Hi! I'm Aidan...

Welcome to Cochlear Implant Life. A blog for people interested in the world of Cochlear Implants and hearing loss.

In 1978, I had the diagnosis of hereditary sensorineural hearing loss. The years passed and my hearing would deteriorate further. I started to wear hearing aids. But, my hearing loss was a downward spiral to complete deafness.

In 2001, filled with hope, I had a Cochlear Implant operation. My first operation failed. It was devastating. The little hearing that I had left destroyed, I felt suicidal.

Three months later, the surgeon operated again. After surgery, I woke up to silence. They wrote a sentence on a piece of paper for me, 'Your operation has been a success.' I held back the tears. It was all I needed to know. (Switch-on of a Cochlear Implant takes place 3-6 weeks after surgery.)

My three cousins also had operations at later dates. Very recently my brother took the Cochlear Implant plunge.

The decision to have a Cochlear Implant is one that has changed my life. But, the path to achieving success with it did not happen overnight.

In 2001, I remembered feeling very alone. There wasn't much information that I could refer to online. Today this has changed, and there is a wealth of information available. But, there can never be too much information!

My journey has meant that I have a lot of knowledge, experience, and information to share.

My journey has inspired me to write this blog.