Things are becoming INTERESTING

Back to the audiology clinic I go...

When back to Nottingham two weeks ago for further testing to make sure that I was eligible for the Cochlear Implant. The audiologist told me that I still met the criteria which was great as I knew that my hearing was not going to come back anytime soon (although that would have been lovely). 
Since I met the criteria I was wondering was the inside of my ears were like. Was the inner part of my ear able to cope with a implant being inserted, was my cochlea's 'normal'. Fortunately the audiologist actually had a report on my MRI scan which I had a month or so before. The report stated that I had normal, clear, obvious, etc. cochlea's. This was music to my mothers ears and the magic words that I have been wanting to read on a person's lip for a while.

Since that was one of my questions asked, I wondered about the make of implant that I could have. I knew out of all three companies I preferred both Cochlear and Advance Bionics. They seemed more jazzy and more appealing for my needs than the other company Medel, which I researched was only normally given to babies with a profound hearing loss.
The amount of research I found out about the two preferred companies for CI's was a lot. They were so completely different in terms of how they worked inside the body although the outside processors looked really similar. For the Advance Bionics there was 16 electrodes, but in Cochlear there was 22. From what I gathered 22 is better than 16 as this would mean I access a lot more sound than I would by having a CI with only 16. 
On the other hand, I like the Advance Bionics for the fact that the processors was water proof, so I could wear it swimming and not worry about the rain. It was also wireless which meant I could listen to music without having to actually connect to the IPod. 
On the plus side the Cochlear was bringing out a new model, the Nucleus 6 whereas the Advance Bionic had already brought out their new model the Naida CI.
I then asked the audiologist my next question, which make would I have. I only got one answer 'Cochlear', the reason behind this was that Nottingham audiology service, only deal with this manufacturer. Kind of glad that the choice was made for me, I am glad that I wouldn't even think 'what if..' about the other make. I had a choice and I had to stick with it.

Shortly after the audiology part was complete and my questions began to dry up, the speech and language therapist came into the room. It was a simple test to see how I pronounced my words since my hearing has gone. I wasn't exactly keen one the woman by the time I had finished. I think anyone would be put off when someone tells you, that 'you sound like a man, due to a husky voice.' Charming eh?

Well my next appointment after this would be meeting the surgeon-consultant. Hopefully it gets fast tracked soon!