I will be 77 years old in November.
In a few short hours, I will be prepped for an operation. Don't feel sorry for me because I asked for this. Drilling a dime-sized hole through my skull bone, a great doctor and his team will use all of his and their skills in implanting a wire with twenty-four channels into my cochlea. Dr. Welling will also place a sound receptor base just under my skin on the right side of my head. After one or more visits with an excellent audiologist, Brenda Hall, in September, she will place the external sound receptor with a wire to another, larger, behind-the-ear hearing aid. I will begin a new method of hearing- by means of a coclear implant. The wires will serve as nerves to send sound messages to my brain. There will be therapy sessions by Brenda. Maybe six sessions. Having the operation and follow-up sessions here in Columbus will save a lot of route 71 trips back and forth to Cincinnati.
I used to teach math at Columbus State Community College, but, due to my poor hearing, even with the best digital hearing aids and a pocket talker, I am now merely able to tutor in the math lab of Developmental Education there. I hope to be able to teach once more with my cochlear implant.
At any rate, Jeanie's life should be a bit easier as I can only fake not hearing her sound advice.
I might even hear a bit of the conversations with friends in a restaurant. That is a thing of the past for me right now, but I look forward to improvement in the future.
I might even be able to pick an interesting subject to me, and interview extraordinary people, as I have in the past, but then with my limited hearing ability.
I am not scared of this operation. I expect full success by this surgeon and his assistants. Dr. Matthew Bush, an alumnus of the great University of Kentucky, will be there in the operation room. Dr. Bush is an instantly made friend of only a couple of weeks ago. He told Jeanie and me that the operation by either Dr. Penzak of the University of Cincinnati or Dr. Bradley Welling of the Ohio State University, should expect equal success. A few moments later Dr. Welling, advised us that he would perform the operation on July 28 and this is the day.
I am going back to bed and sleep now for another hour. We must be at University Hospital by 5:30 and the operation proceeds at 7:30.
God has so many more important things to do today, but I seek his mercy on this sinner. I want to be able to hear again. Let us begin and thanks in advance for your prayers.
SamKat
