About TK

Hi, I’m Tammy “TK” Kinney.

This website shares my personal lived experience with a cochlear implant—from the decision, to symptoms, to the care I received, to explant and recovery. I’m documenting my timeline using my own records, notes, and correspondence so others can learn, ask better questions, and advocate for themselves.

This is not medical or legal advice—it’s my story, my documentation, and my voice.

A few of the Symptoms I was experiencing:

I was told by Dr. Driscoll with Mayo Clinic that I was having issues:  Loud screeching when my processor was of, experienced an actual shock sensation, I couldn't sleep on either side of my neck, I had body and facial stimulation, and dizziness so bad that I felt like my head was being filled, I felt like my head was being full with helium and was about to pop like a balloon, I had pulling or tugging at the base of my skull, it felt like the implanted magnet was pulling the skin, muscles and nerves. I fell down multiple times and it hurt my head to talk, it messed with my memory nerve and eye nerves (it didn't feel like my eyes were working together). I had a multitude of many other symptoms at random times. 
Dr.Driscoll was the first to tell me, "I don't treat symptoms" and "once implanted, your planted for life. 

if you have the same symptoms, you can reach out to me at kinneytammy@gmail:com