A Day In The Life
Playing with Family at the Beach
Before I got my cochlear implant…
“the noise of the wind and waves crashing filled my head with sound so it was hard to hear when my mum and papa were calling me…”
Now that I have my Advanced Bionics cochlear implant…
“I hear the sound of the waves crashing on the beach in both my ears and I can hear sound from every direction and at different volume levels as my CI helps me filter the sounds.”
Communicating with Family Around the Home
Before I got my cochlear implant…
“I found it really difficult to hear when people talked quietly. Sometimes I didn’t understand the game…”
Now that I have my Advanced Bionics cochlear implant…
“my cousin is so much fun to play with now. We can play games all day and I don’t get tired from listening so hard.”
Chatting in a Busy Restaurant
Before I got my cochlear implant…
“there was always too much noise in one place, which made it difficult to hear my parents with only one ear working…”
Now that I have my Advanced Bionics cochlear implant…
“it is much better now as I can hear with both ears. My CI helps me hear without all the background noise interfering.”
Hearing Speech and the Direction of Sound
Before I got my cochlear implant…
“sometimes I felt really scared because I didn't know which direction the sound of cars and people were coming from. When I couldn't see my parents, I was frightened because I couldn't hear where they were...”
Now that I have my Advanced Bionics cochlear implant…
“I feel safe now. It's nice to run and explore now and be able to hear my mum and papa when they call me. I can hear the cars and buses from the direction they are coming from.”
In Summary
“Before I had my cochlear implant for single-sided deafness, I struggled to understand everything at school. I found it hard to join in games. I couldn't hear the rules and I didn't know what to do. I didn't like to play with anyone because it was too noisy. Sometimes I wanted to hide and find a quiet spot to block out the noise. I was very tired.
“With my cochlear implant, I can hear and understand everything much better without trying too hard. I understand how to do maths and schoolwork much better now that I can hear the teachers. I love school now. I play all lunchtime with my friends, I share in classroom discussions. It's fantastic to have two ears switched on.”
— Louis, AB recipient, New Zealand
