Hear2day

My name is Beveley Crouts-Knipe.I am a 35year old professional with a profound hearing impairment. Since the age of 13 my hearing started declining; a decline that became more progressive from the age of 25.
It is assumed that working stress caused this increased activity.

Hearing Aids became a must from the age of 22. Starting out with the small in the ear hearing aids and, two years later moving to a BTE in the one ear soon followed by another BTE hearing aid for my other ear. Unfortunately this severe deafness became profound three years later, to the extent that it was almost impossible for me to lead a normal life.

I knew that I should not cut myself off from normal activities, but the stress and strain that came with attending a mere social gathering made me tired and at times miserable. I became anxious and constantly on my guard. Unknowingly my professional life also suffered. I could hardly put forth my studies as hearing in lecture theatres was a nightmare. I repeatedly applied for absence of leave. In essence I could not do more than one thing at a time. Work took precedence over all else, since it provided for my livelihood and possibly because I felt that it was necessary for me to proof that I was as good as, if not better than, my piers. Naturally my family and social life suffered a great blow. Needless to say and unknowing to me, I stopped living and merely existed for a long time.

Then the miracle occurred; I had a cochlear implant (CI). My life took on an amazing turn. Still today I find it unbelievable that I am able to hear as much as I do. Sometimes it is hard to believe that I am still deaf. The miracle of sound was given back to me through a mere operation, a simple medical procedure; but it came with a huge prize tag. As a recently married couple my husband and I could not afford this operation. Although my medical aid covered the operation cost; they merely covered R30 000 of the equipment, which according to them is considered a prosthesis.  We were determined for me undergo the operation as soon as possible and incurred a huge amount of debt that will hang over our heads for years to come. Currently, it is crippling us with the current and continued hike in our interest rate. Fortunately for me, my husband is very philosophical about it, and said that it an investment in me.

For me my CI is a new life source and I feel more alive now than I ever did in a very, very long time. Before this, I constantly worried about being deaf and becoming a recluse like so many of my family members (10 aunts/uncles and even more cousins and nieces/nephews). Now I know there is hope, by the grace of God and due to technological advances, anything is possible.  Although this miracle of hearing is a stone throw away from anyone that is hearing impaired, it being a very simple procedure; it still evades so many people with a profound hearing loss. Neither the state nor the Medical Aids are doing much to make this a reality to many. Most South Africans are denied this…Why??? I really don’t know. It is clear that money decides who hear and who don’t!