It's a miracle!

Ok, that's an exaggeration, but in a way it really does tend towards the miraculous. It's all going so fast, I can hear so much better when wearing my CI! So much so that only wearing my hearing aid on the right ear seems next to useless to me now. How have I survived up until now?

It has been a while since I've posted here. I have had two setting adjustments made since last blog. Those are quite fun actually. The audiologist wires me up and fires beeps and peeps at me. I have to tell him which is the loudest - first or second. It's quite hard because each peep has a different tone so I've not to say which is higher or lower, just louder - or say if they sound equally loud. I think the intention is to bring them all to an equal level... not really sure though.

Just a wee box to carry it all home in!

I also now have my own CI and have returned the one that was on loan. I feel very privileged because I have been given not just the Rondo but also the Opus 2 - the one for behind the ear. It's a promotion deal that is running right now - 'take the Opus 2 and we'll give you the Rondo' !! So should I have an accident, or lose the rondo, I'm well covered (although the Opus 2 still has to be tuned in). It all comes in a ridiculously huge box. Wee hearing aid you say? Sure, here you are.

A whole briefcase full of bits and bobs

After being seen by the audiologist it's time for speech therapy. I don't have any score for last Wednesday but this Wednesday past I got 72%. That's 72% of words heard without seeing the face or mouth at all. I wish I had a comparative number from before but whatever, 72% is pretty darned good. I still have a tinkly sound that accompanies every word or sound I hear above a certain level, but the actual sound I hear is more and more 'normal'.

We have 'homework' to do, which consists of James reading out a list of words and/or sentences behind a jiffy cloth hanging over a bamboo skewer (good wee invention there J) and counting up how many I get correct. The sentences are a bit silly and it's hard to know when I'm not just 'filling in' (as you do). There's also an element of just remembering from the last time, when you hear one or two words. But we are persevering as it's good practice.

Pretty darned snazzy!

This week's lists are about vowel sounds and to see if I hear the difference between 'ij' and 'ei', 'eu' and 'ui' etc (Dutch remember). Subtle enough differences for hearing folks! And of course depends on the speaker pronouncing them correctly too ;) But I did very well... practically 100% and that was with the CI only... no hearing aid in.


We then tested how I manage if I have my back to J. First without the CI and only my HA (no point trying without the HA too, we know I barely hear anything). I heard the first bit, then blablabla, bladibla. So I know there is a speaker but not what is being said after the first couple of words, and those were a guess really. Then I switched the CI on again, and it was all as clear as a bell! The whole three sentences. Felt quite emotional at that. Wonderful eh?

Bird song is more and more natural sounding. The sounds of a full aviary from the CI are still there, but are less and the birds are coming through more distinctly as time passes. So a lot of it is just 'getting used to it' and my brain adjusting to things. There will still be a bit of adjustment to be made though I'm sure.

I've discovered that the audio loop for television via the CI is miles better than what I've been listening to for years with the HAs. Despite the tinkling in the background it's all so much clearer!

I've been listing 'new' sounds like birdsong but to be honest they're few and far between as I know how things sound if I ever heard them, they just sound better now. The frying pan doesn't half make a racket when cooking with it, that's a fact :)

Music has slightly improved but I want to try listening to Stevie Wonder again... just because that was the first music I listened to. If I use the same sounds I can compare better. It's just all very interesting and engaging and quite comical as I know I'm cocking my head at angles all the time with 'oh, what's that noise then? Ah, the chair creaks!' haha And boy does that bloody chair creak... did not know that!

Me wearing my nice grey CI

I tried the telephone, but that's not too great yet... maybe have to practice more. I'm so used to not answering the phone or using it for voice communication at all. I mean, sometimes I can hear just enough to pass on a message or make an appointment but it all depends on the person on the other end of the phone, how their voice sounds to me, how patient they are are at repeating things and what volume they speak at, even when they know I am HoH. So I have avoided it for a long time as no fun at all. J is my appointed intermediary... not his favourite occupation I have to say.

Next appointment is Wednesday 5 March, then there is a fortnight with no appointments, followed by two in one week... for some reason or other :)

Almost a full auditorium

Large live subtitling was available.

Last Tuesday was International CI Day... a jubilee anniversary celebrating the 300,000 CI operations world wide since the start... 5,000 in NL. There was an 'open day' at UMC for it, with speakers and stands etc (Med-El, Cochlear and others representing their goods) and we got presented with the history of the CI which was very interesting. We also got to see a live CI operation... performed by the surgeon who operated on me too, with the surgeon answering questions right there and then. Pretty fascinating, but just as well J didn't go as there was no escaping the huge screen showing how things were done... he wouldn't have liked that even a little bit :) We later had the chance to ask more questions about it all.

Just to prove the ear went back on nicely ;) 

We were given the current results on a study of bilateral wearers of a CI. This was set up to help convince insurance companies to cover the cost of two and not just one CI (I had volunteered to take part in the study but my hearing wasn't sufficiently bad when it started). The first year's results are as expected - it is of course far more advantageous for a person to wear two. Study not completed yet but I'm sure it will continue to prove the same under any circumstances. It will then be up to the insurers whether they cover things or not, but they won't be able to deny being told.

It was rather strange being in the company of 200 CI wearers! Most with just one, a few with two and of course a few interested parties including some who were booked for the op shortly. I met up with folks I've corresponded with for a while already and was introduced to others. Was a nice afternoon ending in drinks and snacks. I didn't stay long as I wanted to catch the commuter bus direct to Almere from the door of the hospital. I did find out from one of the stands that directional mics I've had for years already, are compatible with my CI. I will be digging them out and trying them, to see if and when I can use them at all.

Almost forgot to mention that I can pretty much hear everything my grandkids are saying to me without even bending down to them. E was visiting with F and it was really cool to hear him chatting and singing like a linty. We also went with all three boys to an indoor soft-play place which wasn't the cacophonous nightmare it would normally have been - well, it was cacophonous, just not a nightmare :) It ain't perfect yet, but it's heading that way.

I perhaps should repeat if I haven't said it before... nothing, but nothing, can ever replace good hearing. If you're reading this, be aware that I and others are still deaf or HoH if not wearing aids of any type, and even the best and most fantastic results of a CI are only a smidgen in the direction of how 'normal' ears function - functioning ears are the real miracles. If you have good hearing, protect your ears and your hearing! Save them/it for as long as you can. I would much prefer that I didn't have to wear a CI or aids but am of course overjoyed that I can regain as much hearing as possible via it/them and there's a ways to go before I reach the optimum levels with my CI.

So it's been quite the few weeks! Things can only get better... ladida ladida.