Andre Crisp, winemaker and CEO of Legend Napa Valley Estate Winery, got his hearing back

AMERICAN CANYON, California — For Andre Crisp, winemaker and CEO of Legend Napa Valley Estate Winery, working in a noisy environment is just part of the job. Powerful fans circulate air around its wine barrels to maintain a cooler temperature.

That’s good for the wine, but it’s a challenge for Crisp, who suffered hearing loss after a routine ear tube procedure. His right ear did not heal properly and developed a hole. “I couldn’t stay here and talk to anyone in our facility because I couldn’t hear them.”

Crisp struggled with recurring infections and a gradual decline in his hearing. In 2022, he wanted relief from his infections, so he visited Dr. Daniel Ballard, a head and neck surgeon at Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center. However, Dr. Ballard offered Crisp a life-changing repair operation.

“It’s usually an ongoing problem that eventually reaches a point where something needs to be done,” Dr. Ballard said. The surgery was a success, but just two days later Crisp was diagnosed with COVID, which led to a severe ear infection and re-perforation of his eardrum.

In 2024, Crisp didn’t know if he would ever regain his hearing, but he was willing to try reconstructive surgery again. After the second surgery, he received great news when Dr. Ballard called and told him he had regained 100% of his hearing. “It’s a testament to Dr. Ballard, his skills and of course Kaiser,” Crisp said.

Dr. Ballard said it was special for him to be part of Crisp’s journey: “These surgeries that are relatively common for me as a specialist have a huge impact on people’s lives. »

You can learn more about Legend Napa Valley by visiting this website.

For more information about Kaiser, visit this website.