I straddled the gray area of meeting the threshold for cochlear implantation for a couple years, and I was frustrated beyond belief that I wasn't getting the help I needed. During one such visit when I missed qualifying for the CI by a hair, Dr. Schwartz met with me for an hour to talk about my health history and life in general. I knew he really wanted to help me, and I couldn't believe that he cared that much. When I finally qualified for the CI, he was informative and honest about the side-effects to look out for. The surgery was easy. He didn't need to shave my head, and he didn't leave a big scar. Dr. Schwartz used wax on the cut, so I was able to wash my hair the next morning. I've heard from others with CI's that they had to wait a week or longer to wash their hair. My activation was six days after the surgery, not the usual two weeks!! I'm so very grateful for all he did. I hear great now. read more