Making the Cochlear Decision

I recently decided to get the Cochlear Implant. It was not an easy decision triggered by an event with my previous employment.

I cannot count how many times I have experienced the feeling of being belittled or discriminated against due to my hearing loss. Honestly, I think those with hearing disabilities are silenced and pushed aside. To fight discrimination, you must prove it, which can be extremely difficult.

After my last job, I felt so defeated and helpless. I am stuck with a situation or disability that I cannot change. I do not have the power or control to change my loss. I have spent most of my life dealing with this feeling of defeat. I always pick myself up and try again or keep going. I cannot say that my life has been bad, but it has not been easy. I think my previous work experience has left me so disappointed after six years of doing my best, and it just seems I cannot compete with those without a disability. It is incredibly frustrating.

Around January of 2020, I finally decided to try the cochlear implant. Having the procedure done is not an easy decision. People think it is a pure miracle but often fail to understand that it is not the kind of miracle that will fix all of my problems. I will still be disabled. I will still be hard of hearing. I will still not hear everything. I will still struggle with hearing speech and communication. It does not change my disability, and it is not a cure.

There are a lot of health risks in having the procedure done. Most people do well with minimal side effects or issues. With the advancement of technology, they have improved, and there has been enough time to allow advanced enhancement.

Overall, my decision was not based on finding a cure or permanent fix. My reason was to reduce the struggles I experienced. People are still going to discriminate against me and think of me as less educated, capable, or knowledgeable. It isn’t right, but that is how some people are.

Aside from the fact I decided to give this advanced technology a try, I also learned a lot about standing up for my rights. I think too often, people like myself do not want to appear defensive. My other reason for tolerating this was because some people simply do not care and feel they are better than you no matter what. It is sad, but it happens more than we would like to believe.

Will this surgery be worth it? We will see.