Hi Bonnie .....
In my case, I knew I would be SSD following my translab surgery, so it was arranged ahead of time for Dr. Friedman to implant the abutment at the same time. Therefore, I did not have a separate surgical procedure to implant the abutment.
I have an Oticon Medical Ponto Pro processor and I love it ..... best decision I ever made to have it done.
I am sure you are aware that no hearing device, be it a hearing aid, a bone-anchored device, or a transear type will ever restore your previously normal hearing.
To answer your question about crowds ..... crowds remain the single most difficult time for anyone with hearing loss ..... that includes people with normal age-related hearing loss. The problem with any hearing assist is it boosts all sounds so in crowds it boosts all the noise. That being said, I have a setting on my Ponto that will shut down one of the back microphones so, if I use it and cup my hand around my good hearing ear, I do very well in places like restaurants when seated in a booth with others across from me.
The biggest advantage of the Ponto is the ability to receive sound from my deaf side, which makes it safer in situations like walking near traffic, etc.
You will learn to instinctively position yourself to the best hearing advantage in different situations. If someone tries to talk to me in a noisy room, I automatically position myself with my hearing ear facing them.
To be perfectly honest, my greatest difficulty in a noisy environment is my tinnitus cranks up to an unbelievable level, which further reduces my hearing.
Hope that helps.
Clarice
