Wednesday, February 06, 2008

The good stuff in life...

is not all chocolate, wine and lemon drop cookies. I deal with a lot of negativity throughout the day but it just takes one of these emails to make my day.

Hello Abbie,

I just listened and watched your video of the activation of your CI. What a marvelous thing you did, to make this available to us fellow CIers! You are a wonderful inspiration.

I received my implant in April 2006, activated in May. My experience was very similar to yours. I was born with a severe hearing loss in both ears and did not receive my first hearing aid in one ear until I was 4 yrs! Despite all this, I went through the mainstream schooling and university with just one ear hearing aid.

To make a long story short, my ear gave out 3 yrs ago and as the other ear was bad, I was effectively deaf. The implant was a miracle and now I am hearing sufficiently ell, but still problems on the phone, in crowds, etc..

My hearing handicap never stopped me in my life. I started up my own company and became very successful, despite a heavy telephone requirement.

Anyway, I wish you much success in life and I know you will have that. You got what it takes!

Thanks again, Abbie.

Cheers!
the bionic man from Canada

7 comments:

Dana said...

Hi there!

I recently found you on blogger because we share some similar interests.

Based on those interests, I think you would like my blog, on women's health and fitness.

A Sizable Apple looks at managing a healthy lifestyle for women with a hectic life.

www.asizableapple.com

Come take a look around! Hope to see you reading soon!

Thanks
- Dana

Kim said...

It's so great to read your blogs, Abbie. They're always so upbeat and inspirational. Thanks for sharing this email that made your day. It made mine too. :-)

Valerie said...

Abbie,
You know this already - beside that I think the world of you - you are fantastic writer and person. You are one of the first people I found after my implants. For the past six months I have not meet in person anyone with implants. I have not set eyes on anyone like me. Through the internet I have meet a lifetime group of friends. I don't believe my experience would have been so incredible without all of you. Most of the time you express what I want to say and how I feel. I am so very thankful to have found all of you. I hope one day to meet you. I should get to meet Jen on Saturday!!!! finally.

Valerie

Anonymous said...

Hi Abbie,

That was a wonderful letter from the Bionic man in Canada :) Gives me a bit of hope.

I have some news too. But you'll have to read it on my blog LOL, - Which I haven't written it yet - am waiting for one more email from my doc and then I'll write it up.

Cheers
Robyn
www.robyncarter.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I watched your CI video and was very interested in how they do the mapping etc. I am candidate for CI here in australia but its a 4 years wait which i dont mind. Im looking forward to have one done within 4 years.
Cheers

Unknown said...

Yeah...he wants you. *smile* I predict that this will be the first in a long list of people inspired by you and your warm self...hugs, Jodi

deafcone said...

Abbie,

You mentioned it should be a night and day difference between getting activated two weeks ago and today. You're right. The day I was activated I heard mostly metl pings whenever there was a sound or voice. Yesterday I went to your site and watched your activation video again. I watched it twice before. When you first put it on your site and and when you added caption.
The third time (yesterday) I watched the uncaptioned version. I hooked up my implant to the computer using the cable I got with mine and I understood most of what you said without the captioning. First time I've been able to do that. I was reading your lips but I understood 90% more with the implant and reading your lips than I did just trying toread your lips without it. And I did actually hear your words so it is making a huge difference and it's only the beginning.

jIM