I am 47 and have recently become almost completely deaf. In order to hear at all I now wear an in-ear hearing aid in my left ear, and a cochlear implant on my right. The implant looks like an old, large, behind the ear hearing aid that is attached by a wire to a two inch magnetic disk that attaches to a magnet in my skull. (i can also stick a fork to my head to impress the ladies hdslp I also can no longer use a compass, as it points to me instead of north) Currently my hair is long and the cochlear implant is not too noticeable.
Is wearing my cochlear going to cause me diffficulties at rendezvous? I assume at most rendezvous it would be a non issue. I guess I am more curious about wearing it at a juried event. I have never been to a rendezvous, just countless civil war events. When I was doing civil war reenacting this technology didn't exist. Hearing aids were overlooked since most reenactors just have to "look" correct to the public, and hearing aids were not too noticable.
I wear it because I need it to hear, but was just curious about it in a juried competition. Without it I tend to smile and nod a lot, and have unwittingly agreed to do more things than I want to admit. The idea of getting all my clothing and equipment correct seems to be a daunting enough task, just wondering if being a cyborg, of sorts, automatically disqualifies me?
i have a close friend who is about to have implant surgery, he is deaf without any type of hearing aids I guess. he isn't too far from you and you might like to be in contact with him.You wont' find a better buckskinner than this guy either. He would benefit from your experience possibly as well. PM me if you would like and I'll give you his contact information.
I do not know of a roundy that would give you any trouble about any medical implant. Some time I have to wear lace boots because of ankle injury. Only once have I been ask about them. One of dog soliders ask if I thought the boots were PC. I said no but on the other hand I did not the steel pins in my ankle we either. He said no problem and I have never been ask about the again.
I would suggest that you tlak to the folks that are putting on the event, and I bet they will not have problem with the hearing aids.
My club isn't very PC about costuming and I can't comment about places that are, but if you showed up here you would be welcome even if you were wearing a T-shirt and jeans and whether your hair was short or long. The implant to us would be like glasses or hearing aids, if you need them you need them.
Please remember that you still need to protect what hearing you have in your left ear and use hearing protection when shooting or around gunfire.
I cant think of any problem with your hearing aid. A freind of mine who runs the Shoenbrunn trade fair which is a strictly juried event eears his hearing aids. They do not like modern glasses but if you gotta pull them out to see, they over look it.
A non-issue at the few rondy's I have been too, same with my club. If you need it then wear it.