Cutting-edge cochlear implant allows patient to hear grandkids again

Mike Ritchie has been living with hearing loss for more than two years. Even with hearing aids, Mike couldn't hear anything with his left ear and barely anything with his right ear. "Once things get to that point then we talk about cochlear implants," said Dr. Rick Nelson, an IU Health neurotologist who implanted Mike with a new "smart" cochlear implant that has upgradable software, internal memory and improved battery life. Mike is the first patient in Indiana with the new device. "Before surgery one of the nurses asked me what I wanted to accomplish with this," said Mike. "I said I want to be able to talk to my grandsons. I got three grandsons. They're funny and they're smart. I want to talk to them so we can have a better relationship."