One Step, One Ear 
at a time

It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years since I began my cochlear implant journey. In 2019, I said yes to becoming bimodal — wearing a hearing aid in one ear and a cochlear implant in the other. That choice brought me to a new world of sound, clarity, and connection. And now, here I am again… standing at another crossroads— once more — coming up on a scheduled appointment to find out candidacy for a second cochlear implant.

Spoiler alert: I already know the answer will be yes. But this process is so much more than a clinical decision.

Even though I have walked this path before, I still carry a head full of what ifs.

• What if I don’t like hearing electronically in both ears?
  
  
• What if I regret giving up the acoustic sound that my hearing aid still gives me?
  
  
• What if I lose my residual hearing completely?
  
  
• What if I develop vestibular issues?
  
  
• What if my brain struggles to adapt?
  
  
• What if the sound doesn’t sync the way I hope it will?
  
  

These aren’t just technical questions — they’re personal. Each “what if” represents my lived experience as someone navigating the balance between sound and silence; risk and benefit.  

But despite the questions, I’ve learned something important from my first implant journey: this isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon.

And just like before, I’m choosing to take the next step in training.

I know there’s no perfect route for anyone— only the one that aligns with you! The unknowns are a continuous question, but I also carry the positivity of what’s possible. So here I go… again. Not just as an audiologist, but as a patient — a human— who is still learning, still growing, and still tuning into the  frequency of life.

Stay tuned as I take this next step forward from bimodal to bilateral. I’ll be sharing more soon — the decision, the process, and everything in between.

Along this process, I have learned  that sharing the journey matters.