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Patient Testimonials -
Cochlear Implants: "The Speed of Sound"
From August 2005 LTH Newsletter
I started road racing rather late in life at the age of 47 in Formula Fords and then Formula Atlantics (looks like an older indy car). After several years in the Atlantic, with 110 dB in the cockpit and no ear plugs (not smart), my hearing started going downhill fast losing most of the high frequencies. I owned a management consulting firm and spent much of my time in interviews so I got large (BTE) digital hearing aids. Then I had a problem with a specific prescription medication that had a side effect of "loss of hearing". My right ear turned off completely and my left continued to deteriorate. By that time I had tired of traveling and gave up consulting and became the Deputy Superintendent of Schools for a large school district. Things were becoming more difficult due to my hearing and then when the Superintendent left and I was appointed the Interim Superintendent they became worse. At any meeting I had to have someone sit next to me and interpret what others were saying. That was when Dr Roberson at CEI came to my rescue and did the first cochlear implant in my dead right ear. Cache Pitt turned it on five weeks after surgery and by the time I left the office I was understanding words. I talked to my wife all the way home for the first time in years. I started plugging the TV into the body processor the next day and have watched TV that way ever since. Everyone sounded like Darth Vader or Mrs Darth Vader but they were all understandable. I was completely functional again. The only challenges were direction and crowds.
After two years my remaining ear was down to hearing sound but little discrimination and fortunately Dr Roberson was willing to do the second implant. That was done at the end of March this year and we turned it on one week later. The surprise came when it worked immediately. I understood over 80% given full sentences from the start. It is hard to describe what is sounds like to go from what I call a quiet single ear with one implant to a full blown stereo with two. I can now easily locate where sound is coming from. Crowds are a little difficult still but they are getting better and we are still playing with the settings for different environments. The one place I really have an advantage over others with hearing is in the race car. I use a radio to talk to my crew chief, which is normally hard because the sound is still over 110 dB inside the car. But I can now plug the radio directly into the body processor and connect it directly to the coil without a speaker inline. Therefore, I get clear sound over the radio without having to battle with the in-car sound. I am still winning races at places like Laguna Seca with my Fiero (custom built race car) that is capable of 180 mph or better and having fun with my 1963 Corvette in historic races. The two implants are great and I will never be able to thank CEI/LTHF enough for giving me my life back.
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