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!