QUINCY, ILL. -- Beth Boster of Quincy was recently given a gift most of us take for granted everyday.
This gift wasn't for a birthday, holiday or special occasion.
It didn't even come wrapped.
No one hid it from her or surprised her with it, but when she got it, her whole life changed for the better.
Beth Boster has lived her life in silence. Complete silence. An avid bowler, the bowling ally was as quiet as a church. Even church was quieter for her than most. Beth was born deaf. Last year she was in the grocery store with her brother David when they ran into Dr. Rae McIntee, and Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor.
Dr. McIntee says, "The Beth I originally met was very shy and not real interactive. Just very, very quiet."
A couple of days later, Beth came in for a hearing evaluation with Dr. McIntee. After testing, Beth was scheduled for a cochlear implant in St. Louis. The surgery was December 7th. She had to wait a couple of weeks before the device was turned on. That happened the week of Christmas.
Dr. Rae McIntee says, "She heard Christmas music for the first time."
Beth Boster says, "I cried. Everyone asked me what was the matter. This was the first time I'd heard my voice talking."
And suddenly, life changed in a big way for Beth.
Dr. McIntee says, "The Beth you see today is the Beth that has been hidden for 53 years. She's alive and confident and smiles all the time. It is just a gift for us that have helped her with her care."
Beth has spend the past several months learning, and still continues to learn how to hear. Keep in mind, she hasn't heard anything for her entire life. Now, millions of sounds are flooding her ears for the first time.
Boster says, "In church, I can hear the preacher speak. I can hear the music. They have a pamphlet that I don't even look at to sing along. I don't have a very good voice, who cares? I just sing."
Beth says her biggest challenge now is just listening.
She's spent her whole life reading lips.
Now she doesn't have to read the lips of the person talking, she can just sit and hear them.
She does say occasionally she has to remind some family members that they can talk casually now.
This success story is not over.
Beth is set to get a second cochlear implant in the spring.
Click here to read more about cochlear implants.
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