I am now deaf!
By Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23404)
United Kingdom
October 19, 2023 9:33am CST
Afew weeks ago I lost the hearing in my right ear. I am & have been completely deaf in my left ear. I use a hearing aid but absolute silence. It is quite horrible living in a silent world.
Yesterday l saw a specialist who informs me the only alternative now is to have a cochlear implant. I could not unnderstand how it just went like that. No warning or anything.
So now to wait in this silent world until l get the operation.
18 people like this
18 responses
@DaddyEvil (137634)
• United States
19 Oct 23
I'm sorry that happened. I've never heard of hearing just going like that. I hope you can get the surgery soon.
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137634)
• United States
22 Oct 23
@garymarsh6 I hope you can get the surgery soon and it doesn't take long for the fine-tuning. Good luck!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
20 Oct 23
Apparently it is not uncommon. It is quite some process to go through for the implant & up to a year fine tuning as the brain has to interpret a different sound until it is recognisable.
3 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (50526)
• United States
19 Oct 23
I’m sorry this has happened to you. I hope you will not have a long wait for the operation. 
4 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
20 Oct 23
Fingers crossed it is not too long to wait.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
20 Oct 23
It has been slow & insideous loss over the years but it went completely with no warning. Hopefully l will not have to wait too long for the implant.
3 people like this
@allknowing (137781)
• India
20 Oct 23
I am sure after that intervention you will fine Keeping my fingers crossed for you
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
22 Oct 23
Thank you the process is a long one but they say they usually prioritise it for those with total loss.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
22 Oct 23
I can speak quite clearly but sometimes the person talking to me has to write it as although l lip read some words are completely indecipherable. We have had a few giggles along the way!
3 people like this
@JudyEv (342112)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Oct 23
@garymarsh6 I think Vince and I lip-read quite a lot now but thankfully we are not completely deaf yet. Maybe it's in the future but who would know? 
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38702)
•
20 Oct 23
I am so sorry that has happened to you.
My youngest daughter had 3 different tumors in her left ear, the first when she was only 5, the last at age 14. The last surgery to remove the third one left her completely deaf on her left side. She learned to adapt over the years. Since they had removed absolutely every part of her inner ear after the third surgery, she couldn't have an implant. The specialist we went to for her said at the time the implants were not able to be activated unless she had some inner ear parts. He also said, some day there will be more advancement in these and there will be one that works for you. This last year, after more than 20 years of no hearing on that side, they said one was tested and approved and it should work for her. She had the surgery, but they would not activate/hook it up--whatever you call it, for at least 3 months. Then it ended up being 4 months. But it is activated now, and she said she felt like she lived in a whole new world when she could hear with her ear again.
Don't give up hope. It won't be activated for a time after the surgery, but it will be worth the wait.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
22 Oct 23
That is a brilliant lovely heart warming story. I am so pleased it has worked well for her & I sincerely hope she is trouble free for the rest of her life. Poor liitle thing going through so much & at such a young age. Here in the uk they do not activate it for between 2-4 weeks & then every two weeks readjust it as you recoginse more until everything is clearer.
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38702)
•
24 Oct 23
@garymarsh6
I was so proud of her determination to beat the odds. The doctor worried she would have trouble hearing teachers, etc. and she adjusted. She listened so hard with the ''good'' ear. She always sat in the front row of a class. She truly gave it her all. Graduated middle school, high school both as valedictorian. Top honors in college and med school. She busted her butt and I know there were times she was so frustrated when she couldn't hear in class...thank you so much.
I do hope it all goes well for you and you don't have to wait too long, Gary.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
20 Oct 23
Fingers crossed it won't be too long to wait. So unexpected and quick!
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
22 Oct 23
Keeping my fingers crossed & hopes up!
3 people like this
@Juliaacv (51361)
• Canada
20 Oct 23
I am sorry that you lost your hearing, and so suddenly.
I remember when my Dad got his hearing aids, years ago.
He reveled at the many little forgotten sounds, I remember him telling me and I asked like what sounds in particular.
He reminded me that the sound that his arm makes when putting it into a jacket sleeve, and little sounds like that.
I have never taken things like that for granted since that conversation.
I hope that you get word on your surgery soon, I worked with someone that had that surgery and it was life altering in such a positive way.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
22 Oct 23
Fingers crossed there are a lot of hoops to jump through first involving many assessments but l am positive & hope that they will do it.
2 people like this
@xFiacre (13148)
• Ireland
19 Oct 23
@garymarsh6 That is indeed a troubling and weird circumstance. I do hope something can be done.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
20 Oct 23
Fingers crossed l will be accepted for the implant. There are quite a few hoops to jump through before they accept you for surgery.
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (83109)
• United States
29 Jan
Wow that must have been scary to just lose your hearing like that. Are you or did you have the implant?
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (83109)
• United States
29 Jan
@garymarsh6 Gary you never lose your sense of humor. I actually laughed out loud.
Glad you got a hearing aid and sincerely hope that it all works out with the tests and implant.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
29 Jan
I went to see a specialist in London who thinks she may be able to do something without having an implant but have to have a special MRI. There are only 3 of these scanners in the UK so l have to wait for the appointment for that. It will take 5 hours in total as you have to wait 4 & a half hours for the contrast to be totally absorbed. They have given me the most powerful hearing aid available now so l can hear a little bit. I asked him to programme it to cut this awful nagging noise l hear. He asked me what did it sound like I just winked at him then looked at my wife. He nearly fell off his chair laughing! 
.
.2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
22 Oct 23
They are going to give me the strongest one they have in another week but she said it won't make a lot of difference but may help in the interim. Hope your husbands hearing loss does not deteriorate any further.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
20 Oct 23
Yes thankfully. It is not nice at all & for it to go so quickly is not a kind thing to happen.
3 people like this
@just4him (317241)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
20 Oct 23
@garymarsh6 No, it's not a kind thing to happen.
3 people like this
@Dena91 (16686)
• United States
20 Oct 23
I am so sorry that this happened to you. I have a friend for whatever reason lost her hearing as well. No traumatic injury to her head or illness. Just woke up and couldn't hear.
Our friends daughter was born deaf and had the cochlear implant surgery when she was 2. She's now 24, she's had some struggles with it, mostly because she is self conscious of being deaf.
Hoping all goes well with you and your surgery.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
22 Oct 23
Thank you hopefully it will give me a bit of hearing.
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
19 Oct 23
oh my, i cannot e'en 'magine the horror 'f sudden silence. my heart goes out to ya, stay strong, k? will be keepin' ya close 't heart.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
20 Oct 23
Thank you. You are so kind & thoughtful. I am looking forward in a way to have it done as soon as l can.
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
20 Oct 23
No it is not.I have been going deaf over a number of years but usually it is a slow insideous process but all of a sudden it just went completely.
2 people like this
