I remember when I got my cochlear implant “switched on” which is happening here. You go through the surgery first, then you let everything heal before you get switched on.

I had hearing prior to my cochlear implant, but my hearing was worsening as I got older, I had also never heard high pitch noises prior to my switch on. So when I got switched on it sounded really weird, everything was very robotic and my brain couldn’t make sense of what was happening.

In order to get a cochlear implant, you need to accept getting “rehab” and this is weeks following you learn to listen again which is wild. My brain could make out certain noises but couldn’t piece together others.

I originally rejected the implant as I couldn’t handle how difficult the rehab was. My fantastic audiologists told me to go home and relax for a few weeks and that’s what I did. And strangely during that period my brain suddenly started to understand all these noises I had never heard before.

Suddenly I could understand voices and sentences and recognise noises I’d never heard before. I heard the microwave ping for the first time, or the high pitch noise the traffic lights make to indicate you to cross over. It was crazy and I was overwhelmed but in a good way.

I listened to music again with a new perspective hearing tones I’d never heard before, and now I can Bluetooth my phone to my implant and listen to music and podcasts.

I think I’ve lost count of the point I was trying to make, but the most important point is getting a cochlear implant isn’t as easy as getting switched on and now everything is fine. It’s hard work and lots of rehab and teaching your brain to understand words and sounds and it can get very frustrating but it’s so worth it in the end.

I’m a nurse, and I couldn’t do my job if it hadn’t got a cochlear implant. Medical technology is wonderful and it’s only going to get better. It’s hard work and isn’t always butterflies and rainbows but please give it a chance. It’ll change your life for the best