A story

This is a story that was shared in one of our journals - Mr. John Ayers lives in Dallas and has shared his story with the world. (from hearing health magazine)


Cochlear Implants Changed My Life - John C Ayers


I'm 78 years old and received my first cochlear implant at age 73.

At age 50, as I admitted I could hear less and less, I gave in and got hearing aids. Like most people, I didn't want people to know I couldn't hear, so I purchased devices that I wore deep in my ear canal. my father came from a family of 16 children, half of them men. The men all had hearing loss later in life, so I figured this would happen to me, too.

After I retired, I took up doing construction projects with my church, and realized that perspiration and hearing aids do not mix. I started taking them out before working. then one day when I reinserted them in my ears, my left ear still could not hear, even after changing the battery. This brought on an attack of vertigo. At the ear, nose and throat doctor the next day, I learned I'd become deaf in one ear. Most likely, a virus caused the hair cells in my left ear to sop working properly - and permanently.

I walk three miles six days a week, and it was during this time that I came to terms with my new condition. A doctor I found via an internet search told me I was a strong candidate for a cochlear implant in my left ear. I continued to use a hearing aid in my right ear, but eventually this ear too lost its functionality.

I have been very fortunate with both CIs. Both activations were seamless. Getting CIs at an older age has helped me continue to be active and productive. To seniors who believe they are too old to get them, I say think again.


I admit my two devices are not perfect. I have occasional problems regarding directionality - figuring out which direction sounds come from. For example, say I'm distracted and my car keys don't make it into my pocket. I will hear the clink as they keys hit the pavement but I won't know what direction it has come from, and will not realize it was coming from my keys as they dropped onto the ground.

The other issue is being bombarded with many sounds all at once, as in a meeting or restaurant. Normal-hearing individuals can tune-out people and music they don't want to listen to. But I've learned that some speech processors have programs that can change the microphone range from 360 degrees to 90 degrees, which can reduce many extraneous sounds.

Since getting the CIs, I've become very involved with provided feedback about them to researchers and manufacturers. I'm participating in four university studies around the country, and regularly speak about my experiences to churches, schools, hospitals, implant support groups, and industry meetings. you can say CIs have changed my life.