People often ask me if I will ever get second cochlear implant on my left ear. Right now my answer is no, and I have several reasons why. To be honest, the biggest reason is that I am terrified! I do not want to get another surgery. One of my biggest fears is that my cochlear implant will break inside, and that I will have to get another surgery and learn how to hear again. One of the reasons I'm scared is that the facial nerve runs close to the auditory nerve. If they nick it, your face will be paralyzed. It's rare, but still scary. Another reason is that I can hear great right now, and I don't want to change that. Another reason is that I don't do well with change. I hate going and get remapped because it always sounds different afterwards and it takes awhile for my brain to get used to it. I think it would be really hard for me to learn how to hear again in my left ear.
I think it would be great to have a second cochlear implant. But I don't think I will get one. However, if my cochlear implant does break inside (hopefully not!), I probably will get two implants because I will be getting the surgery and learning how to process sound anyway. I would love to have a full range of hearing. Right now, I can only hear on my right side. If someone is calling my name on my left side, I don't turn and look over my left shoulder, I always look over my right shoulder. I think it is so weird that you guys can hear out of two ears. Haha! I've grown up my whole life only hearing out of one ear. If I did get a second implant, I would have to get used to hearing out of two ears.
I thought a lot about my surgery today because it is the anniversary of my surgery date. That day, 16 years ago, my life changed forever.
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