Posted on 01/03/2002 10:11:59 AM PST by kattracks
Talk radio megastar Rush Limbaugh returned to his regular three-hour daily broadast on Thursday for the first time since undergoing cochlear implant brain surgery on Dec. 19 to restore his hearing.
"The surgery went well," the upbeat-sounding Limbaugh told his audience. "In fact, the doctor said that it went spectacularly well."
Still, the legendary talker cautioned that the ultimate success of the operation - whether or not it restores his hearing - won't be known for some time.
"No two implant patients are the same," he explained. "So there's no way of predicting." Limbaugh noted that half of all implant recipients are still unable to use the phone - a crucial part of his job as a talk host.
Limbaugh said he asked his doctor, "Can I read anything into to future performance of the implant in hearing you say the surgery went spectacularly well?"
"No, not really," came the response. "It just means that there were no boney protrusions. All 16 electrodes were seated firmly, very well, and tested flawlessly."
The talk host added jovially, "He did say that my skull was the hardest he ever tried to saw through in his entire career."
But despite his words of caution, the famed talker indicated that some of his hearing had already returned.
"You turn this (implant) on and you hear every little thing.... Then you've got to learn to distinguish those sounds from voices your hearing. And then you've got to try and figure out the words."
He described his first week after the surgery as "a big challenge."
"It was a pretty quick recovery. I guess maybe five or six days to get over the major aspects of the dizziness and the discomfort associated with an incision. Bandages were removed after about ten days or so."
Coming out of one commercial break during his first hour back on the air, Limbaugh joked, "On the cutting edge of societal evolution, Rush Limbaugh - still with half my brain tied behind my back just to make it fair. And that's, by the way, after brain surgery."
Was kinda hoping to get Professor Williams once more though. I love the way he thinks....
I heard that show...Roger Hedgecock (sp?) handled the issue of giving the WTC victims government money poorly. I'm not sure how exactly I feel about it, but Roger's arguments didn't seem to stand up well to the callers.
Yeah, but for liberals brain surgery would be an improvement.
I think the author has his facts misplaced: I heard that line and took it to mean that when they ultimately turn on the implant that he'll then hear everything.
Also, from someone (me) who almost got on the show today, I can say firsthand that the current Mr. Snerdly advised me that Rush still couldn't hear anything and provided some quick behavioral advice to make the call (that didn't happen) flow better.
I was not impressed with him as a conservative talk show host.
I am hoping Rush gets his hearing back.
LOL.
NOPE. This reporter got it wrong. Nothing has been turned on yet. Rush was referring to someone else's experience when he said: "You turn this (implant) on and you hear every little thing.... Then you've got to learn to distinguish those sounds from voices your hearing. And then you've got to try and figure out the words." Headline is also wrong.
Seems to me it's not just Rush who's deaf.
Former San Diego mayor Roger Hedgecock. I too am not impressed by this man.
P.S. - Just because I don't wanna post a vanity on the subject, I'll throw this in now: the topic I wanted to address was about the Dept. of Transportation's decision to loosen staffing requirements for Air security personnel. Rush was basically beating up Daschal for this (and pointing out his original October call for an "elite" group to guard our airports against terrorist activity. The DOT has backed off of this, resulting in a toothless air security bill (to nobody's surprise on this forum, I'm sure).
My point was simply this: it's not Daschal's DOT, it's BUSH's. The President need only order the DOT to adhere to the law and the intent of the law and make sure that everyone has -- at the very least -- a high school diploma or GED. Then how dare Daschal or any other Dem complain about it since this is still not anywhere near the idea of an 'elite' force. [Of course, the problem with this is that 7,000 security troops would suddenly be out of a job, leaving huge security holes.]
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