In 2004, I got my first implant in the right ear.
The cochlear implant consists of 2 pieces, an external and an internal one.
In a nutshell, the coclear implant converts soundwaves into electric signals, exactly what the ear is doing, but through a sound processing path of its own.
If we oversimplify the process, the system cuts the sound into 22 different signals, and reproduces a similar pattern to the one a normal ear would have. It’s called the simulation strategy.
Over time, cochlear implant manufacturers added features to help hearing better, such as noise reduction.
A lot of people asked me - what did it feel like?
And my simple answer is, after being in a dry desert for very long, it felt like entering a fountain of fresh water, surrounded by lush greenery.
Everything was there and more. I could feel the potential that was lying ahead. I could recognise my favourite music songs, they were not the same but they had so much more details. Plastic bags made awful noises.
It felt like my ear was re-born. It was a life-changer, everything became easier from there onwards. 3 months after I got implanted, I could phone my family and friends, something I don’t remember doing even as a kid. This was only possible thanks to the choices my parents made and a demanding medical staff. No pity. Only care and results.
A few years later, I moved to Dubai with my partner to pursue new career opportunities. We got married and had 3 wonderful children.