Hi Nancy,

I've known you since 2000 (I think) when you, me, and two other hard
of hearing audiology students (Jill and Ann?) from Gallaudet met at
Uno's restaurant in Washington DC to talk about hard of hearing
audiology issues. We've come a long since and our numbers are growing.
Good to hear from you!

Anyways, I have a right ear CI and am on the consortium faculty at the
University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Arkansas
for Medical Sciences. I got my CI in 2001 while still in my first year
as a PhD student at the University of Memphis. Getting a PhD wasn't my
original intent, because losing more hearing between 2000 and 2001 as
a result of my LVAS made me less than confident about doing clinical
work. I decided at that point not to even pursue certification and
licensure. However, when I received the CI, I pursued them again, and
I'm now confident in doing clinical work as well as usual academic
duties. Today, I can take telephone calls from strangers when my
office phone rings (not that I "LIKE" doing that), but sometimes it's
a struggle and I simply let the person on the other end know that I
have a hearing loss. I'm very pleased with my decision to get a CI and
I reckon in the next 2-3 years I'll go bilateral. My left ear doesn't
have much to go on now.

Sam