Hearing Loss Story by: Debbe Hagner

Introduction by Dan Gardner M.S.

As a board member of the Hearing Loss Association Florida I meet Debbe before her cochlear implant and have interacted with her after the procedure. This was a life changing procedure for her.

Debbe Hagner

Since I was born, I have been hard of hearing. Possibly due to my premature birth. At only 3 lbs., I spent my first month in an incubator in the 50’s, when preemies did not have the advantage of the technology we have today. I wore two hearing aids most of my life. This, (hearing loss) of course, is a serious handicap in our society. I have a very loving family and they have been extraordinarily supportive of me all of these years. Growing up, the hearing aid in my left ear became progressively less effective and I became profoundly deaf in that ear, but continued wearing an aid in my right ear.

In 1993, I was recommended to see Dr. Joseph Farrior III in Tampa, a renowned otolaryngologist, specializing in cochlear implants who suggested I have a Cochlear Implant (CI) in my right ear. I did not want to possibly jeopardize my only hearing ear with surgery, so he suggested that I wait until technology improved, as it was advancing. I had the MRI done on my head and to my surprise that the cochlear was normal size. So I waited…. read the rest of story http://hla-fl.org/