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"My family discovered my hearing loss when I was 3 years old. I used to hit my dad in his face to read his lips," Frisher said.
In 2006, she received a cochlear implant in her right ear because her hearing was deteriorating. The other ear was also getting worse and conventional hearing aids weren't working.
So she opted for something different - something revolutionary.
"I am the first in the world to have an Esteem implant with a cochlear implant," she said.
The Esteem implant is placed underneath the skin, behind the ear. It preserves the remaining hearing while using what hearing the patient has left to provide more natural hearing.
"It's a miracle that a device like this has been created for people," Frisher said.
It is different than a cochlear implant, which is often called a "bionic ear."
She says not only does she hear things she's never heard before, she's also realizing that everything makes a sound.
"I'm now understanding what sound sounds like: water, birds, the sound of the kiss, the sound of my voice, where before I never heard myself," she said. "It's made me think about how much I have missed out in a lot of areas in my life. It's made me appreciate so much more."
Frisher says her life and her everyday routine has completely changed.
"Not feeling isolated and feeling part of something has been the best part of this journey," she said.
She says when something can give you confidence and opportunities you never had before, it's priceless and she says that's what the Esteem implant has done for her.
"It's just the beginning. Life just gets better. My ability to hear will just get better. It's awesome," she said.
The Esteem implant procedure costs $30,000 and is currently not covered by insurance. It was just approved by the FDA this February. Only about 450 people have had the procedure.
For more information, go to www.envoymedical.com.
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