Rush Limbaugh's Cochlear Implant Surgery a Success

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

[Redbob45]

What would you bet that speech processor is somewhat smaller now than shown in that 1991 Mayo Clinic sketch?

Bless you Rush; Merry Christmas!

[EODGUY]

I'm very happy that Rush's surgery was a success and the prayers from many of us have been answered.

I do however hope Rush ordered the implant that has the ability to lock out certain voices, kind of like the lock out on your cable.

Let's see, how would my life be improved if I never had to listen to their voices again........Hillary, Eleanor Clift, Ratner, Boxer, Maxine, Little Tommy, Little Dickie.....sorry I better save some band width, I'll write them down on a legal pad(s).

God Bless you Rush.

[Snow Bunny]

This is wonderful, GREAT news. God BLess Rush !!!!!!!!!!

[oldvike]

Pardon me if this question is a little inapropriate (I ask it only to get an idea of what to expect from Rush), but did your sister continue to lose her normal speach sound even after the implant? Basically, I'm asking if her voice sounds the same now as it did at the time of the surgery?

[jejones]

Well...maybe I'm just thinking I'm hearing a difference, but lately I'd swear that I've heard Rush, once he gets wound up about a subject, going into falsetto range rather more than he would before, since he doesn't have the audible feedback.

In any case, I'm glad to hear about the cochlear implant surgery, and I hope he discusses it on the air--I'd be fascinated to hear how he perceives sound with it (is it blatantly different; is it like those glasses that turn everything upside down or swap left and right, so that if you wear them all the time your brain adapts and then everything looks back to normal?)--since he had his hearing before, he'll have an interesting perspective on it.

[tubebender]

Bumping for wife to read in the morning. I pray with all my Heart that this is a success for Rush. In the late 80s I was one of a dozen sponsors of his two "RUSH TO EXCELLENCE TOUR" here to Humboldt county. We had a private reception with him both times. He was a introvert off the mic in those in those days.He came to this area two other times to speak to the timber industry as they love him very much. Remember the TIMBER UPDATES with the chain saws? We advertised on his show for eight years then my son hired a new ad agency and they convinced him it was a bad thing to do.(?)

[_Jim]

but did your sister continue to lose her normal speach sound even after the implant? Basically, I'm asking if her voice sounds the same now as it did at the time of the surgery?

Ya know - I never really noticed a difference ...

Now - she sounds like my Mom (very Michigan-ish)!

So, the short answer is, her speech doesn't seem to have changed very much at all (she is still my 'goofy' younger sister to boot!).

[_Jim]

Remember the TIMBER UPDATES with the chain saws?

I LOVED those timber updates! I've got one or two of those captured as WAV files somewhere ...

[oldvike]

Thanks for all the info Jim. I'll continue to keep my fingers crossed for Rush. BTW, it's wonderful to hear how well you sister is doing.

[jejones]

Hmmm. Is it possible to recognize people's voices, or different musical instruments, with the implant? Thanks, and glad to hear that your sister is doing well.

[LasVegasMac]

Rush, all your ears are belong to us!

God Bless and Merry Christmas.

Hope to hear you again soon!

LVM

[maxwellp]

I think Rush will tell us himself when he comes back how different his hearing will be. Thanks to the medical community for giving Rush back his hearing. I look forward to listening to him again in January. I'm praying for Rush so that he can continue to fight liberals as only he can!

[woofie]

My best to Rush

[mafree]

Good! Rest up El Rushbo.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Yup, that's my Harlan.

Love your screen name, BTW.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Excellent news. Rush is a good example of perseverance paying off. He's living his words. A lot of us would like to be able to do that.

[Captainpaintball]

We love you RUSH!!!

[Pelham]

Beethoven actually was deaf only at the very end of his career. For the 9th Symphony, primarily.

[Pelham]

Who was that guy and how in the name of goodness did he ever get on Rush's show!? Paleeze!

Lol! That's Bill Handel, of KFI in Los Angeles. A real prize, isn't he? Sure you don't want to take him off our hands?

[Yaelle]

I am sorry, but Rush won't be able to hear music the way we do. He may be able to get something out of hearing a song he already knows by heart, as he will get electronic feedback, but it won't be anything like what the ear can do. Rush knows that.

My mom used to work at House; she was the first audiologist to rehabilitate cochlear implant patients. What Rush will be gaining, and what he most misses, is FEEDBACK from his surroundings. That will help him in conversations, golfing, everything. It will bring him closer to his world again. He will have LOTS of work to do, retraining himself to "hear" using completely different information than that which he was used to receiving from his ears. He will STILL need to lipread, but he can get good at that with the feedback the implant provides. He may have underestimated the amount of work, and the profound psychological impact this will have on him, but my mom has listened to him long enough and knows he has the character to tough it out and make it a success! Of course he will!

All the best to you, Rush, if you are reading this. Merry Christmas!