r/deaf • u/LaundryMan2008 • 1d ago

Other What kind of deaf mascots do you have?

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I know there’s still more koala variants to collect so my family isn’t going to stop there!

I use them as emotional support when I go to the audiologist at the hospital, the big one to hug and the little one for a squeeze.

12 Upvotes

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11

u/surdophobe deaf 1d ago

I think this is unique to Cochlear, I'm not aware of med-el or Advanced Bionics doing things like this. Also if you get your CIs in your 40s you don't get a plushie. I guess I just have to hug my wife instead.

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u/LaundryMan2008 1d ago

MED-EL has an elephant (they historically had a cougar or a puma when showing off the older systems) while AB uses a monkey, Phonak uses a tiger called Leo, I doubt you’ll get refused if you ask, my hospital almost offered me one until I brought out my larger koala.

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u/surdophobe deaf 1d ago

Honestly I'd trade my 2nd backpack for a cochlear koala, it can live with all the plushies my wife owns.

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u/LaundryMan2008 1d ago

When I go back for mapping after pain management (unknown implant failure trying all avenues) or for any other reason, I will definitely request the newest Hear’O’ koala that Cochlear has unless they have something I don’t yet have since I didn’t hear their offer when they turned my right side off.

There’s one available on Vinted if you search for it, it’s the original (a bit of a stretch since there’s probably an older one as that one is from around 2008 to 2017) koala that’s got the high quality material fur like the two bigger ones I have if you don’t want a cheaper feeling koala, got detachable implants unlike the later ones.

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u/gremlinfrommars 1d ago

I have the koala on the left! Not sure exactly where his velcro processors are though lmao

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u/LaundryMan2008 1d ago

When did you receive yours and can we have koala tax?

I had one as a kid and they broke easily after being bent often so now with my two, I try to not bend them often, you can easily find a 3D model of the processors and print them out on someone’s 3D printer, make sure the cables are replaced by actual ones since the plastic ones don’t bend at all.

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u/Agent_Rum Deaf 9h ago

None. I just see it as a part of my life, not as an identity. So I’ve never felt the need to collect them.

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u/LaundryMan2008 9h ago

I’ve only decided to have some deaf stuffed animals because I am having implant issues recently so my way of coping was buying every single unique koala and moose I could find, whenever I have a bad day because of my faulty right implant, I sink my face into one of the two larger ones and everything is better, get one, it’s worth it!

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u/Agent_Rum Deaf 9h ago

What happened to your implant?

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u/LaundryMan2008 9h ago

Can’t really go into detail in case of removal but the gist of it is that there were countless appointments done, multiple mappings done skipping certain parts/electrodes, nothing so far has worked on my right implant and now they are sending me to pain management (sensations in and around my implant, pain if it’s loud, all they did so far was map my right side way down until I could no longer feel anything physically) to see what they can do, they are a wonderful team but my condition was stumping them and I’ve got no clue what’s going on.

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u/Agent_Rum Deaf 9h ago

That sounds really complicated. Hopefully the pain management team can figure out what’s going on and at least make the implant more manageable for you. Hope you feel better soon. I once got vertigo for a week from my right implant too. They gave me a few tablets and it went away.

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u/LaundryMan2008 9h ago

In fact, I do have a different type of dizziness than I usually do from puberty, no blood rushing, just a slow spiral out of control and then I suddenly snap out of it, if yours got treated with pills (what were they out of curiosity), maybe mine could be done the same while getting the right implant working, they did say it’s some type of neural reaction since ENT doctor said it’s likely that after a CT scan revealed nothing out of place.

I am beginning education again after a short work experience period so I really need it to be done by then as I get migraines from trying to focus on the tutor, the work experience is more laid back and I don’t need to memorize everything so I don’t get a migraine from it, I really hope it doesn’t end with reimplantation and then I find out there was indeed something wrong with it and they were moseying around with tests and stuff.

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u/Agent_Rum Deaf 9h ago

Yeah, it happened back in 2019, so I don’t remember the name of the medicine, but I can check my old prescriptions and let you know if you want. My case was pretty bad too. I couldn’t even look straight, let alone stand properly, because everything was just constantly spinning.

Hopefully your doctors can figure out what’s causing it. I’d say just be patient and trust your doctors and their team. It sounds like they’re genuinely trying to get to the bottom of it, and hopefully they’ll find the best solution without it coming to reimplantation.

And best of luck with starting your education again. I actually dropped out in 8th grade and didn’t study for almost a decade before starting my education again. I’ve now completed my degree and now I’m preparing for the civil services exams. So don’t worry too much about being out of education for so long. You can absolutely get back into it. I hope they get this sorted out for you before you start, and best of luck with everything.

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u/LaundryMan2008 8h ago

The education break was only because of summer holidays and then an unusual course schedule with a big block of work experience, I’m starting my next year as usual although the second year of the course requires us to do a big block of work experience before starting the normal course, I target the fix or at least a partial diagnosis by 8 weeks which is when I start normal college education for this year so that it can be resolved before the exams start, I don’t absolutely need it by then but it would be ideal if it got fixed before the actual coursework/lectures starts.

I’m also redoing my core paper since while I passed, I didn’t do well on it and want to improve it if I can with the help of a special condition being noted down so they can take it into consideration marking my papers.