Research

Ready for some more?

Okay so I think so far in my story I had decided to get a BAHA and insurance would cover it ( my total for everything came close to $30,000) and I scheduled my surgery. Side note: see if you can schedule your appointments to have your processor put on at this point. I waited until after several follow up appointments and they had trouble finding me a day at the 3 month mark because for some reason I need to see both the audiologist and the surgeon so I have to wait 3 months and 3 weeks :/. I should let you know that I had my surgery on Nov. 4th 2013 and don't yet have my processor.

At this point  I started doing research and imaging what it would be like to have this post sticking out of my head. I looked at all the pictures in the information packet but my post is a lot more forward and a little higher up than I imagined. It is also thicker but shorter than I imagined. They should really include and actual photograph of an actual person with just the post. Keep in mind when you are going through that Cochlear packet that they are promoting their product and are only going to showcase all the positives. I knew that they would have to cut away some tissue and I would have an indent in my head around the post but didn't really know what to expect. I found this surgery guide put out by Cochlear for surgeons and was expecting that one of these techniques listed would be performed on me.

After seeing my incision I did some more specific searching and found this post. Warning: This is actual photographs of an actual surgery. http://www.dallashear.com/cochlear-implant-operation.html

What I found when I took my bandages was nothing like any of these but more on that later. Also, it seems to me like these processors are like cell phones, there is always a newer version on the way out so ask your audiologist what specific processor you will be getting and if they know when the new version will be out.

Before my surgery I had to tell my audiologist my color choice. This was a tough one for me. It was hard to find a good picture of the colors on the Cochlear website and none of the shades they had would be perfect for my hair. Plus on different pages on the site they were presented in different shades from the page before. So see if your audiologist maybe has some examples of colors when you go in for your hearing test.

This is one of the pages I used to pick a color even though it is for a BAHA 3 and I will be receiving a BAHA 4.

Are you still with me?
I also used this  page (Cochlear Product Guide) and it has pictures of the abutment (piece that sticks out of head) and processor colors.

I just found this, has some good info and pictures: http://umm.edu/programs/hearing/services/baha-implant

I didn't really know what to expect for the surgery or after. I found this page and it gave me a little bit of an idea of what to expect. It would have been nice if my clinic had provided me with something like this. Actually on the day of my surgery not even the nurses knew what hand-out to send me home with and I had to explain to them what I was having done and what it was called. Should have been a warning to me right there how often this surgery is done at my hospital.

Some more things I didn't think about and I should have are if you wear glasses or hats. You might not be able to wear hats with your processor on because it will cause feedback. If you have glasses you will want to wear them the day of surgery and have your surgeon mark where they land on your head so he can place your implant appropriately out of the way. I did this but I think I will still have problems with my glasses. As I mentioned I don't have my processor yet so I'll let you know about glasses and hats after I get it.

Also, the processor should not be exposed to extreme temperatures. Okay, common sense right? Well they shouldn't be used when its colder than 40 F. If you live in the north where 6 months of the year are colder than 40 F like I do, this might be a problem. I will ask my audiologist about this when I get my processor.

Cochlear has a facebook page and they are good about answering questions posted.

Also, when you are deciding to get a BAHA or not keep in mind, and ask your audiologist, about daily maintenance. You will have to buy batteries, battery doors have to be replaced twice a year and currently cost $39 and you will need a hearing aid dryer with heat (prices are around $50-$100). And depending on your model may need drying bricks replaced every month. These are all things I found I am going to need through research and have not yet been discussed with me by my surgeon or audiologist.

I am going to attempt to post a photo of the colors that Cochlear emailed me when I asked for clearer colors. Wish me luck!

 

I did it!

 

I also just figured out how to add links instead of typing the whole address out so please let me know if you find any that are incorrect or there a repeat of any of the links.

Initial Decision

Good morning all!

When I first started wanting to use something to aid or boost my hearing I contacted an audiologist. After a hearing test we discussed several options. One of them being a traditional behind the ear hearing aid. I got a custom ear mold made and a loaner hearing aid to try for a couple weeks. My ear canal is severely enlarged from my previous surgeries. One of my biggest problems with cholesteatoma was that not enough air was getting in my ear to dry things out. Up until this year I had been told my entire life that I could not use a hearing aid because of the size of my mastoid (technical term for the hole in your ear). If you are being told that also, its a lie. So having that opening all plugged up was not desirable.  I did not like the plugged ear feeling and I was not getting that much better hearing so my audiologist and I decided this was not the best option for me.

We then discussed a SoundBite  and the Cochlear BAHA. I initially was leaning toward the SoundBite but I also needed amplification and only the BAHA offered that. So the next step was the hospital contacting insurance for pre approval and an appointment with the surgeon to discuss if I was a good candidate even though I had been seeing the surgeon yearly for check ups and he had been telling me about the BAHA for several years. What I remember most about that appointment is two of the worst case scenarios that could happen during surgery and since they drill into your skull there is risk for bleeding in the brain or spinal fluid leaking out. Yikes! Scary stuff. So take your time in making this big decision and weigh all your options.

I didn't ask my surgeon how many of these operations he had done, I should have.  I was also not aware that I could have the surgery performed elsewhere. When I later made my appointment to have my processor put on at the 3 month mark the scheduler asked where I had my surgery done because sometimes they had to have the processor shipped. My audiologist only mentioned to me 2 of the surgeons in the clinic. So, ask your audiologist where you can get the surgery done and explore all your options. Once again, I wish I would have.

I also want to mention that there is a newer supposedly better and faster surgery for the BAHA coming out or that is out. I am assuming I did not get this as that one is advertised as only having to wait 2 weeks to get your processor and I am still in the middle of waiting for my 3 month mark. (I just checked the website and I think they took the 2 weeks statement off so once again ask your surgeon how long you will have to wait to get your processor)

And if you are not in a hurry, there will be a new version coming out that is right now with the FDA for approval that uses magnets instead of a stud. You might want to consider waiting for that to become available. I was told it would not be available for several years but here it is, so that's one more thing I was misinformed about.

My audiologist told me that a lot of people with insurance will get the BAHA because it is covered and hearing aids are not. This led me to believe that it would be cheaper for me to get the BAHA. WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! I just got a letter in the mail from the hospital only 2 months, 5 days and 1 statement after my surgery saying my balance of over $3,300 is due in 7 days or I am going to collections and if I come in for any appointments they will make me see a representative about paying. I am really hoping that is not there "nice' way of bulling me and trying to hold my processor hostage. So even if insurance will cover it and approves your surgery, there is still significant cost.

More Tomorrow, have a great day!

Here is a link to what the implant and processor look like: http://www.cochlear.com/wps/wcm/connect/us/home/treatment-options-for-hearing-loss/bone-conduction-implants/how-the-baha-4-connect-system-works

Hello!

I am brand new to the blogging world. Please be patient and forgiving with me! I don't want so much to blog as I do to share with the world my personal experiences with receiving a Cochlear BAHA hearing implant. I am not trying to talk anyone into or out of getting this procedure for themselves. Everyone has a different circumstance, degree of hearing loss, scull structure and physician. Before I had my surgery I did all the research I could and I still was not prepared for what I woke up with. So here I am to share my experience.

I will be posting photos I took of my incision at different stages of healing so be aware if you have a weak stomach or little ones running around who may spot your screen. I know my 6 year old didn't want to look at my incision until it was healed.

This page is for informational purposes. It is my page. Any comments that contain vulgar language, harassment or spam will be deleted.