Wow, my how life changes in the 'turning of an ear' :) SOOOO much to say, so little time to type it. Posted that YouTube video Monday night/Tuesday morning with ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA anything like this would happen. God is sneaky like that sometimes. Posted it on YouTube so I could attach the link to my FB for all you guys to see it and wham. I've not even had the implant activated a week and I could write a book on all the sounds!!!!! From small weird things like the toilet running to big things like the subway!
Anyway, started getting calls like crazy on Friday from people, places, and things and boy has this skyrocketed. My 1st and foremost goal is to use this publicity to get attention drawn to Envoy Medical and the Esteem Implant............I have said over and over, and I"ll say again....INSURANCE COMPANIES NEED TO START COVERING THIS PROCEDURE! Most people reading this know me well, and you know I'm not wealthy by any means, not even close. The ability to receive this implant was a total blessing from family, friends, church people, and strangers even. Mainly due to my Mother in Law, Lari <3 She paid for the brunt of this surgery and it'd be REALLY awesome if she somehow was reimbursed.........that's my 2nd wish. All you praying folks out there reading this, give it to God. In that order. Please. I have been contacted by so many people who would love to have this implant but cannot afford it...........breaks my heart every time. How cool would it be if they all could receive it?!?!?!?!? I know there are millions of others out there who would rejoice with me over the sound of themselves burping ;) Like my friend Vanda stated "my EAR is in His hEARt".
These last few days have been amazingly humbling..........I've cried with so many people on the phone and with Sloan so many times I've lost count. Times like this remind me that this world can be a beautiful place, and that there are multitudes of kind, loving people out there. People who take the time to say 'thanks' or 'you go' have just absolutely humbled me. I am surrounded by great friends and family. Good honest people. I love each and every one of you, and I am thankful to be in this position. Gonna end with a total cliche line..........."I'm just a small town country girl" Eclectic my whole life, but def never dreamed anything like this was in store. I only hope goodness comes from it all. Thanks!
Soak it Up ....You are Blessed
ReplyDeleteGod is truly shinning through you! It has been so amazing to watch all of this unfold!! I think this is just the beginning for you and so many others!
ReplyDeleteWow what an amazing adventure! You inspire me giving me hope for my own son, Porter!
ReplyDeleteSarah, you and Sloan are two of the most genuine people I know. I am SO thankful that you two get to be blessed in this amazing way. Both of you have blessed those around you even when you didn't have much you always gave so much. Thanks for being great friends and for loving God above all else. I am praying for you both and honestly I have such joy in my heart thinking about all these blessings God's pouring out on you!! YAY!
ReplyDeleteShannon Smith
P.S. Jeff is SUPER excited for you too. Every morning when we chat I get an update on how many views your video has. haha.
God is so good! We love you guys and are so excited for you! Way to go!!
ReplyDeleteI lost my hearing in my left ear when I was 18. For years my social life with friends and family and others were really strained because I was always having to ask people to repeat themselves or sit on the right hand side. In 2009, I had the BAHA implant and like you I broke down into tears when I was able to hear things again..
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing story of trust, faith, and love. Congratulations and blessings!!!
ReplyDeleteSeeing the joy and amazement on your face as they turned the implant on was beautiful to behold. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you, and I don't even know who you are! :-D
- Spudster
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteYour story has attracted a lot of interest in the hearing healthcare profession; and quite honestly there are more questions than answers, not only from people in the profession, but also among bloggers worldwide, such as Londons' highly influential Tina O'Malley:
http://funnyoldlife.wordpress.com
Once you get back to Texas, could you please post an entry with your unaided audiogram (and if you have it, your aided results), including speech scores? Also, if you could, please include a story about your deafness (cause & onset), and hearing aid history?
Your story is wonderful; and with a few gaps filled in to answer the sceptics, could indeed turbocharge the Envoy Esteem.
Dan Schwartz,
Editor, The Hearing Blog: http://www.TheHearingBlog.com
Add me on Facebook: http://Facebook.com/DLS4U
Follow The Hearing Blog on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hearing-Blog/209156765775017
PS: I'm on the borderline between an Esteem and a CI myself; and in fact my CI Mentor is Envoy Medical founder Ted Adams! http://it.umn.edu/news/inventing/2002_Fall/hearthis.html
Here is the URL of Sarahs' appearance on NBC Today:
ReplyDeletehttp://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/44755372#44755372
Unfortunately, the video has the captions for the hearing impaired stripped out.
So amazing. God is good!
ReplyDeleteI saw your news story online and was crying all morning. I have 2 hearing impaired children, my daughter was born deaf and my son son starting losing his hearing a year and a half ago. They have hearing loss due to conexin 26 mutations. I had no idea about this implant but have prayed for something like that for my kids. My daughter, 9, watched the news video eagerly with wide eyes, hopeful eyes and ran to tell her little brother about the "invisible hearing aid." Thank you for sharing your story.
ReplyDeletehttp://the-super-mom.blogspot.com/
Hello Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI'm a journalist for a French magazine, Le Nouvel Observateur. Your story is really touching. I've written you through your YouTube account. It would be really interesting and raise a debate if you'd accept telling your story to our readers.
My email : abaron [@] nouvelobs.com.
Hope to hear from you soon
Aude Baron
Jen, I saw your post on Sarah Churmans' blog about her experience with the Envoy Esteem hearing implant for your two children. Alas, they won't be of help for them for several reasons:
ReplyDeleteFirst off, due to the mechanical alignment constraints of the transducers, they would not be candidates until their heads stopped growing -- About age 13 for girls, 16 for boys;
Second off, Connexin-26 causes progressive hearing loss; and depending on the mutation, can render them profoundly deaf anywhere from birth to late twwns -- But it will happen; and before it gets to that point, hopefully you'll be diligent enough to get them wired up with cochlear implants (CI's) so they can resume their lives. See:
http://www.BionicEar.com
for more info
May I suggest you read Bionically Yours, by Tasha Hanley:
http://bionicallyyours.blogspot.com/
My friend Tasha lays out what happens when a child does not get a CI. Every parent of a hearing impaired child should read this.
Editor, The Hearing Blog: http://www.TheHearingBlog.com
Add me on Facebook:
http://Facebook.com/DLS4U
Follow The Hearing Blog on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hearing-Blog/209156765775017
Hello Sarah, I saw the video, and how touching! That is so amazing you can hear now with this implant! I'm deaf myself, since four, and wear a hearing aid and a CI. I had the CI implanted a year ago. I have never heard of the Envoy implant. I even work as a teacher of the deaf, and never heard of this. I hope that this is successful for you, and many others who have it. It's something to look into for my aided ear as well; I like the idea of it being discreet and invisible, not being bulky, and heavy. I wish you the best of luck in your journey towards hearing!
ReplyDelete~Janel Kisner
Hi, Sarah:
ReplyDeleteSaw a clip of you featured on CNN/Anderson Cooper and then found your interview with Matt Lauer/NBC. Congratulations-- thanks for sharing your story!
Michael
Rochester, NY
Just saw the Ellen show and it says you'll be there tomorrow! SO exciting!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to see that God is using your story to help so many others. I will pray that things will change and that I insurance companies will cover this amazing technology. God bless your mother-in-law and the other who did pay for your miracle. Like so many others, I have passed your story on!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI was gonna say you should look into the Youtube partnership program, do a blog, but I just saw you on Ellen! How absolutely amazing. That was fantastic of the Envoy people, absolutely amazing!
ReplyDeleteMike from Athens, GA
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, my English is not very good but I need to say that I read the latest publications of your blog and it's amazing how you describe the news about can hear.
ReplyDeleteIt made me appreciate more the fact that I can listen, speak, see...
Sometimes we forget to thank God for the treasure that is listening, talking, walking...
It seems to me that you are Christian...
I'm sure that all this is God's work in your life
I am so happy for you.
Your video has touched many people.
God bless you.
A hug from Brazil.
Karin Dayrell
I saw your video on CNN- congratulations on the "new ear"! I'm so happy for you, and for the device that has made this possible. God bless!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
Hi Sarah! Your youtube clip moved me so much...
ReplyDeleteYour story became a big deal here in Israel, I am just so happy for you :)
Dearest Sarah,
ReplyDeleteVery touching video.
Just caught up with your other bits on the Ellen and Today shows. Again, very touching that Envoy is paying you back the $60,000 for both ears. That is just amazing.
The past few days must have been overwhelming for you.
It is touching to see someone touched like you. I am truly happy for you. A life-altering moment captured and shared with millions of people who feel the same. This is epic. Like a fairy-tale in the present.
Thank you for sharing this.
The thing that I don't understand is, how can someone whose brain has not been able to have a chance to know how to interpret sound, suddenly comprehend it?
I mean, why doesn't the sound you hear, appear as garbled noise to you? How can you suddenly understand people without lip-reading them?
I thought that there would be a learning process involved during which you'd have to learn how to interpret sound, basically start from scratch as if you were a baby.
But, how can you understand the technician, what she's saying, immediately after the device is active? How do you know the words she is saying, if you've never heard words before?
Georg
Baffled, amazed, touched in Clearwater, Florida
I just came across your video and your blog! And I'm super blessed by your story; thanks for sharing! For He is always good and faithful... =)
ReplyDeleteei ... achei muito comovente o que aconteceu com você... eu também sou surda, só que de um ouvido ...gostaria de saber como que é esse negocio que você.. e só tem no E.U.A?
ReplyDeleteparabéns pelo seu sucesso!
You have a wonderful story! I cried when I watched your video. It was so very touching and such a miracle - a true gift from God! What a blessing it was that you shared this with us. I can only imagine what it must be like for you. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteEllen