Rachel's bold new world thanks to implant

Rachel Fishwick, who can now hear birds for the first time.

RUSTLING crisp packets, the clacking of high heels and dripping taps are sounds most of us take for granted.

But for Rachel Fishwick hearing these noises clearly for the first time marks the start of a new era. The 40-year-old is beginning to adjust to life with a cochlear implant.

When Rachel was two her mother, Ann Heptonstall, realised there was a problem with her daughter's development.

Ann had a friend with a child of a similar age. He was starting to talk, but Rachel was not. A test with a cup and spoon at a local clinic highlighted her hearing problems.

Ann, who lives in Wyke, said: "They were clanging the spoon on the cup and Rachel of course couldn't hear it. She was just looking around everywhere, totally oblivious."

Rachel was born deaf. The nerve endings which pick up sound are missing from her ears and throughout her life she has worn a variety of hearing aids from heavy body models to much lighter digital ones.

But last year, after she was diagnosed with tinnitus, the hearing aids stopped working properly.

She said: "It was terrible. I couldn't hear at all."

At the time Rachel was living in Belgium as her husband Howard, 43, who is in the RAF, was based there.

Her doctor said the only option left was a cochlear implant.

Rachel said: "I wasn't nervous about it whatsoever. I was looking forward to it. I was very calm because I wanted it so much. It's going to make a bigger difference than my hearing aids did."

Rachel had the internal part of the implant fitted on October 18. Last Wednesday she returned to Bradford Royal Infirmary for the 'switch-on' - the connection of an external sound processing unit.

She said: "One of the first things I heard was tapping on the keyboard when I was typing.

"At first everyone's voices sounded like robots, but I've started to hear the difference between male and female voices now.

"I'm just beginning to hear the television now and can follow what's happening."

Rachel has also noticed high heels clacking on the pavement, crisp packets rustling and clocks ticking.

She is on a 10 year programme to help her adapt to the implant and uses a BBC website to get used to different voices.

She will visit her specialist less and less often over the decade, but regular check-ups mean the processor can be adjusted as required.

Rachel, of Millstone Rise, Norristhorpe, said she is looking forward to talking to her friends on the telephone, hearing her children - Conor, 11, and James, seven - shouting and getting a job in administration.

But she has never let her hearing problems hold her back. She is a keen canoeist and diver and has travelled the world, including a solo visit to Australia.

She is also a leader at 10th Mirfield Guides and in 1987 met the Queen to receive the Queen Scout Award.

The mother-of-two said: "The main problem I have is with group conversations. If there are more than four people I don't know where to look. It can be quite difficult."

The biggest concern Rachel had after her operation was about the implant setting off security scanners in shops and airports, but she carries a card which explains her situation.

She said: "I'm not allowed on rollercoasters either. This summer we went to two theme parks and I told the boys to make the most of it because I won't be able to ride them next year. "

"I'm also not allowed to play rugby - which I didn't anyway!" She added: "The implant is working, I know that. It's great, I am starting to hear without having to lip read and I'm really confident with it. It's still early days, but it's opening up things for me."

Next year Rachel and her guides will be raising money towards extending the Yorkshire Cochlear Implant Centre at BRI.

Extracted from Spenborough Guardian, Friday 23rd November 2007