Yes, Carl, that was quite a day. I cried. Husband cried. The audiologist cried. She told us everybody cries.
Except babies and little kids. They don't cry because they don't know yet what they are about to be given. And for some of us, given back after being lost.
After my own experience getting implanted and learning to "hear" again, it makes PERFECT sense to me to implant babies as young as possible. Nothing I heard after turn-on sounded like anything I remembered--except the birds outside the hospital. It's not a process of hearing and remembering but of developing new neurons. The look on the baby's face says it all--he is engaged in two-way communication.
ME, it's interesting that you mention birds... that was the first sound that I heard after getting activated that sounded immediately "right". I wonder if it's the frequency or something??
I still remember reading your account here of your own implant being turned on. I imagine you had a pretty good grin going yourself.
ReplyDeleteYes, Carl, that was quite a day. I cried. Husband cried. The audiologist cried. She told us everybody cries.
ReplyDeleteExcept babies and little kids. They don't cry because they don't know yet what they are about to be given. And for some of us, given back after being lost.
They laugh. Good for them :)
After my own experience getting implanted and learning to "hear" again, it makes PERFECT sense to me to implant babies as young as possible. Nothing I heard after turn-on sounded like anything I remembered--except the birds outside the hospital. It's not a process of hearing and remembering but of developing new neurons. The look on the baby's face says it all--he is engaged in two-way communication.
ReplyDeleteME, it's interesting that you mention birds... that was the first sound that I heard after getting activated that sounded immediately "right". I wonder if it's the frequency or something??
ReplyDelete