How's it feel?

...to hear for the first time

By As told to Steve Lange by Sinead Clements

Born deaf in Rochester in 1981 (to hearing parents Ian and Deidre Clements), Sinead Clements learned how to speak and read through a process called Cued Speech (a supplement to lipreading in which handsignals are used to represent various sounds). In 1997, at the age of 16, Sinead received a cochlear implant, a surgically implanted electronic device that can provide a sense of sound to people who are profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. The Mayo High (2000) and Boston University (2006) grad currently lives in England with her fiancé. Here she recounts that first experience with the implant. 

In the mid 1980s, my mother was approached to see what she thought of this new technology called the cochlear implant. She thought it was too early and wanted to see if the technology would improve in later years.

Life went on, I went to mainstream school, participated in theater, traveled, and amassed a collection of items that my mother calls junk. That summer I found out about a new type of cochlear implant that was by far their most advanced creation.

After years of turning down the surgery because of the fact that I thought I would have to shave my head, I warmed to this idea because it was a less invasive surgery. They were also planning on releasing a behind the ear version of the apparatus in 1998 and I was looking forward to that. 
 
In July of 1997, I went in for surgery. I was understandably nervous, as it was a major surgery. I went through the surgery and I recovered.

I waited nearly a month before it was turned on. I didn’t know what to expect. The audiologist told me to tell her if I heard a beep. I was expecting beeps so I would imagine some beeps instead of hearing them so I wasn’t quite sure if the beeps were real or imagined. Once I knew my cochlear implant was working I couldn’t wait to experience it being turned on.

Ann Peterson, who was my audiologist at the time, said, ‘Are you ready?’

I said, ‘Yes. Bring it on!’

Once she turned it on I could hear her, my mother, and even the smallest sounds in the room. Sounds I’d never even known existed with my old hearing aid. It was really one of the most glorious things I’ve ever experienced. I was so happy I started to cry.

Ann told me to go into another room and wait for the phone to ring to see if I could hear her over the phone. I did that and I could hear her voice clearly. It was the first time I had actually used the phone and I was 16.

We left the department and I pressed the elevator and I heard it beep to signal that it had arrived. I said to my mum, ‘I heard that!’ I also heard the squeaking of the shoes on the linoleum floor.

I can now talk on the phone, but only with people whose voices I can understand, such as my mother’s voice. I can listen to music on an iPod using a special attachment for my CI. The only times I turn it off is when I go to bed and after I flush the toilet because I absolutely despise the sound it makes. 

Nearly eleven years after my first surgery, I now have a second implant and it really helped with my sense of direction regarding sound. After this surgery, it was immediately turned on the next day, compared to my month-long wait after the first surgery. I am amazed how much has changed between implants.

I have moved to the United Kingdom and the cochlear implant really helped me prepare for this big move as I’ve been able to understand my British friends’ accents and I’ve begun to adopt a British style of speaking as I’m learning how they say certain words. I still hold onto my Minnesotan accent dearly.