I was so lucky (read hard working) to have a great experience with my first implant. I understood speech right at activation. I’d not had speech understanding without speech reading for several years even with Nadia HAs for years. Everyone sounded like Elmer Fudd - including me - for about 5 or 6 months but that resolved. I even enjoy music and can identify most instruments these days.
I admit I worked my fanny off. My grandkids tested me on facetime, I gave flash cards to delivery guys to read to me and repeated word lists to anyone who called or visited for months that first year. I still have a bunch of apps on my phone that I used to test my hearing - including one for instruments! I loved every bit of it because I’d been deaf for years and been isolated for too long!
Expectations: I don’t have the ability to locate birds and I am a birder! I have to look to find sirens so I want that ability back. When on a birding trip I want to hear the guide when he says “Black Faced Dacnis” through to the left above the coral flower” soto voce, and know where to look because I heard where he spoke from!!! I want to hear “Liz” when the nurse calls out my name…
And some of your your experiences
In advance, gratitude.
Lizzy
Welcome to the forum @Lizzy. I’m bimodal N8 & Resound, I also worked my butt off to get the result I have now. I’ve been tossing around going bilateral for several years now. I spoke to my original CI Aud, and consulted with my surgeon. My surgeon wouldn’t do my L ear originally as he didn’t think I would get a good as result as my R ear would. I haven’t heard high frequencies in my L ear for over 7 decades now. And that’s the stumbling block for my surgical team. He still doesn’t recommend my going bilateral.
There’s so much to consider when going bilateral.
Even though I’m prepared to put in the hard yards in rehab, sometimes it’s not enough. I still might not get a good or even fair result from going bilateral. All due to my hearing loss history. If this was to be the case I’d be worse off than I am now. When I went for my original evaluation my L ear was at 22%. Without my hearing devices on I can’t understand conversation. So I understand your dilemma completely.
Good luck with your decision.