I was born with bilateral microtia and atresia. My parents decided to have my ears reconstructed with a rib graft. When I was 6, I had my first of 4 operations. I think I had 1 more that year and 2 the next. (Pictures are included) I have worn bone conduction headbands all my life except one year when I tried the BC Glasses. Those were terrible!!! In elementary school I wore a headband FM system. I was in a deaf education program from 3 years to 6th grade, after that I was mainstreamed. In the early 90's, (I forget which year) I had a minor surgery on my left ear to be able to put my glasses on more comfortably. That worked wonderfully! I went through middle school and high school with no real hearing problems that could not be fixed by sitting in the front of the class or asked to be repeated. By the time I went to college, (for only a year) I was ready for something new.
At this point I was already pregnant with my beautiful son, Elijah. My audiologist had mentioned the BAHA but for some reason I was turned off by the surgery. I guess I just wasn't ready then. I had my son, and my husband and I moved to California. (He is in the US Army) I called my old audiologist and had her send the BAHA information to me again, and that is when I started my quest for the Bone Anchored Hearing Aid. It took several months to get approved through the insurance. I have Tricare that is provided by the military and I got denied on the first try. Then I applied for persons with disabilities, and got approved. I then tried for the BAHA again and it went through. Through the help of the regional Entific rep, I got Dr. Cheung's name. I made an appt and the rest is history!!
Picture descriptions are as follows:
1. Mairim's headshot with BC Aids
2. Mairim at about 3 months old
3. Mairim with mother.
4. Mairim's right ear before surgery
5. Mairim’s right ear after 1st surgery.
6. Mairim at 6 yrs at the hospital for 1st surgery.
