For example, a cochlear implant recipient might define success as being able to understand speech without looking at the speaker. Another might define success as being able to understand music. Still another might define success as being able to hear environmental sounds.
For me personally, I define success with a cochlear implant as being able to understand people effortlessly by listening and lipreading. It is also success for me if I am able to follow captions.
"My audiologist told me that I would not be able to talk on the phone or the likes of that...After three months on the implant, to the surprise of everyone, including my audiologist, I was able to talk on the phone and understand for the most part. Now it is six months, I am doing better and better. I enjoy music and movies a lot more...
So what is a success? I would say if you have your expectations low and work from there, it would be a success. Remember, I just wanted situational awareness and I got more than that."
- Nick
The first time I heard and understood my nine year old daughter’s voice with my back turned, that defined success for me!
- Valerie
I have always said that a CI is a personal journey, my success was able to understand someone behind me.
- Abbie
Success with CIs shouldn’t be objective Goals, like understanding Speech, but subjective goals, like gaining a better appreciation for sound and, maybe a better understanding of a Hearing World.
- Ken
Related blog post: How do you define success with a cochlear implant?
