Hearing with the BONEBRIDGE Bone Conduction Implant

Nicole told us all about what it was like to learn about the BONEBRIDGE Bone Conduction Implant after 58 years of hearing loss. She received her BONEBRIDGE and had her audio processor activated in January, and now we’re excited to find out what it’s like in the first month of her new hearing.

At Her BONEBRIDGE Activation

Wow…just, wow. I couldn’t believe it, how clear the sounds were! The first sound I heard was a small click, and then everything was clear. I heard my audiologist say, “What do you think,” and my husband said my face lit up and I had a huge smile. I actually had tears of joy! My husband could speak to me and I didn’t even have to read his lips!

I was so amazed how clear and crisp voices were, even with other sounds in the room like the shuffling of papers and humming of computer fans. When I was walking down the hallway of my audiologist’s office, I could actually hear conversations. And after leaving the hospital I was surprised by how noisy it was: noises I never really experienced before, like the noise of the car tires rolling on the road.

Hearing the Sounds She Missed

And when we were in the car, I was able to listen to music and actually hear the words to the songs—not just the loudness of the music.

Before my activation I was looking forward to hearing the sounds of my grandchildren, and the same day my BONEBRIDGE was activated I went to visit one of my daughters and two granddaughters. I could hear my 6-month-old granddaughter’s baby coos and babbles. I could hear her cry from her room on the second floor, even though I was in the kitchen on the lower level!

I showed it to all my family and friends. My three-year-old granddaughter was curious about the processor and asked me to show where the implant was, my ten-year-old grandson thought it was cool, and my three daughters all thought it was awesome what I could hear with it.

And my first day at work was great! I showed off my processor, to my coworker’s amazement, and could hear people talking in meetings—even those with low voices!  After a few weeks at work, I found that I had been missing out on a lot of conversations. I can now hear people speaking from another cubicle, without me seeing them!

Living With Her BONEBRIDGE

At my follow-up appointment a month after the activation, the surgeon told me everything healed very well and my audiologist did a few adjustments. Having had heard with the BONEBRIDGE for about a month, I was able to tell her what my needs were for my BONEBRIDGE programs on my remote. I now have 5 different programs on my remote: one normal, one louder, one softer, one for noisy environment like restaurants or crowds, and one for television. I also can adjust the volume on the control, and these programs can be adjusted by the audiologist to suit my needs. I’m ecstatic!

My world has been so different since I’ve been activated. This past month has shown me how much I’ve been missing in the hearing world. The one thing that I have been missing the most is taking part in conversations with my friends and family and hearing what they are saying! I don’t feel so alone and left out anymore. Also, listening to music and television and hearing the actual words spoken or sung is wonderful! I tried the level for television and noticed a huge difference. I could hear the voice much clearer, and the background noise of the film is not as loud.  This is so marvelous.

At home, my husband can be in the other room I am able to actually hear him. He told me that he is amazed at what I could now hear that I couldn’t hear before. He notices when I don’t have my processor on because I keep asking him what a specific noise is. I can hear different sounds from outside when I’m inside: cars, birds, snowmobiles, even the knock on the door!

I now feel so lost without my BONEBRIDGE! I can’t and won’t do without it!

Thinking About a BONEBRIDGE?

If you have a conductive hearing loss, BONEBRIDGE will change the way you hear sounds. There’s no comparison to a hearing aid where everything is super loud; there’s no muffling of voices—they’re so clear. You won’t miss out on conversations any longer!  BONEBRIDGE has rocked my world, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Thanks Nicole, and happy hearing!

Do you have a VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE or BONEBRIDGE? Sharing your story can help inspire others who are considering a hearing implant. If you’ve got a story, let us know in a comment below!

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