G has a CI

G has a CI and it's important to me that he learns to sign and speak.
Recently his CI was broken and Florida Medicaid no longer has a contract
with Cochlear Americas.  None of the CI companies can work with Florida
Medicaid.  Thank you Governor Scott! 
  So G's CI was not working for 1 month because we hadn't gone to the
ENT for 5 years and to see the Audiologist we needed to have a referral from
the ENT.  It took me 3 weeks to realize that this was the hang up.  So we saw
the ENT and Audiologist on the same day and Geoff got a loaner. 
  When they put the loaner on G he had a reaction much like you may have
seen on video if you've ever watched an activation video.  He started to tear up
and we asked "Can you hear me?"  It looks like someone being overwhelmed
with gratitude and emotion.  In G's case, and I think all cases, he was soon
able to tell us that it was too loud and that he was very uncomfortable.  Having
an electrode fire up your nerves probably feels a bit like having an electrode
firing up your nerve, go figure.  I just thought this was interesting considering
how it is often played like "Oh, you're hearing us and crying!  Hallelujah!"
  Going forward, we were still waiting for Medicaid and the Audiology clinic to
get G's CI fixed.  Another month came and went.  The loaner started to have
similar issues as G's CI, fizzing out mid day. 
  Cochlear allows families to purchase private insurance for the CI.  $500 covers
a onetime repair.  $625 covers 1 year of repairs.  $880 covers 1 year of repairs
and loss.  I am grateful for G's CI.  It provides him with a lot of access to
sound and makes our family life much easier.  We got the $880 policy, $75 a
month is worth it to us.  But I wonder how other families that don't get as good
of benefit from their CI's deal with this issue. 

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