Our 15th Implant Surgery - a Huge Milestone for Jacob's Ride!

This past month was a huge milestone for Jacob’s Ride. 15 cochlear implant surgeries is a huge accomplishment!

Not only is raising the money an accomplishment, but the level of involvement of Jacob’s Ride is extremely different. This is the first time that we have actually negotiated the financial arrangements with the surgeon and the hospital.

For five years, we have partnered with the Gift of Hearing Foundation who handled this aspect, while we at Jacob’s Ride focused on raising money and riding a bicycle. When their President retired, their Board decided to close the foundation. We are committed to continue the mission.

My life has changed a lot since I got on a bike six years ago. I still ride to commute, but have basically stopped riding recreationally. I am engaged to be married and have different, less time-consuming hobbies. I can now hear with both ears. I could not have imagined this six years ago, yet I could not be happier with where I am today.

The same feelings are for Jacob’s Ride. From the excitement and lofty aspiration of raising $1 million in 2013, to a 2-3 year period of riding across the country again yet being unsure about what the future would hold -  I am thrilled with the role we currently fill.

During the first several years, because of the federal HIPPA regulations, we never were privy to patient information - usually not even names. Now we are directly involved in restoring hope and hearing to individuals with whom we have direct contact. It is very gratifying.

Since 2013, we have financed an average of three surgeries per year. In our new role, and our new application package, we actually have five candidates who have completed the medical testing and have completed the applications. Our goal is to increase the number of surgeries to five per year. In order to accomplish this, we need continued support and donations. Please consider giving one of the most precious gifts of all - the gift of hearing, by donating today.

My Year of Gratitude

The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for me, since I work at a grocery store. When I’m working before the sun rises and leaving well after it sets, it’s hard to maintain that attitude of gratitude that is the essence of personal serenity. But the actual holiday is supposed to be all about gratitude. So many times, when I reflect of thankfulness, I usually end up realizing how much I take for granted. 

One thing that surprised me when I reflected on what I was grateful for in 2018 was that I initially didn’t think about my second cochlear implant. It’s been a big year for me; I got engaged, I moved in with my fiancée, I had a lot of changes at work. But during all of that, I got an implant and began using my left ear to hear for the first time in almost 20 years.

Something so incredible is so easy to take for granted. I think the reason for this paradox is that it is such an every day thing for me to hear from both ears. Even after 19 years of single-sided hearing, hearing with two ears is such a natural benefit. Me and my brain love it so much. The coolest thing about it is how much my brain loves it even though the new ear is so challenging by itself. The best way to explain it is that by itself, my new ear only gives me maybe 11% comprehension (might be generous). My old ear is well above 90% in a quiet environment with no lip-reading. 

Even with such a huge discrepancy, my brain is already so conditioned to surround sound. It is such a joy. It is so noticeable when the battery dies in my new ear. I am so shocked at the decrease in the quality of my hearing. I am amazed at how quickly the second implant has given me added richness, fullness, “roundness,” to sound that I did not have before. And this is all with very poor speech discrimination. 

Not only do I have to be thankful for both of my implants, I also need to be thankful for all the fine people I met in all of my travels that guided me in this direction. My life sounds better now.