PODCAST · health
Cochlear Implant Basics
by Richard Pocker
Interviews with recipients, surgeons, audiologists, and other professionals that tell of their experiences and expertise with cochlear implants. It is designed to dispel the myths and misconceptions about cochlear implants. Less than five percent of those who could be help by the device investigate the possibility of getting out of the isolation of deafness and into the world of sound. Hearing loss is not an insurmountable barrier.
Episodes
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Rebecca Alexander: Dealing with Deafness and Blindness Makes Her Unstoppable
I was recently given a gift. It was a copy of the book, Fade Not Away: A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found, by Rebecca Alexander, a psychotherapist, who is deaf and blind from Usher syndrome. It was story I read cover to cover without putting it down. I knew I had to ask her to be interviewed for a...
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Isabella Rodriguez: Explains the Difference Between a Cochlear Implant and a BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Assistance)
Many who begin their investigation about cochlear implants are confused about the differences between cochlear implants and a device called a BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Assistance or Aid). They are under the impression that they can choose between these interchangeably. The BAHA and the cochlear...
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Doctor Jack Wazen-Part Two: The Truth About Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
Dr. Jack Wazen is an otolaryngologist in Sarasota at the First Physicians Group. He has more than four decades of experience. I interviewed him in 2019 on the topic of cochlear implantation for this website. The current hot-button topic is Over the Counter (OTC) hearing aid. They were recently...
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Dr. Herb Silverstein-The leader in Meniere's and Hyperacusis Research and Treatments
For more than four decades, Dr. Herb Silverstein has been a leader in otology and has developed surgical and diagnostic procedures in the area of Ménière’s disease and hyperacusis. He is recognized as a world authority and patients come from all corners of the globe to consult with him. President...
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Donna Sorkin-Director of American Cochlear Implant Alliance Persistence Personified
Because less than five percent of those who could benefit from a cochlear implant either do not take advantage of the device or fall outside of the criteria for coverage, I am constantly seeking articles about coverage. Donna Sorkin, the Executive Director of the American Cochlear Implant…
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Susanna Dussling-Resilience Personified
Resilience is an understatement when describing Susanna Dussling. Suffering from a severe hearing loss, possibly from birth, once diagnosed, her parents took every measure to be sure she was mainstreamed in school. The setbacks and triumphs of her hearing loss made Susanna develop a strong,...
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Olivia Allen-The Sky is the Limit. Literally
As soon as I finished recording this interview with Olivia Allen, I started searching for local flying instruction. Why? Because she reminded me of a long forgotten item on my to-do list from my pre-cochlear implant days; to learn to fly. At the time, deafness intimidated me from accomplishing...
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Smriti Rijhwani- Implanted at Four. There Are No Limits to Her Ambitions
I discovered Smriti through posts on LinkedIn. I was thoroughly impressed with her drive and ambition. Never slowed down by her bilateral cochlear implants, I asked her to sit down for an interview. With a hearing loss at birth and a combination of hearing aids and speech therapy, her parents...
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Debbie Entsminger- A Long History of a Progressive Hearing Loss Which Became So Severe Cochlear Implants Were the Only Option
Debbie is a bilateral Cochlear Nucleus 7 recipient. Is also an amazing person. Her hearing loss was gradual so she does not know when it began but it was diagnosed when she was in college. At the time it was a 10% loss. An annoying inconvenience. Next time she was tested it was 20%. With each...
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Vinell Lacy-A Candidate for a Cochlear Implant That Chose Not to Proceed
Vinell has a long-term progressive, profound hearing loss. There is a genetic component within her family for hearing loss. At one point she had to give up the career she loved as a legal secretary as she could no longer use a phone, take dictation and functioning within a conference environment...
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Sarah Simmons Trull-Her Son Was Two Years Old When Diagnosed with a Severe Hearing. Eight Years Later, The Results.
t is every parent’s worst nightmare to discover their child has a serious health problem. The Trull’s son was two years old when he was diagnosed with a profound hearing loss. Frequently on social media, a parent will post a desperate plea for some guidance. There is nothing to prepare them how…
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Michelle M. Wagner-Her Son Was Three Years Old When He Received Cochlear Implants. A Parent's Perspective
If adversity is a test of character, Michelle Wagner has passed with flying colors. Deciding to adopt a child, a process that took a year, it was later discovered this beautiful baby had a profound hearing loss. The doctors recommended bilateral cochlear implant surgery. This required a…
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Kathy Combs-Either this Audiometer is Broken or My Hearing Is
Kathy discovered her hearing loss while self-testing an audiometer as a school nurse. She realized that either the machine had a problem or her hearing. It was her hearing. Many will be able to relate to her succession of unfulfilling hearing aid solutions. She adapted to a series of vocational...
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Jenni Ahtiaieven-Creator of Deaf Metal. Making Hearing Loss Fashionable
A recurring topic among hearing care professionals is why those with a hearing loss wait for an average of seven years before they seek help. Vanity and the fear of appearing “weak” are the reasons that appear most frequently. Jenni Ahtiainen is the founder of Deafmetal. (www.deafmetal.com )...
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Cynthia Robinson-Talks About the Role of the Speech Therapist and Why Early Intervention Gets the Best Results
Candidates for cochlear implants frequently ask about the need or the role of speech rehabilitation. Cynthia Robinson, the founder of We Hear Here (wehearhere.org) has more than four decades of experience in the field as an educator teaching deaf and hard of hearing children to listen and talk. A...
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Mary Beth Napoli- A Teacher of the Deaf with A Hearing Loss Who Learned from Her Students
Why would a teacher of the deaf, with her own severe hearing loss, wait years to get her own cochlear implant? I asked Mary Beth Napoli, a bilateral Med-El cochlear implant recipient and a member of the Facebook group, Bilateral CI Warrior, to share her unique perspective. She struggled with her...
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Dr. Bruce Gantz-A Leader for Hybrid Cochlear Implants
I first heard the term “Hybrid cochlear implant” when I met David Dorsey (his interview also appears in cochlearimplantbasics.com ) in 2017. He had enough residual hearing that he was investigating these devices. A hybrid, as the name implies, combines a cochlear implant to assist those missing...
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Chery Edwards-Part 2 Post Op and Activated
This is Part 2 of the interview with Chery Edwards. It is almost two months post-operation. She flew from Denver, Colorado to Sarasota, Florida to receive a Labyrinthectomy and be simultaneously implanted with a cochlear implant by Dr. Jack Wazen at the Silverstein Institute. Chery returned home...
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Chery Edwards Part 1-Meniere's and Hearing Loss. A Cochlear Implant Candidate with a Complex Health Issue
Meniere’s disease is insidious. It not only causes severe vestibular balance issues, it often leaves its victims deaf in one ear or both. Chery Edwards was such a victim when she was hit with Meniere’s 20 years ago. Her vestibular issues caused bouts of vertigo which caused her to give up…
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Sam and Janet Trychin- Pioneers in Helping People Cope with Hearing Loss
I wish I had met Sam and Janet Trychin sooner. With more than twenty books, countless articles, workshops, and seminars on the psychological and coping aspects of hearing loss since the 1980s, it is safe to say that they are the foremost experts in the field. An early supporter of Self Help for…
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Dr. Kelly Breese- Let's Talk About Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the topic and Dr. Kelly Breese is the expert I wanted to interview. Tinnitus is often insidious.It can build gradually before a person realizes they have a problem. Sometimes it happens suddenly. It comes in many forms from a minor ringing in the ears to a roaring torrent of sounds…
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Mike Dailey-A Bilateral Cochlear Implant Recipient Who Has Followed His Dream to Become a Paramedic
I have seen glimpses of Mike Dailey, the fireman with bilateral cochlear implants. His story seemed to peek out now and then on social media from time to time. Until he joined the Facebook group, Bilateral CI Warrior, I had been unable to contact him. Now I have his interview, and this is why is…
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Dr. Victoria Moore-An Audiologist's Viewpoint on Cochlear Implants
Dr. Vicky Moore is an audiologist and co-owner of The Hearing Spa in Sarasota Florida. Along with being an independent hearing aid dealer, she does evaluations for cochlear implants candidates and is an expert programmer for all three major makes of cochlear implants. New candidates often want to...
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Sue Wolfe Smith-Running Her Business Without Hearing. The Cochlear Implant Journey of an Entrepreneur
As she describes it, Sue had a lifelong progressive moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss in both ears. Wearing hearing aids from the age of eight, she struggled but used many of the compensation tricks that are familiar to those of us with a hearing loss. But she went beyond what we…
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Janet Fox-Part 2 After Getting a Second Cochlear Implant. The Journey to Stereo Sound
Janet Fox recently received a second cochlear implant and became a bilateral recipient. This is Part 2, the follow up interview done after her second cochlear implant activation. Part 1 of her interview was done just prior to her operation. At the time we sat down for that interview it was my...
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Janet Fox-Part 1 Prior to Getting a Second Cochlear Implant. The Journey to Bilateral
I met Janet just after she received a cochlear implant. There was a genetic component to her hearing loss. Her brother received a cochlear implant before she did. She is an intrepid personality who refused to give up even as she was struggling to get the best results. Activated with a Cochlear...
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Nanette Florian-Former Lead Singer with The New Christy Minstrels Learns to Hear Music Again
Many cochlear implant candidates are more concerned about music than speech. When I learned about Nanette Florian’s passion for helping fellow cochlear implant recipients and those with hearing loss get the best out of music I knew I had to ask her to sit down for an interview. She started…
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Jack Barnes- Received a Cochlear Implant in 1988 and Its Still Running Strong with External Upgrades Along the Way
Jack Barnes was implanted in 1988 when he was 11 after suffering a total sudden hearing loss. It was an experimental process at the time. Thirty-three years later is still using the original surgical implant but is now on the 8th generation of external, improved technology. He recently received a...
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Dr. Loren Bartels- A Surgeon with a Unique Perspective and His Criteria for CI Qualification
I recently learned that Dr. Loren Bartels had performed a cochlear implant surgery on a five-month-old child. He was also the surgeon who performed bilateral cochlear implant surgery on me in December 2015 just before my 65th birthday. His career with cochlear implants predates the time of FDA...
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Maria Anderson- A Marathon Runner Who Does Not Let Her Cochlear Implants Slow Her Down
Maria Anderson is a shining example of a cochlear implant recipient who has never let them slow her down for a moment. A marathon runner, hiker and adventurer she recently completed a marathon in Greenland while wearing her Advanced Bionics processor clipped to her running shorts. She has also...
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David Dorsey-A Sports Reporter for a Great Metropolitan Newspaper with a Hearing Loss
David's high frequency hearing loss was interfering with his job as a reporter and was a strain on him and his family. He was a through researcher. He wanted to retain whatever natural hearing he had. In his case a hybrid cochlear implant was the best possible solution. A hybrid cochlear implant…
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Chris Goodier-Woke Up with a Sudden Hearing Loss. How It Affected her Career
Growing up with normal hearing, Chris woke up one morning when she was 32, to discover she had lost her hearing in one ear. The sudden hearing loss was compounded by a progressive loss on the other side. With no hearing on one side and a series of powerful hearing aid on the other, she struggled…
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Dr. Jack Wazen- Cochlear Implant Surgeon Discusses Criteria for Candidates
I recently overheard Dr. Jack Wazen mention a study he was conducting at the Silverstein Institute in Sarasota regarding pre- and post-operative vestibular issues of cochlear implant recipients. It is a subject of interest to many candidates and I was fortunate that Dr. Wazen agreed to find time…
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Robin Chisholm Seymour- Grieving Hearing Loss
Is sudden hearing loss equivalent to an amputation of a limb? Does that loss manifest itself in anger or apathy or something else? Is it different for those who experience a progressive hearing loss versus a collapse of all their hearing? Recently I posted a question on social media: “Has anyone...
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Elena LaQuatra- Funny. You Don't Look Deaf
“You don’t look deaf.” I can’t recall how many times I heard that comment from strangers. I suspect most of us, at one time or another, have been shocked by the public’s ignorance of hearing loss. Elena LaQuatra, a television news anchor, gives us her take on how to reply to that insensitive...
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Suzanne Tillotson-An Unstoppable ICU Nurse With Cochlear Implants
I recently came across this post on social media. It stopped me in my tracks and I knew I had to have Suzanne Tillitson’s story as part of the library of podcasts on Cochlear Implant Basics. There seems to be nothing that can stop Suzanne from accomplishing her goals. She is an ICU nurse with...
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Richard Pocker- Cochlear Implants After 35 Years of Total Deafness
Totally deaf for 35 years, Richard received bilateral cochlear implant surgery just prior to his 65th birthday. He went from zero speech comprehension to 85% with time and effort at rehabilitation. He was implanted with two Cochlear implants and activated with two Cochlear Nucleus 6 (which he…
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Lou Ferrigno Part 2 One Year After Cochlear Implant Activation
One of the more frequent questions that candidates for cochlear implants have been about rehabilitation. Once a candidate receives the implant and is activated by their audiologist, the initial sounds might be robotic or sound like Mickey Mouse. Commitment to doing rehabilitation exercises is key...
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Lou Ferrigno Part 1 Story of a Champion
Champions are a breed apart. Their motivation and their dedication are far beyond average. Mohammed Ali said it best; “I hated every minute of training. But I said… Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” When the opportunity came to interview a recent cochlear…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Interviews with recipients, surgeons, audiologists, and other professionals that tell of their experiences and expertise with cochlear implants. It is designed to dispel the myths and misconceptions about cochlear implants. Less than five percent of those who could be help by the device investigate the possibility of getting out of the isolation of deafness and into the world of sound. Hearing loss is not an insurmountable barrier.
HOSTED BY
Richard Pocker
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Cochlear Implant Basics have?
Cochlear Implant Basics currently has 39 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Cochlear Implant Basics about?
Interviews with recipients, surgeons, audiologists, and other professionals that tell of their experiences and expertise with cochlear implants. It is designed to dispel the myths and misconceptions about cochlear implants. Less than five percent of those who could be help by the device investigate...
How often does Cochlear Implant Basics release new episodes?
Cochlear Implant Basics has 39 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Cochlear Implant Basics?
You can listen to Cochlear Implant Basics on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Cochlear Implant Basics?
Cochlear Implant Basics is created and hosted by Richard Pocker.
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