Run Mark Run!

Dear reader:

I hope this blog post finds you well. As some of you may know I have taken to running over the past year, but have yet to take part in any formal races. I decided to change all that this year! On August 14^th, 2011 I will be running the Falmouth Road Race which is a 10 k race (roughly 6.2 miles). So at this point, you may be thinking “Well Mark, that’s great! But why are you emailing me?” Very good question you ask! I am actually running this race as part of a fundraiser for Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech. A cause near and dear to my heart! If you are interested, you can learn more about the Clarke Schools here: http://www.clarkeschools.org/about/welcome

HOWEVER, the real reason I am contacting you is, all the donations that I receive will be TRIPLED! by a matching grant! Just think of the magnitude of this… if you donate $15, your gift grows to $45! Give $25, it grows to $75! It’s like you get to spend someone else’s money, and it’s for an amazing cause. Please consider a donation, nothing is too great or small (as even if it’s small it will still be TRIPLED!)! Please donate at this link: http://www.clarkeschools.org/falmouth. Also, just know this matching program will expire soon, so please consider donating today (pun intended for this running-related letter! You will see my bio at this link as well :)

Thank you all so so much for considering this, and for all that you do!

Gratefully,

Mark

Cochlear Announces FDA Approval of the Cochlear™ Nucleus® 5 Rechargeable Battery System

Yay! Now an environmentally friendly option for the US. Granted these batteries have been available in non-USA markets, but FDA finally approved the Rechargeable Batteries.

Source: http://www.cochlearamericas.com/News/2468.asp

Also, I mentioned about my experience with the pool earlier this week... The is an email I received from cochlear announcing the batteries and then also takes about the flexibility of being water resistant.

Rechargeable Batteries Approved for Nucleus® 5 Sound Processor
We are happy to announce that the rechargeable batteries for the Nucleus 5 Sound Processor recently received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This news regarding rechargeable batteries for Nucleus 5 is especially exciting because in addition to saving money and being more environmentally friendly, our engineers have achieved an exciting industry breakthrough - when using rechargeable batteries, the Nucleus 5 Sound Processor is the world's ONLY submergible sound processor. So you can be confident around water!

What does submergible sound processor mean?
When using rechargeable batteries, you can play by the pool, take a bath, or sing in the rain. And if the sound processor gets wet, no problem!

Are there any restrictions?
Yes, Cochlear™ recommends that you avoid any swimming that involves going under water, showering under a high pressure nozzle, putting soap or shampoo on the sound processor, or exposing the sound processor to moisture without microphone protectors in place.

What about underwater swimming?
No underwater swimming is recommended. But if the Nucleus 5 Sound Processor with rechargeable batteries falls in the pool or bathtub, just pick it up and wipe it off. Pool and bath time just means keeping your head above water.

If I already have the Nucleus 5, when will I receive my batteries?
The priority for these shipments has been determined based upon the original order date. This method helps to ensure that those who have been waiting the longest for their batteries receive them earliest. We anticipate the rechargeable batteries to be shipped over the next 12 weeks.

As part of the shipping process, Cochlear has been making phone calls to verify shipping addresses. You may have already received this type of call. If so, there is no need to do anything else at this time.

However, if you have not verified your shipping address and are eligible for rechargeable batteries, please contact customer service at (877) 523-5798. This will not change your shipping priority, but it will allow Cochlear to release your order when it is ready.

Apple, AT&T partner to assist deaf with iPhone 4 and FaceTime

I love Apple and all Apple products... I have the new iPhone 4 and love it. I know there have been some issues, but nothing that would have me retreat back to my iPhone 3GS. Since getting the iPhone 4, I have used Hamilton CapTel. Now there is buzz that Apple and AT&T are going to partner with ZVRS to bring video relay calling for deaf and hard-of-hearing users via the iPhone 4 and its FaceTime video chat functionality. 

Source: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/07/08/apple_att_partner_to_assist_deaf_with_iphone_4_and_facetime.html

One more thing - the phone!

Another pool related triumph (sort've). I was wearing only my new Nucleus 5 because of the water resistancy thing... Well I got out of the pool and realized my phone was ringing. I didn't have enough time to get my Freedom processor on, so I used the my new ear to talk on the telephone and it was great! I was able to understand 95% of the conversation! I missed a few words, but was able to get around that when the person I was on the phone with changed what they said! Sweet!

Another update - from the pool!

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July... just wanted to write that I spent the past two days at my parent's pool and decided to wear my new Nucleus 5 processor in the water since it's supposedly very much water resistant. Anyways, I have two great little second cousins ages, 3 and 6 (roughly), who wanted to play in the water. Well they were splashing about, and I even threw them around, and my implant definitely got exposed to water with no difference in sound quality at all! I definitely did wipe the processor down after I got out of the pool and placed it in the dryer. Today, I also went in the pool, and I got knocked off a float, and my implant did get wet, but again, nothing changed in terms of sound quality! I was really impressed. It's nice to have the security of having a back-up processor, and my other ear as well with the Freedom processor! Anyhow... i'll let you know if that all changes!

Long Overdue Update!

This update is so long overdue! I apologize! I have really been wanting to update, but just finding the time and energy has been challenging! Been so busy lately... 

Anyhow... on 6/10/2010, Mandy and I did my two month optimization of my Nucleus 5, and I am now at 82%!

Mandy and I... Love her!

 I have improved from 52% at week 1 to 82% at month 2! I am so so excited for my new ear as it has been a super star working with my old Freedom! I really couldn't be any more pleased. My old ear gets 86%, however 82% and 86% have no statistical significance in terms of difference.

So for the techies out there... I created a grid of my scores...

Some abbreviations that I created in order to make the graph a bit more concise...

AS: left ear only

ASci: left with cochlear implant

ASha: left with hearing aid 

ADci: right with cochlear implant

AUci+ha: CI with hearing aid before surgery

AUci+ci: Both ears with cochlear implants:

Now onto the scores (the graph may get caught off or be small so click on it to get the full image):

 

Hamilton CapTel

I've been hearing about this iPhone App called Hamilton CapTel. This is basically a real-time captioning application for your telephone conversations. You download the app, set up an account, and enter the number you want dialed. The operator on the other end calls you, and calls the number you wanted. The person you want to talk to is then connected to your cell phone so you can talk directly to each other, but the operator will caption what that person is saying. I tried it out tonite with Jason, it's pretty cool. The captioning is delayed which you must expect. However, it's really nice to have that support if you feel you miss a word because the captioning is there. I think I "may" use it if only I felt comfortable telling the person I was using CapTel and that they would have to be patient with me. It's a great app though to have. Here is an article a friend sent to me about this exact application (Thanks Nic!) Hamilton Captel

This is the opening screen shot of the application, you can see the website below and find out more info...

This next screen shot is when I called Jason asking him if he wanted to watch "The Bachelorette" with me ;-)

A little late... one month update!

So I know this is a bit late, but I had my one month CI session on 5/14/2010. I was somewhat nervous at this visit because at my 1 week session we made the maps slightly softer since I was perceiving everything to be "brighter." I was hearing everything with my new side, and was always jacking the sensitivity up on the old side, to get it to almost compete with the new ear. At my one week mapping session, where we did bilateral balancing, in essence, we made my near ear softer (by bringing my C's down), and made my old ear louder (by bringing my C's up). Shortly after my CI session I started to notice that things didn't seem as bright, however, I just went with it. 

Anyhow, at 1 month, on 5/14/2010, I went back and saw Mandy (who is awesome as ever!). We did some booth testing, which showed that I was hearing some sounds slightly softer than I had at my 1 week session. However, the really interesting thing was when we were doing word recognition testing. 

As I listened to the words with my new ear, I found the words harder to hear, they didn't sound that clear to me. I started to panic inside, started to think about what a risk I was taking being programmed at the same hospital that I work at. I was thinking, what if my performance has gotten worse, and the hospital now knows my results, and feels that I am not qualified to do my job? I was really starting to freak out, because I really didn't think I was doing well as I had at 1 week. So at 1 week, with my new ear, I was understanding 52% which was pretty good! At one month... I was understanding... 66%!! While I was panicking, I was actually improving my score by 14%! I was pleased with that! 

I shared with Mandy what I was feeling, and she said she could read my insecurity in the booth because I was hesitant in stating my responses. Anyhow, Mandy said that she could understand why I felt sounds weren't as bright, because I don notice small changes in my hearing, and it was noted with my ever so slight decrease in pure-tone sensitivity. Anyhow, Mandy wanted to check in on my maps to see if we could give my "brightness" back.

as soon as we checked in on my maps, and made some changes, we went live. Man, did a smile ever come across my face! Everything was immediately brighter. I was able to voice better what I was feeling. I told Mandy that sounds now seemed like they were right next to me, and not far away! I loved it! It was awesome! I feel like I hear a lot and I think it's the most awesome thing!

So now, together with both ears, I did 92% whole words (97% phonemic). I am elated with those results. 

So on a different note, I went away with some work folks to a colleague's country home. It was an awesome over night trip. However, I was meeting new people for the first time, it was a crowd of about 25 people. We were eating outside in the dark, and playing games with the lights out. I didn't ever really feel like I missed a beat. Now granted that is my own perception, and I am biased. I asked Jason what he thought, and he also thought that I did better this weekend, than I may have, had I just had the one implant and hearing aid. Again, I know he's biased too ;-) 

Sorry for the delay in my post but that is my update! Things are going great on my end otherwise!

Tales from the City

A friend of mine sent me this link: "Come Again?" Boston Globe Magazine

Thanks to some brilliant Mass. Eye and Ear doctors, my 86-year-old father recently got a cochlear implant, an amazing device that provides sound to the profoundly deaf. Unlike a hearing aid, the implant includes a small round gizmo that attaches to the side of the head via a surgically implanted magnet. Dad was on the T headed to MEE for a checkup when a teenager asked him “What’s that?” to which he replied, “It’s the latest iPod.” Dad was still chuckling about the kid’s stunned expression as he got off the train.

Thanks Chris for sending this along!

Very lovely daytrip to Ogunquit!

Jason has had the week off and wanted to do a day trip to a place he hadn't been too. We decided to hit up Ogunquit, Maine and to head to the outlets at Kittery. It was an awesome day! We got to Maine at around 11ish, and walked the Marginal Way. It was great because so many people were out and about and we were able to people watch!

We also had lunch at this delightful cafe that was near the water, that had delicious food, and a very eager to please waitress. While I was at this cafe, I needed to use the bathroom. This may be a bit of TMI, but when I use the bathroom, I need my implants to be off... No matter how much I enjoy hearing, there is still a lot that I don't want to hear! I walk into this rather large private bathroom, with an open window, and the blinds were moving to the slight breeze. It was actually a very nice bathroom. The reason I am talking so much about this bathroom is because it had a sign that caught my eye:

As you can imagine the irony of me immediately "deafing" out and then being reminded that perhaps I should take advantage of being able to actually listen to the sound of the sea! Fat chance! I didn't bother putting my implants back on until I was back outside in the cafe! 

Its been a month!

Today, without almost realizing it, marks the one month since I have had my second surgery on April 1st. Isn't that amazing that a month has already passed since that surgery? The new and old ears keep surprising me. The new ear makes the old ear want to hear more. I have been increasing my sensitivity and volume just so that I can feel more "full" with sound. While the old ear wants to hear more, so does the new ear. We actually brought down some of the loudness with the new ear with recent programming, so that the new ear didn't overpower the old ear. I actually miss that loudness. I am going to wait until my mapping in the middle of May, and hopefully gain that back! However, everything is going swimmingly well!

A few surprises this week:
1. I was at work and was sitting at the test booth with the door open, I heard one of the medical staff assistants (MSA) tell the ENT doctor that another MSA would be out. I couldn't believe I was able to eavesdrop! Eavesdropping is not easy! That is relying on auditory cues alone! I was impressed with myself!
2. I can hear the refrigerator make ice from the living room! It makes a very subtle tick tock sound and then pops out an ice cube! A dear friend of mine was over when I noticed this. She was also amazed that I was hearing such a faint sound.


So here are the shots on May 1st and April 14th of me head on. You can see the ear on the right side of the photo (my left ear) is now closer to my head (thankfully!). Also you will see three sets of photos of the healing process, from April 6, April 14, and May 1st of my incision.

What a wonderful month! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of it! Your support has been awesome and deeply appreciated!

May 1st - Head On

April 14 Head On

May 1 From the Side

April 14

April 6

MyLink+

Got the MyLink+ yesterday, and started using it today. I was glad that it came fully charged from Phonak. I started using it today with my patients for word recognition. It was kind've cumbersome. The Cochlear Freedom has an awesome integrated FM receiver built into the battery rack. The Freedom processor recognizes the receiver and automatically syncs to the FM transmitter.

With the Nucleus 5, I now have to use the t-coil to connect to the MyLink which is able to receive the input from the FM transmitter. The t-coil can be problematic because I can't stay in the t-coil mode (even though I have 1:1 ratio), because I will pick up interference when I walk near certain pieces of equipment and so forth. I also have to turn the MyLink off because the booklet didn't tell me how the battery will last if I keep it on all day. Because I want to preserve the life, i'm been shutting it off. However, it's tucked under my shirt, so I keep having to go under my tie and turning it. The process goes where I have to turn the t-coil on, then turn on the MyLink, then turn on the FM transmitter. I have to do this in that order. If I turn the t-coil off, and then back, I then have to turn the MyLink off, and then back on again, and then turn the FM transmitter on. With the Freedom, all I have to do is just turn the processor on with the integrated battery/receiver, and I can continue to turn the FM transmitter on and off, and have it work as it should.

Overall, there is a lot more steps involved to getting up and running with the FM.

However, now that I went through that whole saga... the sound quality is great! It's great to be able to hear out of both ears now! The sound quality seems richer and more full. Another success with going bilateral!

Call2Recycle

I'm late on the earth day band wagon, but for all those of disposing batteries (with my two processors, I go through an average of 2 batteries a day, now!)... here is a great link: http://www.call2recycle.org/ where you can enter your zipcode and it'll tell you where you can dispose of your batteries! I had no idea that the Radio Shack 3 blocks from my house takes the batteries!

Small panic!

It's so funny, i'm going on just 12 days with my new processor, but I'm already relying so much on it. I was in the middle of testing a patient, and I went to get up to counsel the patient her results, and my new processor died (the batteries ran out). I didn't have a chance to change the batteries, as I was basically in the booth about to give the results. It was fine, my Freedom was working fine, but in my head I was thinking how strange and uncomfortable it was just to be wearing one processor. I just knew that I feel 100% better wearing both processors, than just one. Another great realization that I did the best thing for me!

I also got my MyLink+ today so that I can use the FM with my "new ear" too for booth testing. Was going to bring it home and play with with it, but I left it at work... Oh well, I'll update you on that later on this week with how that goes!

Good Night!

Amusing Comic!

source: http://www.davideo.tv/

This was posted on the "Association of Audiologists with Hearing Loss" facebook group. The part about the deaf audiologists is funny, as I am one, and there are 33 members of the facebook! Granted with having a hearing loss and being a practicing audiologist there are some challenges. However technology has come so far that it's entirely possible for people with hearing loss to function as a capable audiologist among their hearing cohort.

I have only felt discriminated once because of my hearing loss in the field of audiology. When I was applying for a 4th year externship, I was on interview at a local hospital in Boston. The director of the facility grilled me on how I would be able to do word recognition testing? Word recognition testing, for those who don't know, is where words are presented to the patient, and the patient needs to repeat the words back. This can be presented by the audiologist (using spoken voice), or by using recorded material. Recorded material is the gold standard, because with many audiologists, it's hard to standardize and account for all the variables with this testing. Using standardized material takes the audiologist' own variable out of the equation.

Anyhow, I"m on this interview, and the director asks me how I will be able to do word recognition testing. I said that my preferred method is recorded material. He then countered that his clinic was far to busy for recorded material to be efficient, and then how else would I be able to do it. I stated that while recorded material is the gold standard, monitored live voice was always another option. He then asked how I would be able to present the words with having a hearing loss, and having speech that is affected by my hearing loss? At this point, I didn't really know how to respond, other than, that this has never been an issue in the past. That is when he said that my hearing loss was an "elephant in the room." My blood was boiling at this interview. I politely finished my day at this facility, and ultimately withdrew my application after my interview. This wasn't a place that I wanted to work at.

That was and is my only experience where I have had an negative reaction to my hearing loss. My 4th year externship and current place of employment has and is amazing in how accepting they have been of me. I'm very fortunate (that seems to be a common theme in these posts as of late!).

One Week Update!

So today was my one week mapping session! Let me just update first on how things have been up 'til today and then I will update on today. It's been awhile since I blogged bout this so bare with me if I'm redundant!

First off... the tinnitus is GONE! Thank goodness! When I do have it, it's very very minimal and I am able to forget about it. The new ear is so powerful! It just dominates what I am hearing! It's amazing, I would say I was hearing my voice 90% from the new ear, and 10% from the old ear. This isn't to say the old ear wasn't helping me. This isn't the case at all. It gave me the clarity that I don't have with the new ear. Also, the first few days, everything was like a fog. I couldn't quite understand what people were saying. However, now things are just clearing right up! I have been having Jase talk to me with his hand covering his mouth and saying random thoughts and words and repeating back to him. It has gotten a lot easier! I have also been hearing so much more sounds and noises! I can hear Jason cough and sneeze from the other room! I can hear the water swishing in the anti-freeze jug in the car (which drives me CRAZY)! I'm just hearing so much MORE!

People have asked me if I miss the hearing aid. It was strange to hear this question because I have almost all but forgotten the hearing aid! I do not miss it all, or feel that the aid gave me something the new implant didn't give me. Thank goodness! I would be devastated if that were the case. Someone asked if I can perceive a difference at night, when I'm not wearing my processors. I do not notice that I am now without any residual hearing. I truly do not notice that. Again, another question I had not thought of.

This was a fast week, and I just loved it. I have been switching the new ear and the old ear on and off, so I can see, comparatively, how I am hearing. Is it softer with just the old ear? Do I feel like I'mhearing more with both? The answer is always a resoundingly yes! I hear better with both!

So that's the background for what brings us to today. I had my one week mapping session with my MEEI audiologist, MBT (or as someone nicknamed her today... Mandy-bular!). At one week, I am hearing and understanding 52% of the words in my new ear (52% whole word, 72% phonemic), and with both processors (new and old), I understand 90% of the words (90% whole word, 97% phonemic)!

Just to put all this into perspective... I was hearing 32% alone with my hearing aid on that new side. That is an improvement of 20%! And I am only at one week! With the implant plus hearing aid I was getting 92% (92% whole word, 97% phonemically). So 90% today (with two implants) vs. 92% (cochlear implant and hearing aid) is the difference of me missing just ONE word today.

So basically, today's test results validated that I did the right thing for me. I am already getting just slightly more than 50% at 1 week, and I can only improve from here. It is a wonderful feeling to be so fortunate with my successful outcome.

This Is Apple's Next iPhone - Iphone 4 - Gizmodo

This Is Apple's Next iPhone - iPhone 4 - Gizmodo

I can hardly contain my excitement! As most of you know i'm a wicked big iPhone junkie. The iPhone has my life in it and don't know where I'd be without it! (I'm so dramatic for just a phone!).

Anyways, I had a big whole big blog idea that I wanted to do... I wanted to do the comparison between the Nucleus 5 and the Freedom and my thoughts on the differences and so forth. I was supposed to do this after my run tonite... My run which never happened because Jace lost his wallet. From then on, I spent quite a bit on the phone cancelling credit cards, finding our passports, looking up how to obtain a new social security card (NEVER CARRY THIS AROUND). Anyhoo... turned me into a cranky old man!

So now i'm settling into The Office and How I Met Your Mother on DVR...

Not much of an update...

So not much of an update here really... it's been a few days since I was remapped. I am currently on progressive map #3 (out of 4, which is the loudest program). I still hear a high pitch hum when I wear the new "ear." It's hard to say if the hum is coming from the map that I am hearing with, or if my hearing with the new processor causes the hum, or tinnitus, to occur. The reason i'm not sure is because as soon as I turn the new processor off, the tinnitus immediately changes tonal quality and then dies down, and completely goes away.

I've been trying different situations out though. I've been listening to music, and I still enjoy it the way I used too. It's not like i've been missing the hearing aid. I don't feel like I wish I didn't get this processor because the hearing aid provided something. I definitely do not feel that way at all.

I was in the car with Jason and I asked him to stop clicking whatever it was that he was clicking. He turned to me and said that it wasn't him making a clicking sound, but rather, I was hearing the windshield wiper fluid swish back and forth in it's canister! It's amazing at the different sounds I can hear. I was able to say "God Bless You" when Jace sneezed in a different room!

At work, when I was testing a patient, I was wearing headphones while doing word recognition testing, and I could hear the CD announce the words through the headphones! I also went out with a bunch of people from work twice this week, and I also felt I was able to follow along with a majority of the conversation and not miss out. I'm not sure if I would have done that much differently with just the one implant or the one implant plus hearing aid.

All I can say for sure right now is that I'm definitely glad I'm back on the air with two "ears" as I feel much more balanced and more comfortable. It's amazing how much input I get from the 2nd ear though. When I listen to myself speak, I hear my voice mostly from the new implant. It's incredible!

Anyhow... enough about that! I've had a great weekend, with LOTS of food! I need to get back on the WW wagon and get some exercise in. I was doing so well with the scale, however, after this weekend, I have definitely done some damage! I have a tapeworm I swear! I just want to EAT, EAT, EAT! It's okay though, I know I'm itching to get back to the gym and will do so tomorrow! However, later on today, I'm going to my parents, for a very belated St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage dinner!

Today was a good day!

So I just woke up today, super excited for today, just because I now have my new processor. Things are just going so well with the new ear. I can hear so much, and so well. It's just amazing how it all sounds to me. I was talking to Mandy this morning about how, even with my voice, I can hear and understand myself well because of the old processor, but the new processor is contributing so much that I can hear it's contribution in my voice. Mandy brought up a great point though, I am hearing about 10 dB better than I do with my current Freedom.

Anyways, I was already in program 3 today, and Mandy wanted to check my impedances. They came down very dramatically, so we actually remapped me today and gave me new progressive maps. The roaring, high pitch whinnying sound that I was hearing yesterday is still present, but it seems more manageable than it did yesterday. I can hear people and words, but they are not all that clear. It'll get there though, I can already tell that it's clearer today than it was yesterday. Next week, Mandy will put in the booth and get some data on really how I am doing. I will keep you all posted on that.

In other news, today was my first run outdoors! Went with some great MEEI folks! It was awesome. We did about 4 miles, however, I needed to stop a bunch of times. Running indoors on a treadmill does NOT prepare you for the outside! Funny story though, I grabbed two left shoes when I left the house! Haha, a coworker/friend came up with a savvy solution and found an old woman's pair (size 10) shoes that fit me pretty decently that I used for the run... As always... I have pictures :)

A Video!

My activation where I get turned on. The video ends pretty abruptly... but you get the point.

Here is another shot of Mandy placing the processor on me!
So overall, i'm in an awesome place! I'm already in program 2 right now, and already tried out program 3. I can tolerate it, but don't want to overdo it right now! HAHA! Anyways... I'll keep y'all posted!