Mega Doctor News
Bill Perry, 83, had struggled with hearing loss for most of his life. Growing up in Michigan, his parents actively tried to help him – going as far as taking him to a leading-edge site in Tennessee, known at the time for its nuclear prowess, for a “futuristic” treatment that involved placing sparklers up his nose to help with his sinuses. The treatment was unsuccessful.
Fast-forward a lifetime. Bill and his wife, Nancy, are retired and live in the Rio Grande Valley, near their son, neurotologist Brian Perry, M.D., and his audiologist wife, Sandy Magallan, AuD.
According to both father and son, Bill struggled for many years with multiple sets of hearing aids while his hearing continued to decline. Socializing and going to restaurants became nearly impossible. Outgoing and sociable, Bill’s world continued to shrink as he became more and more isolated. Bill admits that he would try to follow along in conversations, picking up on cues from others. When he saw them laughing, he would smile or chuckle to try to go along.
He fooled no one, according to son Brian. It became “painfully obvious” how deaf his father was when he would give an unrelated answer to a question or laugh at something that wasn’t funny. While Brian had discussed cochlear implants with Bill years ago, Bill wasn’t ready to admit that it was time for a change. Now, living closer together, they both decided enough was enough.
Having conducted thousands of cochlear implant surgeries over the course of his career, Brian’s move to the area brought world-class neuro-otolaryngology specialty to DHR Health. His partner in work and life, Sandy, is an expert audiologist in her own right and is highly skilled at programming cochlear implants. Together, this meant that Bill – and any other eligible patient – can access high-level care in their own backyard.
In August, Bill made the decision to have surgery with his son to implant a MED-EL cochlear implant. The family decided on MED-EL because of Sandy’s real-world experience seeing how quickly patients with this device excelled. Brian also tapped into precision surgical mapping with MED-EL’s proprietary OTOPLAN technology that allowed him to “see” into his father’s cochlea ahead of time and select the right electrode, an important part of hearing implant success.
On September 2, Bill experienced a life-changing moment: his daughter-in-law Sandy successfully activated his new cochlear implant. Today, he is most looking forward to connecting with his community again and speaking with his grandchildren. He hopes his story will inspire others to take advantage of the access they have to the latest technology in the RGV – and the world of hearing.
