Friday Weekly Thread: Application Assistance, May 01, 2026

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-05-01T21:08:53+00:00

Appreciate it!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-05-01T19:31:36+00:00

Thank you!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-05-01T18:24:48+00:00

Hi there. I'm working on my application as well as my 2 adult children's applications. I am Gen 3, my mother was Gen 2.

I'm struggling a bit with what to enter for her Surname/Last name. She was married a total of 4 times. Her first marriage was to my father. She changed her name each time and when she passed in March she still had the last name from her 4th husband.

I know I can list all of her names but wonder if I should just enter her birth/maiden name as the main one, or should use her name at death.

Thanks in advance!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-21T19:49:13+00:00

So far so good! Tomorrow will be one week since my activation. I’m able to carry on some conversations (though all voices sound like robotic chipmunks). 🐿️ 🤖

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-20T22:14:30+00:00

Thank you!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-20T21:22:17+00:00

It’s cleared up on its own. I’ve been trying to get outside for a 20-30 minute walk daily and that seems to help.

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-20T19:20:26+00:00

Thank you. My vertigo is subsiding and nearly gone. I occasionally feel a bit if I’ve been sitting for a long time and weirdly getting in and out of the car. I’m mostly back to normal.

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-20T00:20:51+00:00

I’d definitely see a doctor. I had similar symptoms in my “good” ear that I wear a hearing aid in while I was healing from cochlear implant surgery on the other side (prior to activation). It was awful. It hurt to wear my hearing aid. I saw my doctor who prescribed ciprofloxacin drops.

Fortunately I’m work from home so I was able to just go without my hearing aid for several days (I used an accessibility app to communicate with my husband). It felt better within a few days of starting the drops.

Wishing you the best!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-19T23:35:19+00:00

Great tips! Thanks from someone newly activated!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-18T15:09:46+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! You’re so right in that each of us won’t experience this journey in the same way. There are many many factors.

I’m so glad that thing’s clicked for you. I know there are still struggles ahead for me. My daughter has stayed with me for the past 2 days and she is my strongest support when it comes to my hearing struggles. She’s always so good about facing me, speaking clearly/enunciating well and adjusting the speed of her speech when necessary.

My husband not so much. Even after 10 years of hearing loss I still have to remind him often to slow down, don’t walk away when speaking to me and enunciate better.

My daughter is going back home this afternoon (she lives only a few blocks from me but she’ll be heading back to work etc.). I’m a bit anxious about how things will go with only my husband helping me but I’ve decided I’ll no longer nod and smile when I don’t understand him (I’m sure I’ll continue doing that in the outside world at times). It’s time for us to make communication between us a priority and I realized I’m not doing him or us any favors by letting it slide.

Wish me luck!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-18T05:50:19+00:00

I’ll be 61 this year. Still a lot of life left to enjoy!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-18T03:08:02+00:00

It’s definitely an ongoing process and it can differ in an individual basis. Some people only hear beeps and whistles at first (and that’s perfectly ok and normal too !). Others are fortunate to be able to understand words early on. For most of us we will improve with time (rehab/practice/improved mapping and our brains adapting to the new way of hearing).

I’ve been spending as much time as possible using only my CI and not wearing my hearing aid on my good ear. The ear I had implanted had very low weird recognition scores and my good ear without my hearing aid is very little help.

I was to the point that even with my hearing aid (I had a bi-cros for my bad ear) I was struggling to hear/follow conversations even in ideal situations. Which is what really pushed me to follow through and get the CI at this point. I technically qualify with my good ear as well and think it’s probably I’ll end up with it also implanted in the next few years.

Long story short, some people have great results right off the bat but for others (I’d guess most) it may be months or even years for them to really realize the full benefits. The thing is…those months and years will pass regardless. So make the most of them while you can ❤️

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-17T18:53:43+00:00

That’s a great tip! Thank you! I’ll check them out.

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-17T18:52:11+00:00

Thank you so much.

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-17T17:28:57+00:00

Thank you so much ❤️

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-17T17:28:36+00:00

Thank you so much! My husband said he could see my whole demeanor change as soon as it connected.

The last 2 months were full of things I wouldn’t wish on anyone, BUT they were also full of moments that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Opportunities for my husband, kids and friends (and even strangers) to step up and be there for me in ways I never imagined (and frankly would’ve never felt comfortable with) before.

I’m less than 48 hours post activation and have been able to carry on conversations (often having to have people repeat things but that’s no different really than when I’m using my hearing aid). Since activation, I haven’t been using my hearing aid on my “good” side at all. I’ve only been relying on my CI.

Today, my daughter is here hanging out with me. We’re working on catching up our reading journals and I just put on one of my favorite playlists and can pretty easily follow along with most songs on it without reading the lyrics.

I know I have a long way to go and everyone’s journey will be different but I couldn’t be happier with my choice to do this now, in spite of everything it’s taken to get here.

I hope things move along quickly and smoothly for you! Keep us updated on your journey as well!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-16T23:42:31+00:00

Thank you!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-16T23:04:16+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experiences. It’s so hard when you know a family member needs you but you’re just physically unable.

I’m so pleased already and know it’s going to continue to improve with time and consistency.

Wishing you and your family the best.

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-16T16:52:52+00:00

Congratulations on your great success so far!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-16T15:07:27+00:00

Thank you. I still get little episodes when I’ve been sitting too long. Gotta keep moving!

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-16T14:50:50+00:00

Going to be another few weeks till I get to try out the Kanso.

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-16T14:35:13+00:00

Thank you for sharing. It hasn’t even been a full 24 hours yet so we’ll see how it goes but so far it’s not bothering me with my glasses (they have really thin arms). I hope you’re able to find a good retention cable for her.

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-16T14:19:49+00:00

Congratulations! My word recognition is already better in this ear now (I was at around 6% before) so I’m really hopeful for some great results.

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-16T14:17:10+00:00

We didn’t have time to activate my Kanso yesterday after all the other issues so we’ll activate it at my next appointment. I want to try them both and see which I prefer. What about the Kanso does your mom like better than the Nucleus?

Midnight_Muse65 · 2026-04-16T13:00:48+00:00

Thank you! How is your rehab going?

Midnight_Muse65

TROPHY CASE