Ending the sound of silence

Retired doctor Michael Mackay found his world descending
into silence last year.

Decades of hearing loss had become steadily worse – he could
no longer hear while speaking on the phone, or participate in conversations
with more than one person.

"I lost the ability to hear people on the phone, watch
television or enjoy simple pleasures like listening to music," he said.

"It was a very isolating and lonely experience."

Mr Mackay, 72, has recently become the first person to
receive a cochlear implant at Kawana Private Hospital on Queensland's Sunshine
Coast.

He said the procedure had changed his life.

"Now, I can have a proper, one-to-one conversation ... I can
even hear the ticking of my watch," Mr Mackay said.

Ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon, Dr Kristy Fraser-Kirk,
carried out the procedure.

"One of the main restrictions to receiving health care in
this area had been distance, so this new service will be life changing for
local residents," she said.

Mr Mackay said he was delighted to find out he could have
the surgery close to home.

"I used to travel to Brisbane for all my hearing aid
appointments which easily took up a whole day for me," he said.

"With the facility being within an hour of my home, I was
able to choose a local ENT surgeon which I knew would be convenient for
follow-up appointments in the long run."

Unlike traditional hearing aids, a cochlear implant consists
of a surgically implanted device which bypasses the damaged part of the ear and
stimulates the hearing nerve directly rather than making sound louder.

Mr Mackay first developed hearing problems as a medical
student in the 1960s, as a result of Meniere's Disease.

For more than 20 years, he regarded his right ear as being
"useless" but in recent years, also lost all hearing in his "good" left ear.

Dr Faser-Kirk completed the cochlear implant in his left ear
and Mr Mackay's hearing has been steadily improving since then.

With the new facility opening at Kawana Private Hospital, Dr
Fraser-Kirk hoped this would encourage others in the area to consider cochlear
implants when hearing aids were no longer enough.

"We all have the right to access care close to home," she
said.

"Patients who start to notice they are losing the beginning
and ends of words, whilst wearing hearing aids, is quite common.

"These people need to know that cochlear implants are
another alternative and there are financial pathways to receive the treatment
for a better quality of life."

Mr Mackay's hearing is predicted to continue to improve
during coming months.

Next Industry Talk:
12/2/2020 Private hospitals' high quality care recognised

Previous Industry Talk:
22/1/2020 'Restore rebate in budget and curb public patient poaching' – APHA