Jean Hood's Cochlear Report

Today I read a new newsletter - The Journal of SHH Australia Inc. SHHH is New South Wales based and is a great web site promoting self help for hard of hearing people.

I was inordinately proud to see just inside the cover, the hearing logo. With the caption “Remember hearing help is available wherever you see this symbol". I hope most of you know that the logo is used on the 'Face me' badges that were developed by the Wimmera Hearing Society members and are used Australia-wide.

Because I was so impressed, I am going to quote totally President Richard Bradings message which says:

The work of Professor Graeme Clark is undoubtedly one of the most significant achievements in medical research in Australian history. It has resulted in a bright future for those of us who are burdened with a hearing impairment. Modern hearing aids are good and getting better. But at the point where hearing aids begin to fail us, the cochlear implant is ready to take over.

If you are struggling with your hearing loss, I would urge you to consider the two qualities that Prof. Clark had in abundance - determination and creativity. If we are determined to do something about our hearing loss, then we will.

Prof. Clark was met with huge obstacles - lack of funding, technical difficulties and the derision of most of the medical world. Yet his determination based on his faith, enabled him to persist with the research at enormous risk to his personal reputation. We need to show a bit of determination, too.

This may mean wearing your hearing aids a bit more, or even getting assessed for a cochlear implant. We don’t need to be as creative as Prof. Clark. However we need to consider how to best utilise the resources available to us. Such as assistive listening devices, the “T” switches on hearing aids, National Relay Service, Captioning, speech reading and more.

From these, he tells us where we can access this help. We, at Wimmera Hearing Society, have a number of devices which can be loaned out for testing before buying, and we are always ready to discuss problems and help can be obtained.

I am going to Melbourne next week for my annual cochlear implant check up and tune up. Last week I went down with a friend who feels she may need a cochlear.

She was extremely nervous, but came away extremely pleased with sympathetic discussions and help received. While waiting, I sat in the foyer downstairs, and during the wait, saw one small boy about 5 years old with two implants, chattering happily with his father over a drink. There was also another boy about nine with two implants, and one of eleven or so with one. It is just so wonderful to see these kids with a promising life ahead of them.

Recently I was at a function and grizzling about background noise taking over. Sound familiar to you hearing aid users? Anyway my neighbor said “What’s wrong with you? Totally deaf. a social recluse".

So you're hard of hearing: reach out for all the help available whether it be hearing aids or cochlear implant, and remember our offices here, where those who have implants, and those who think they may need one, get together for a chat and a cupper.

Cochlear implant meetings for the remainder of the year will be held on: 26 July, 27 September and 22 November at 1.30pm at the Wimmera Hearing Society's office at 24B Roberts Ave, Horsham.