How it Happened.

Further to my Blog one on Cochlear/Deafness. I had tinnitus whilst in Belgium in 2005 and it only lasted three weeks so we forgot all about it till November 2006 when it happened again! I went to the military centre in Germany and finally nagged at the consultant for better hearing aid and he agreed as long the military would fund it - to be honest, back in January 2004, they nearly cancelled our overseas tour because of this but it was one of the airmen who said that not his senior boss - the senior boss was furious and should not have sent my husband the fax!

I eventually got some new digital hearing aids last August 2006 and it was brilliant - it certainly changes the technology and it improved until November 2006…..So I had to see the doctor (military) and got referred to a specialist at St Rafael's Hospital in Leuven and had hearing tests…. Sadly my left hearing had deteriorated (that left hearing was my good ear!) and it was a shock as I couldn't hear a thing - not a bleep! Unfortunately we couldn't make the next appointment as we were packing up to move back to UK. Anyway, mum was with us for a week and the phone rang one Thursday and mum answered it as I couldn't answer it as I had no hearing on the left ear if I spoke on the phone! It was so difficult as I used to hear on the phone no matter where I was ringing from! The Professor wanted to see us….. So after numerous calls to get hold of hubby who was busy at work and his boss said he would find him! Eventually hubby rang back and said go ahead and hubby will speak to my military doctor who rang that afternoon which was super.

We waited and waited to see the professor and he said something about Cochlear Implant - I thought "hang on wait a minute…" I've only just arrived here and I'm about to go back to UK! Professor understood and said that I should have Cortisone Injections so I said ok. He also suggested that I have blood tests to see if there was any infection in it? Okay so I went to have the blood tests and the junior doctor went to speak to my mum and said "After that test, you two go up to the ward on the next floor for 5 days?" Mum queried "why and what for?" Doctor said "for further tests". Mum alarmed him to say "no she's got two kids to be collect from school and is very busy for the next 5 days"…. Doctor said "okay go to the other hospital"… so we drove to Gasthuisberg and waited and waited. It got rather frustrated and time was clocking away as I needed to get the children from schools and couldn't get hold of hubby as mobile phones weren't allowed! I paced up and down the corridors and mum was getting angry…. Oh! I kept looking out for the doctors and said "yes, one on its way"… but couldn't tell me when!

Arrgh!I then looked at the clock and warned them that I'm going at 3.00pm as I have to pick my youngest up at 3.30pm. So they chased it up and eventually found someone to administer the prescriptions - that what we were waiting for!!!! They next said "can you stay for 4 hours?" I said "NO" due to kids… okay they said and managed to get some cortisone and saline drips and inserted in my arms and I had to have the drip kept in for 5 days meaning that it was bandaged up daily and popping back to the hospital every morning! Collected the youngest kid then went to collect eldest kid from another school and found my husband there - he was worried as he hadn't heard from me and doh I forgotten to put my mobile back on!

So that was for 5 days of cortisone injection followed by MRI Scan and results and said that my scan was normal. The cortisone injection didn't improve and we got talking to my mother-in-law who used to work at the audiology department, she mentioned it to one of the nurses (who is our friend too) and she mentioned to her consultant and quickly replied "when they return to UK - they must see us"..

So it was fro-ing and to-ing with mum along and shame I couldn't take her anywhere as it was her last visit to Brussels with us…. Never mind but she understood what was happening and learnt a lot in the hospital! On my return, we saw the consultant and had another hearing test - still the same as in December and was rather concerned. He then suggested that he refer me to seek further information about Cochlear Implant. So after paperwork in February we waited and waited for the appointment - nothing happened until my husband rang - I still couldn't use the phone - only text on mobile.

The YCIS (Yorkshire Cochlear Implant Services) finally contacted us and apologised for the delay due to funding as they had to seek some fund from our primary care trust in our area.