednesday was the big day, the day I find out if I was viable for implantation. Went to the hospital after moving through 3 waiting rooms I waited more, and a little bit more, and then some more! It was past my appointment time, I could not take the waiting any more, it was torture. Then we found out that they were in a meeting… After what felt like an age (in reality it was probably something like 15 min) we got called in. 

The consultant quickly went through the results of the testing (nothing abnormal) then told me his recommendation:

They though I would benefit from a cochlear implant and did I want to go ahead?

Don’t think I’ve said yes quicker ever in my entire life! Then he asked my mom (who insisted on coming along) some questions about the family history I think, not sure I gave up trying to follow the conversation after a while. I signed a consent form then it was back to the waiting room for a pre screening for the operation. 

Had to fill out another questionnaire about my health (general stuff including if you have ever had a reaction to anaesthetic). The pre screening itself was like a health check up, they gave me a meningitis shot, took my blood pressure then she wanted swabs, one from my nose, one from my mouth and one from a place I’m not sure I should mention, let’s just say it involved taking my clothes off (in private!) and leave it at that eh? It’s all for testing for MRSA and other nasty things I could apparently be carrying. After checking my weight and giving me a heads up about what to expect after the op in regards to healing and so on (I can’t wash my hair for a week!) they took me to be weighed and then that’s it. 

Just waiting for the appointment for surgery now, could be any time in the next 3 months. 

Third Appointment: MRI scan

So I lied a little about the next cochlear appointment in my last post, actually got another appointment the day after posting it a MRI scan on Tuesday.

Not a lot different from the CT scan I had just a few points though:

• Had to remove everything metal, glasses, hearing aids even my belt.
• Had to fill in a questionnaire about my health nothing to probing just if you have any implants (not yet!) or had any metal in your body, its all about the metal!
• They offered me ear plugs, put them in anyway but I doubt it would of made any difference.
• They put this plastic frame thing over my head to keep my head still, sorta reminded me of a medieval torture device, if they were plastic.
• The actual scanning tube thing is tight, not sure if they had me higher up in the tube to get my head closer to the actual scanner but lying down with my arms on my chest caused them to touch the top of the tube when getting pushed in so yeah you will probably want to keep them at your side.
• The thing vibrates quite a bit, so it must generate a bit of noise (hence the ear plugs)
• Was in the tube for about 10-15 min, its a little bit disorientating at first but then its just boring since its just a white plastic tube with a grey sticker stuck at the top of it. Did not feel a thing other then boredom.

Next appointment is the mysterious audiology appointment, assuming another appointment does not come in between then.

Second Appointment: CT Scan

So last Friday I had a CT scan.

To be honest not a lot to say about it, I had to remove anything metal around my face (hearing aids & glasses in my case) then they explained what would happen, which would of been better if they did that before I took stuff off but ohh well. They got me to lie down on a bed moved me in to position brought me out again put some foam squares at the sides of my head then strapped my head to the bed, then moved me in again and let the thing whirr around. There was a little see through panel you can see while in it seeing the thing whirr around. They did not inject me with anything like it said in the leaflet they sent with the appointment so it was just a case of lie down and well thats it! Whole thing took about 10-15 min once in the machine.

Next appointment is in a few weeks mysteriously called Audiology Cochlear Clinic. No other information I’m assuming that this is some sort of new hearing test I’ve not done before.

First Appointment

So today I had my first appointment with the hearing Implant clinic. To be honest their is not a lot to say at this point in time, they asked me questions about my hearing stuff like how do I get on at work/home?, Do I have Tinnitus? (Yep!), When was the last time you could actually use a phone?, Do you use subtitles on the TV?, Do you have any balance problems? And some questions about my family history, nothing really interesting other then they reached the conclusion that my hearing problem is probably genetic (which is what I always assumed anyway).

Towards the end of the appointment I was staring to well struggle to understand what was going on, which is not unusual, so the consultant pulled up a word processor on his monitor and started using that to talk to me. Its a little thing but it makes communicating for me a lot less stressful, even if I am willing to have my head sliced open to get rid of such awkward situations, I appreciated it.

The result was that they are putting me forward as a candidate for an implant, so more testing to follow!

Well back from my cochlear appointment and its official I’m in for the testing.

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

Right I’ve decided

I know what I’m going to do about the cochlear implant, I’m going to go for it, assuming they let me of course. That’s it decided, done and dusted, not changing my mind. I just hope that it works, that I will be able to have a conversation without all the hassle and aggravation, both mine and the poor soul who has to have a conversation with me.

I’m also going to journal the process, so far I’ve not been able to find any blog or account of the process from agreeing to be tested to actually having the implant installed. So for my sanity I will be documenting my own journey or whatever you bloody call it, “Richard’s quest to become a Cyborg” has a nice ring to it. Not sure if I want to keep this private or publish it in a noble act of helping others, if you are reading this on the internet I obviously decided to make it public.

So yeah I just decided to have my head cut open and a machine stuffed inside it.

Not something you do every day.

How Cochlear Implants work & general FAQ about Itchy’s Implant

Right so this is a catch all post to refer people to who don’t understand exactly what this thing is and why I’ve set up a blog about it. This video explains it much better then I ever could (and it has subtitles/CC) so go ahead and have a look at it:

What model of Cochlear implant are you getting?

The model I am getting is a Cochlear Nucleus 6:

Are you having both ears implanted?

At the moment it will only be (assuming I am accepted in the first place) one ear that will be implanted, having a second implant (which is called Bilateral implants) is sort of rare on the NHS, not impossible but at the moment I would be happy with one and see where we go with it.

How much does it cost?

Since this is the NHS, yes I’m not being asked to pay anything towards having this done, since here in the UK we fund the NHS via taxation (VAT on goods/National Insurance contributions out of our wages and other various bits of taxation).

When is your operation?

Tuesday 14th July 2015

When do you get “switched on”?

I have a stack of appointments just under a month after the operation, the first is the Monday 10th August 2015, I’m assuming that is my big switch on at the moment.

Richard/Itchy