Activation January 23--Life Changing Experience?

January 4, 2012

The folks at Envoy Esteem market the implant as a “life changing experience”. I buy into this to a point.  One published testimonial by Envoy Medical says “It’s like Jesus came down and touched my ear and said ‘be healed’”.   That may be a little over the top!  I was blessed with good hearing for my first 52 years.  Many patients have never heard well and their experience may be more exciting to them.  The device is intended for those with moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss and not for the deaf or those suffering other sources of hearing loss.

Activation is a major step on the journey to hearing improvement.  I have been notified that the Envoy Medical technician, Allison, will meet with me on January 23 at 9 A.M. The technicians travel throughout the U.S. as well as Europe and South America.  A technician is always present during surgery to assure that the device is working properly. If I had remained in the post FDA approval testing group (see Dec. 1 blog), I would have gone to my surgeon’s office in Chicago for the activation.  Since this is not required, Allison will come from Atlanta to a Tampa medical office in the Outback Steakhouse home office building next to my wife’s favorite upscale mall, International Mall.  This could be an expensive trip.

I am in the fifth week of temporary total loss in the left ear and severe loss in the right ear.  My hearing aid has gone out a few times in reaction to loud sounds and I have an appointment to address this. When the lone hearing aid is off or removed, I literally cannot hear my razor, a blender five feet away or the vacuum.  A blessing sometimes as I removed the hearing aid a few times over the holidays when the grandchildren were roughhousing in the pool.

Due to fluid in the ear from the surgery, tests have shown that feedback problems occur if activation occurs too early.  Eight weeks is a prudent timeframe to limit such problems.  Earlier experience showed that the fluid could infiltrate the “wires” between the implanted Sound Processor and the incus and stapes bones. This has been corrected.  I have reviewed issues that occurred prior to the FDA approval and found that smokers have problems healing, that the batteries have improved, that the surgeon/technician teamwork is better, that surgeons who cannot meet the timeframes (time under anesthetic) have not been certified and other implant issues have been resolved.

Many persons interested in the Envoy Esteem implant have seen Sarah Churman’s activation appointment.  It is on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsOo3jzkhYA

She has been inspiring to the Envoy Esteem patients who share a Facebook group with her.  She keeps a blog which can be accessed at http://sarahchurman.blogspot.com/.

I will NOT be taping my activation nor do I expect to be quite as emotional.  Nonetheless, after waiting eight weeks, one hopes it works.  Expectations are kept low as several post activation follow up appointments are required.

The device will be set with minimal gain as one begins to hear again.  A “personal programmer” remote device can move around tiers of settings to find comfort zones and optimal hearing situations. Many patients have found no reason to change settings once such a zone is identified.

I really have missed not being able to respond to my grandchildren who would repeat three times before I would have to give up—we made a game of it.   My golfing friends are veterans of elective surgery for knees and hips and have been understanding.  My wife somehow never raises her voice in frustration to my inability to understand (sometimes purposeful, shhh). At professional meetings, my input has been limited as I can nod to what has been said but since I am not sure what was said, I cannot contribute.

I look forward to this (drum roll please) life changing experience on January 23.