Rush Limbaugh's Cochlear Implant Surgery a Success

Drudge Report ^ | 12/20/2001 | Matt Drudge

[Pokey78]

House Ear Clinic/House Ear Institute Public Statement

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Antonio De la Cruz, M.D., of the House Ear Clinic/House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, performed Rush Limbaugh's cochlear implant surgery yesterday. Dr. De la Cruz and Jennifer Derebery, M.D., have been treating Mr. Limbaugh for hearing loss as a result of Auto- Immune Inner Ear Disease (AIED). After a period of treatment with medication in an effort to save his residual hearing, Mr. Limbaugh and his physicians decided to proceed with a cochlear implant to restore his hearing. Mr. Limbaugh was moving around easily after several hours of post-surgery bed rest at St. Vincent Medical Center yesterday, where Dr. De la Cruz performed his cochlear implant surgery as an outpatient.

"I feel great!" said Rush Limbaugh. "The surgery went smoothly and I'm looking forward to enjoying the holidays and returning to the air in early January."

"Mr. Limbaugh's cochlear implant surgery at the House Ear Clinic yesterday went very well," said Antonio De la Cruz, M.D., House Ear Clinic/House Ear Institute. "As we expected, Mr. Limbaugh responded very well to the surgery, which lasted about two hours, and he was sent home this morning. Rush has the approval of his physicians at the House Ear Clinic to return to work in early January."

"Mr. Limbaugh won't be ready to use his cochlear implant until a recovery period of several weeks is completed," said Antonio De la Cruz, M.D., House Ear Clinic/House Ear Institute. "Mr. Limbaugh will be able to work and resume his other activities during the post-surgery recovery period while his incision is healing."

Rush Limbaugh will return to the House Ear Clinic in a few weeks to be fitted with the external unit for his cochlear implant. At the Clinic, Mr. Limbaugh's cochlear implant use will be activated in an initial stimulation and mapping session with his audiologist. He will hear sound for the first time since he lost his residual hearing.

"This cochlear implant will reconnect Mr. Limbaugh to his environment, and that is an important benefit to his quality of life," said Antonio De la Cruz, M.D., House Ear Clinic/House Ear Institute.

Two components make up the external unit worn behind the ear by cochlear implant users -- a microphone, which receives environmental sounds and transmits them to a speech processor, where mechanical sounds are then converted into a processed electrical signal. This processed signal is sent to the brain via the implanted electrodes within the inner ear. The quality of sound received through a cochlear implant is different from the quality of sound processed through a natural ear, but with time and training, most implant users learn to converse easily.

[Thumper1960]

Beethoven was deaf. They say he could "feel" the music. Of course, he created wonderful music, despite his deficiency. A different way of enjoying the melodies. I am confident Rushbo will intersect, adapt and overcome. As CarolHuTex stated, there are technologies forthcoming that will break the stranglehold of physical adversity for millions. Rush will do as he has always done: very well, thank you.

[B Knotts]

What was Sungirl right about?

This

[aruanan]

I cannot help but wonder how different the cochlear sound is compared to regular sound.

You know how you can get used to listening even to music on a cheap little speaker? Better that than nothing at all.

[Nephi]

I hope his Cochlear is resistant to cigar smoke.

[jokemoke]

Oh, how wonderful! Geez, is this country great or what!!!!

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

I believe Rush said on his show that he would never be able to hear music, even with the implant. I hope I'm wrong about that!

[christine]

i hope and pray that rush enjoys a complete restoration of his hearing. :)

[Big Horn]

Great News.

[Erasmus]

actually, one doesn't know if the surgery is successful several months post implant. He has to get mapped and get the processor turned on. then you know if it works.

I hope the processor box isn't based on Windoze XP. It'd be hell if some hacker were able to slip a bug in his ear.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Let me clear this up once and for all: you can hear music just fine with an implant! At least, I do. I love instrumentals and am partial to acoustic jazz piano, especially of the bossa nova breed. And speech is no problem... I use the telephone all the time. Now, not everyone acheives the same level of mastery, and I'm one of the luckiest. But I think Rush'll benefit at least as well. The implants themselves have improved, and the therapy that goes with it is considerably more advanced than when I had mine done in 1990.

[ravinson]

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

[usconservative]

Was wondering if this was why he wasn't on the air today.

Here's to a successful recovery, and a return of his hearing! Godspeed Rush!

[DaughterofEve]

I'm sure it will! So be confident! It's becoming increasingly common. May it go well for your friend.

[Erasmus]

It is bad enough to have to deal with Liberals with "one hand tied behind his back". Thank goodness it seems he will get some hearing back!

Yeah. I was waiting for him to say, "able to take on mush-headed liberals with half my brain and both ears tied behind my back."

+=<)B^)

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Oh, that's one of the best things about the implant versus hearing aids! No screeching feedback, and no itchy/goopy ears! :-P

[4CJ]

I am glad for Rush - to resume hearing your fans is great, to hear your enemies is better, and to torment them eternally with your recovery is the best.

[Wife of D28Man]

Let's keep up the prayers - the transition is going to be challenging.

God bless you, Rush; we're all rootin' for ya!

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

The anti-implant True Believers in the deaf community are truly a piece of work. It goes beyond nonsensical platitudes like "Deafness is not a loss of hearing, it is an enhancement of vision," which they like to spout. To those folks I say: I've been both deaf and not-deaf, and not-deaf is better, and anytime I want to be deaf again, I can just turn off my implant. For those of us who can benefit from the implant, there is no damn reason not to try it. Not everyone can benefit, but perhaps in a few years additional therapies will be available to them. (Witness the Auditory Brainstem Implant!)

Meanwhile, the anti-implant "professional deaf" folks just won't let up. They tried making the implant illegal in Canada, and they nearly succeeded. They tried the same tricks here, with less success so far. Their tactics can grow ruthless, and they can go right around the bend: I met a beautiful 18-month-old boy at a party a couple years ago; he was at the time the U.S.'s youngest implantee, and it was doing wonders for him. I went out of my way to show him my implant and let he watch goggle-eyed as I conversed normally with his parents and others at the party. They were very grateful for my solicitousness, as they fully intended to mainstream him into a "normal" life, and the implant was key to that--a is the earliest-possible implantation, so the child grows up with sound and speech. Well, would you believe that hate-mail regularly came to their house, addressed both to them and to him, calling them genocidal nazis and butchers. I am not making this up. Eighteen months old...! In a small way, I can sympathize with those parents. I had to change my email address a few years ago when I started getting a flood of abusive crap from those types. That was bad enough. But sending the same stuff to a little boy is twisted and vile.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

Do a google search on "Harlan Lane" sometime, if you dare.

I did one. Here's an interesting article that makes your point. I find it totally bizarre. It's almost as if some deaf people think of themselves as members of an elitist club.

Here ya go!

[bluesagewoman]

I guess my experience with the "Deaf Culture" has been a bit different. I lived in a town where there is a school for the deaf. My deaf neighbors were so happy to teach me to use Sign. And they were so happy to have a partially hearing person to translate for them when needed. I can understand the difference in culture. I guess I never saw the hostility you did. I hope I never do. I know the hostility is out there, but I hope it is fringe. BSW