Midwife who is profoundly deaf and has a Cochlear Implant tells her story...
In an interview reported by the BBC, Sian was four years old when she was first diagnosed as deaf.
"My mother cried and cried when told the news. She had known there was something wrong with me but was constantly brushed off by doctors as an overly anxious mother; she was so relieved to finally have a diagnosis."
"After that, I was given a hearing aid but just ripped it off. Nothing helped. I kept getting ear infections and by the age of 14 was classed as profoundly deaf."
"Because I had spent so much time in hospital as a child, I was interested in the medical world and wanted to be a nurse."
After having two children and a cochlear implant, Sian applied for midwifery training and "never looked back". So far, she has completed two years at the University of South Wales.
"The implant helps me hear things, such as monitors and emergency buzzers that are essential in midwifery."
"I also have a specially-adapted stethoscope so I can hear babies' heartbeats. But I still face challenges."
"When studying at the university, I'm in a class of 22 and I struggle to hear. And when out on placement, I have to explain to people that I'm profoundly deaf but can hear via an implant."
"Sometimes, I'm meant to use a telephone, which is really difficult, but I try to avoid it if I can. The birthing room too can be challenging."
"When a woman is in labour, it is important to be able to hear the monitors and heartbeat of the baby. But if you build up a good relationship with the woman, it helps things go fine."
"When I gave birth, for instance, I didn't have an interpreter. But the midwives were amazing and their facial signs and body language were enough to reassure me. So I try to build that sort of trust and rapport with other women in labour. Being deaf doesn't affect the work I do."
Read the full article here:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-43376926
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Toomey Cochlear Pro is for people interested in the world of cochlear implants and hearing loss. It is published by full-time writer and freelancer, Aidan Toomey.
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