This is an interesting link about your first cochlear implant fitting. What I like about in here, is they stress the importance that everybody is "different" with their new CI and hear differently. It depends on the strength of your hearing loss, what you have heard in the past, etc. - it explains perfectly in the second paragraph. Feel free to read this if you wish:
http://www.bionicear.com/Your_Journey_to_Hearing/Adults/Getting/Your_FirstCochlear_Implant_Fitting.cfm?langid=1
Sunday, 1 June 2008
Bits and Pieces
While I was surfing the net, I found a good detailed picture of how the CI is implanted just inside the base of your skull and electrodes in the cochlea. The brain is never touched during surgery. In this picture, the microphone is on the headpiece, that is on a particular brand of CI. However, Raymond's and soon-to-be-mine CI - the microphone is on the BTE (Behind the Ear) processor:
HARMONY ADULT KIT
Standard Items:
1 Harmony Processor Module
2 Headpieces
4 PowerCel Batteries
1 Standard Earhook
1 Direct Connect Earhook
1 Direct Connect Cable
1 Audio Interface Cable
1 PowerCel™ Charging System
1 PowerCel Charger Car Adapter
1 Little Things Wallet
1 Travel Case
1 Carrying Case
All three Base Colors: Beige; Silver Metallic; Dark Sienna Metallic - have a matching Headpiece and Blending Color cap and cover.
I have chosen Silver, Beige, Dark Sienna Metallic and Black with the Beige base.
There are two different battery sizes: PowerCel Slim and PowerCel Plus. PowerCel Slim battery provides up to an average of 14 hours between charges on the Harmony processor in the Power Economy mode. PowerCel Plus - same as above, but 24 hours:
.jpg)
Raymond has the PowerCel Slims and they only last 4 to 5 hours. I will expand on this on the next posting.
Components of a Cochlear Implant: Images tells all:
Implant: HiRes 90K® with HiFocus Electrode:
Sound Processor: Harmony (Behind the Ear) Sound Processor:
When you get your processor turned on, hearing strange sounds for the first time, you are given a kit to take home:
HARMONY ADULT KIT
Standard Items:
1 Harmony Processor Module
2 Headpieces
4 PowerCel Batteries
1 Standard Earhook
1 Direct Connect Earhook
1 Direct Connect Cable
1 Audio Interface Cable
1 PowerCel™ Charging System
1 PowerCel Charger Car Adapter
1 Little Things Wallet
1 Travel Case
1 Carrying Case
All three Base Colors: Beige; Silver Metallic; Dark Sienna Metallic - have a matching Headpiece and Blending Color cap and cover.
Raymond has chosen Forest Green, Burgundy, Deep Dark Purple (looks like black), and State Blue accents with the Silver Metallic base.
I have chosen Silver, Beige, Dark Sienna Metallic and Black with the Beige base.
There are two different battery sizes: PowerCel Slim and PowerCel Plus. PowerCel Slim battery provides up to an average of 14 hours between charges on the Harmony processor in the Power Economy mode. PowerCel Plus - same as above, but 24 hours:
.jpg)
Raymond has the PowerCel Slims and they only last 4 to 5 hours. I will expand on this on the next posting.Components of a Cochlear Implant: Images tells all:
Implant: HiRes 90K® with HiFocus Electrode:
Sound Processor: Harmony (Behind the Ear) Sound Processor:
Saturday, 1 March 2008
Two months post since activation day...
It's been two months since the big activation day and Raymond is doing extremely well, I am happy to report.
Raymond went for his second mapping session on January 25, 2008. This session was very short as the audiologist only just boosted the level up a bit - louder. All was going according to plan. However, one thing was noted that sounds were being cut off each time Raymond moved his head. It was noted the wire connected to the processor was very loose. The audiologist said she would order another new processor and it would be here for his next mapping session in two weeks.
The switch on processor is the same as the first time in January, start small at time and gradually increase the loudness as the weeks goes by until his next appointment. The volume control remains at 12 noon position, always.
Between January 25th to February 8th, Raymond still continued to hear new sounds and recognize them quickly later once he knew what they were. One thing he heard for the "first" time in his life was birds communicating to one another. We have a few bird feeders in front of our living room window and he went out one day to refill them. The chickadees were around the feeders and they flew away to nearby trees when Raymond arrived. He could hear their bird sounds from one tree to another, like they were communicating. This feeling gave him the goosebumps! Reason is he was never able to hear small bird sounds clearly before, and he was able to recognize where the sounds were coming from. This is an amazing feat for Raymond.
Sounds that were bothersome to Raymond in January after the activation date, has become like "nothing" to him. He is used to them now and has the ability to tune them out. One of them is newspaper :)
The switch on the processor now has been changed:
1) First switch is normal sounds all around. This time around, he can use the volume control.
2) Second switch is for removing background noises. For example, in a restaurant, crowds, in the malls, at an assembly, or even at a party, Raymond is able to turn the switch to number 2 and block out the background and hear only sounds around him. He really likes this one as it makes the conversation flow better.
3) Third switch is for T/M. This is the T for listening to the phone and for loop-system. This one needs to be worked on as it is not quite the same as it is on hearing aids. This will be discussed at the next mapping appointment. This is what is happening now, for example in church - the priest uses the microphone for the loop-system, and Raymond would use the T-switch to hear only the priest. But with the CI - the T switch is the T/M = T-coil & Microphone which allows Raymond to hear the priest directly but also hears the congregation as well. We repeat things after a priest says something, Raymond would only hear the priest say something but he would also hear the congregation repeat. He is not too pleased with this part.
Even at home, we have a loop-system, where we can put our hearing aids on to 'T' to hear only directly the TV, and nothing else. But with Raymond's CI, he is hearing the TV directly and also hears my voice as well when I talk to him. So that is something we will be discussing with the audiologist at our next appointment. Maybe that is normal, I am not sure. Will find out more later.
Since February 8th, which was the third mapping appointment, Raymond has been consistently working on his listening skills with the read-a-long books, CD music and the radio. The radio is now starting to become clearer and clearer. It is not clear clear yet, but still working on it. It takes time, as it can take up to 3 months to a year...depends on your skills.
One day, he was doing some work outside and decided to use the outdoor water hose for something. He forgot to turn it off and came into the house. He heard "something" running and it sounded like water to him. He checked the bathroom, nothing was running, so he figured I was doing the wash, so he checked, the washer was not running. He became scared as we had a flood in the basement in the past and he thought it was happening again. So he went downstairs to check it out. The noise became louder as he went into the room. Looked around, and then looked up.... the pipes that leads to the outside water tap, the water was running through the pipe to outside :) He forgot to turn it off and he was able to hear that from the main floor. Amazing, eh?
I have one pro and one con about Raymond's CI:
Pro: It is "wonderful" to be able to call his name and he can respond quickly. No more banging my feet on the floor or lightly hitting my hands on the table to get his attention (the deaf way for those who wonder why).
Con: Before the CI, when Raymond did not have his hearing aid on, he was still able to hear some things and I was able to call his name and he would respond. Now, with the CI, he is completely 100% deaf because of the electrodes damaging the remaining of the hairs in the cochlea. He can no longer hear me calling his name, or he can't hear the phone ring anymore. That is gone now. I keep forgetting that and when I call his name, he just keeps walking away or does not respond, argh!
I have to share something with you. Something happened to Raymond yesterday at a RV Show and it was so hilarious! I laughed myself to tears. At the RV show, he was looking at a flat TV that was hooked up on the outside trailer wall. He was impressed with it and was wondering how it was hooked up and bent over to look in the back of the TV. You know those handles by the door you grab on to when entering the trailer. This handle was a long extended one and it is aluminum/metal. While Raymond bent over to look at the back of the TV, the magnetic headpiece went "whoosh" and attached itself to the handle. Raymond knew something was wrong as he went completely deaf because the magnetic was taken off from the implant. The processor was still on his ear so you could see this wire and headpiece over on the handle. Man, it was quite the sight to see. I laughed so hard!! :)
In closing, overall, there is only one thing Raymond still has struggles with is the clarity of voices, etc.,... it is becoming clearer each time, but not clear-clear as I mentioned above. This will improve within time and with patience.
Next appointment is in April.
Raymond went for his second mapping session on January 25, 2008. This session was very short as the audiologist only just boosted the level up a bit - louder. All was going according to plan. However, one thing was noted that sounds were being cut off each time Raymond moved his head. It was noted the wire connected to the processor was very loose. The audiologist said she would order another new processor and it would be here for his next mapping session in two weeks.
The switch on processor is the same as the first time in January, start small at time and gradually increase the loudness as the weeks goes by until his next appointment. The volume control remains at 12 noon position, always.
Between January 25th to February 8th, Raymond still continued to hear new sounds and recognize them quickly later once he knew what they were. One thing he heard for the "first" time in his life was birds communicating to one another. We have a few bird feeders in front of our living room window and he went out one day to refill them. The chickadees were around the feeders and they flew away to nearby trees when Raymond arrived. He could hear their bird sounds from one tree to another, like they were communicating. This feeling gave him the goosebumps! Reason is he was never able to hear small bird sounds clearly before, and he was able to recognize where the sounds were coming from. This is an amazing feat for Raymond.
Sounds that were bothersome to Raymond in January after the activation date, has become like "nothing" to him. He is used to them now and has the ability to tune them out. One of them is newspaper :)
For Christmas, I gave Raymond two children's "Read-a-long" books with CD and he's been practicing listening to the CD and reading the story along at the same time. This really helps he finds. Another thing he has been doing is listening to CD music on our laptop and the lyrics pulled up from the Internet to read along. He listens and looks away and then looks back at the lyrics. Works for him and a good listening skill practice. Raymond has always been able to listen to music, so he is looking forward to hearing music again once he has re-learned the skills again.
On February 8, 2008, Raymond went for his third mapping session. The audiologist placed him in a booth to determine how close he was at their CI "expectation" level - and he is getting close or improving well. It came to 55%. The audiologist is very pleased with Raymond's progress.
Got his processor replaced with a new one. During this appointment, even after the processor was changed, the sounds were still being cut off. It is noted that the skin on his skull is thick, so the audiologist had to strengthen the radio frequency waves stronger to be able to go through to the implant. Sure enough, it worked since. Also, she changed the magnetic on the headpiece to a stronger strength.The switch on the processor now has been changed:
1) First switch is normal sounds all around. This time around, he can use the volume control.
2) Second switch is for removing background noises. For example, in a restaurant, crowds, in the malls, at an assembly, or even at a party, Raymond is able to turn the switch to number 2 and block out the background and hear only sounds around him. He really likes this one as it makes the conversation flow better.
3) Third switch is for T/M. This is the T for listening to the phone and for loop-system. This one needs to be worked on as it is not quite the same as it is on hearing aids. This will be discussed at the next mapping appointment. This is what is happening now, for example in church - the priest uses the microphone for the loop-system, and Raymond would use the T-switch to hear only the priest. But with the CI - the T switch is the T/M = T-coil & Microphone which allows Raymond to hear the priest directly but also hears the congregation as well. We repeat things after a priest says something, Raymond would only hear the priest say something but he would also hear the congregation repeat. He is not too pleased with this part.
Even at home, we have a loop-system, where we can put our hearing aids on to 'T' to hear only directly the TV, and nothing else. But with Raymond's CI, he is hearing the TV directly and also hears my voice as well when I talk to him. So that is something we will be discussing with the audiologist at our next appointment. Maybe that is normal, I am not sure. Will find out more later.
Since February 8th, which was the third mapping appointment, Raymond has been consistently working on his listening skills with the read-a-long books, CD music and the radio. The radio is now starting to become clearer and clearer. It is not clear clear yet, but still working on it. It takes time, as it can take up to 3 months to a year...depends on your skills.
One day, he was doing some work outside and decided to use the outdoor water hose for something. He forgot to turn it off and came into the house. He heard "something" running and it sounded like water to him. He checked the bathroom, nothing was running, so he figured I was doing the wash, so he checked, the washer was not running. He became scared as we had a flood in the basement in the past and he thought it was happening again. So he went downstairs to check it out. The noise became louder as he went into the room. Looked around, and then looked up.... the pipes that leads to the outside water tap, the water was running through the pipe to outside :) He forgot to turn it off and he was able to hear that from the main floor. Amazing, eh?
I have one pro and one con about Raymond's CI:
Pro: It is "wonderful" to be able to call his name and he can respond quickly. No more banging my feet on the floor or lightly hitting my hands on the table to get his attention (the deaf way for those who wonder why).
Con: Before the CI, when Raymond did not have his hearing aid on, he was still able to hear some things and I was able to call his name and he would respond. Now, with the CI, he is completely 100% deaf because of the electrodes damaging the remaining of the hairs in the cochlea. He can no longer hear me calling his name, or he can't hear the phone ring anymore. That is gone now. I keep forgetting that and when I call his name, he just keeps walking away or does not respond, argh!
I have to share something with you. Something happened to Raymond yesterday at a RV Show and it was so hilarious! I laughed myself to tears. At the RV show, he was looking at a flat TV that was hooked up on the outside trailer wall. He was impressed with it and was wondering how it was hooked up and bent over to look in the back of the TV. You know those handles by the door you grab on to when entering the trailer. This handle was a long extended one and it is aluminum/metal. While Raymond bent over to look at the back of the TV, the magnetic headpiece went "whoosh" and attached itself to the handle. Raymond knew something was wrong as he went completely deaf because the magnetic was taken off from the implant. The processor was still on his ear so you could see this wire and headpiece over on the handle. Man, it was quite the sight to see. I laughed so hard!! :)
In closing, overall, there is only one thing Raymond still has struggles with is the clarity of voices, etc.,... it is becoming clearer each time, but not clear-clear as I mentioned above. This will improve within time and with patience.
Next appointment is in April.
Most Important Prerequisites.....
In order to be qualified to go for the cochlear implant assessment, it is very important that you have the following three:
1) Have always worn a hearing aid, I mean always - like all your life and wear it full time and still do.
2) Have a speech pattern already developed.
3) No abnormalities inside your middle ear or cochlea.
1) Have always worn a hearing aid, I mean always - like all your life and wear it full time and still do.
2) Have a speech pattern already developed.
3) No abnormalities inside your middle ear or cochlea.
How a Cochlear Implant Work....
I am sure many of you really wonder what the cochlear implant looks like inside your ear and how it works?
Here's a pretty straightforward image of it:
1. Sound processor: External sound processor (hidden behind the ear) captures sound and converts it into digital signals. Sound waves enter the system through the microphone, located in the headpiece or the processor.
2. Digital signals: Processor sends digital signals to internal implant. The sound processor converts the sound into a distinctive digital code that has been programmed or "mapped" to maximize sound and speech understanding. Once processed, the electrically coded signal is sent to the headpiece and transmitted through the skin via radio frequency waves to the implant.
3. Electrode array: Internal implant converts signals into electrical energy, delivering it to the array of electrodes positioned within the cochlea.
4. Hearing nerve: Electrodes stimulate hearing nerve, bypassing damaged hair cells, and the brain perceives signals as sound.
Here is a video explaining how the CI works:
Here's a pretty straightforward image of it:
1. Sound processor: External sound processor (hidden behind the ear) captures sound and converts it into digital signals. Sound waves enter the system through the microphone, located in the headpiece or the processor.
2. Digital signals: Processor sends digital signals to internal implant. The sound processor converts the sound into a distinctive digital code that has been programmed or "mapped" to maximize sound and speech understanding. Once processed, the electrically coded signal is sent to the headpiece and transmitted through the skin via radio frequency waves to the implant.
3. Electrode array: Internal implant converts signals into electrical energy, delivering it to the array of electrodes positioned within the cochlea.
4. Hearing nerve: Electrodes stimulate hearing nerve, bypassing damaged hair cells, and the brain perceives signals as sound.
Here is a video explaining how the CI works:
Thursday, 17 January 2008
Off the Track Tidbit - about Cheryl
Some of you already know, some of you don’t yet…..druuuummmmm rollllll - that I, Cheryl, am on the waiting list for the cochlear implant.
:)
I wanted to announce this now so it would not come as a surprise when it is time for me to have the surgery, which is not far from now.
This may be a surprise to some of you as some of you think I am deaf and cannot talk because I do ASL. The prerequisite to have the CI, you must be wearing hearing aids full time and have a speech pattern. Actually, I am hard of hearing and speak fairly well, as most of you know. I wore hearing aids all my life, have mainstreamed in public school and am a lip-reader. I only just learned ASL when I was age 26.
My mother has asked me to go for the CI surgery several years ago and I said no. I have always said no, until earlier this year. In the past 10 years, I have lost a lot of my hearing and needless to say, it is frustrating at times. I noticed I am losing some of my lip-reading skills. Funny, how you lose your hearing, you can lose your other senses/or skills….that may not happen to all, but it did happen to me.
As all of you knew Raymond had the CI surgery in December. This past March, he went for the assessment test to see if he was a qualified candidate for the CI. He passed and then the audiologist gave us a very informative session about the CI itself and we asked a lot of questions and gave us some resources to review. That day changed my mind about the CI. It is an amazing technology and it is available for those who are qualified.
On the way home from this appointment, Raymond and I talked about the CI and how advanced it is now and how we have learned so much. He said to me, “Why not you go for an assessment to see if you are qualified or not? It is free and does not cost us anything, what’s there to lose?” If I did not pass, then I will never think about it again and also if I did not take the test, I will always ‘wonder’. On the very next day, I made arrangements to have the assessment test.
Appointment was set for August 2007 in Halifax and passed the test. Next were the balance test and the CT scan, all completed in Moncton. These are done now and next is to wait to meet the surgeon for the final “yes” or “no”. No appointment has been set yet.
During this waiting time after the August appointment, I can always have my name removed from the waiting list. I have decided to proceed with the CI surgery, why not? I have a good many years left ahead of me and would like to hear again like I did in the past. Seeing Raymond’s CI success has put a fire in me in hoping that the surgery will be sooner, not later.
Again, Raymond’s success does not mean that I will have the same results, no. Everybody is different and all have a different outcome.
Will CI work for me 100%? No. It will help me with sounds around me, hear voices, etc., but I will never be able to talk on the phone, listen to the radio, etc., because in my brain, I am a trained lip-reader and a visual person. I don’t have the skills to “listen” to voices without looking. The CI will help me in my daily life, like Raymond or others calling my name, hearing thing around me clearly and communicate easier in conversation settings.
I was not with Raymond when he had his assessment test, however, I can share with you my experience on what happens during this test.
First of all, the audiologist checked the insides of my ears and checked my hearing aid. I forgot to clean my ears, so if you go, make sure you clean yours. :) Next was another kind of test, where she placed ear piece in my ear and wire is connected to the computer. There was a chart on the computer screen, I forget what this was for.
Then she put me in a sound booth:
- Hearing test, push the button each time you hear a sound
- Listening to audiologist as she said some words. She did not cover her mouth, so I was able to get all words. Then she covered her mouth, I did not get anything at all. Only could hear her voice.
- Listening to a CD and I must tell her what it says. I couldn’t do this one but I was able to identify that it was a man’s voice.
- She gave me a sheet of paper. It had 4 columns of a total of 24 or 25 sets of words. Each set was 4 words. I had to listen to a CD and on the first set of words, the man would say one of the words and I had to tell the audiologist which word he said. I passed this with flying colors with only 2 errors, meaning I am a visual person.
After this assessment, some reviews and some discussions, the audiologist said I was a qualified candidate for the CI surgery.
Next was the balance test. I shall tell you this was a “trip” for me. The lady, I forget her profession, but she worked in the Audiologist department of the Moncton hospital, got me to look at a long LED board and follow its dots back and forth. Again follow it up and down, all keeping my head still, and only just move my eyes. Piece of cake.
Then she placed cold water in my ears and I had to close my eyes and count backwards by 2’s starting from 100. It sounds simple, but as soon I hit around number 50 I became extremely dizzy. Once I got dizzy, I still had to keep counting backwards until she tapped me on the shoulders. It was a challenge to focus on counting the numbers by 2's backwards because I had to say it out loud. By then I was around number 30 when I opened my eyes, oh my lands, everything was spinning. I had to focus on a dot on the ceiling which was “supposed” help to stop the spinning. It didn’t work. Luckily, the LED board was straight up, so I focused on that until the LED board looked straight.
She repeated this step on my other ear with cold water. Then gave me a break for a couple of minutes and started all over again with hot water in both ears separately.
By the time I left this place, it took me about two hours before finally feeling “normal”. I will never understand this, when Raymond had the balance test, he walked out of the room just like nothing had happened and went straight for Tim's coffee! Me, Raymond took one look at me and said, "What happened to you??" ;)
I asked the lady what was the purpose of this test and she said it was to measure my balance. She said as long as there is balance and spinning, which means all is normal. Gee...nice to know.
Lastly was the CT scan which took all of 2 minutes. Now am waiting for an appointment date to see the surgeon.
Stay tuned….
:)
I wanted to announce this now so it would not come as a surprise when it is time for me to have the surgery, which is not far from now.
This may be a surprise to some of you as some of you think I am deaf and cannot talk because I do ASL. The prerequisite to have the CI, you must be wearing hearing aids full time and have a speech pattern. Actually, I am hard of hearing and speak fairly well, as most of you know. I wore hearing aids all my life, have mainstreamed in public school and am a lip-reader. I only just learned ASL when I was age 26.
My mother has asked me to go for the CI surgery several years ago and I said no. I have always said no, until earlier this year. In the past 10 years, I have lost a lot of my hearing and needless to say, it is frustrating at times. I noticed I am losing some of my lip-reading skills. Funny, how you lose your hearing, you can lose your other senses/or skills….that may not happen to all, but it did happen to me.
As all of you knew Raymond had the CI surgery in December. This past March, he went for the assessment test to see if he was a qualified candidate for the CI. He passed and then the audiologist gave us a very informative session about the CI itself and we asked a lot of questions and gave us some resources to review. That day changed my mind about the CI. It is an amazing technology and it is available for those who are qualified.
On the way home from this appointment, Raymond and I talked about the CI and how advanced it is now and how we have learned so much. He said to me, “Why not you go for an assessment to see if you are qualified or not? It is free and does not cost us anything, what’s there to lose?” If I did not pass, then I will never think about it again and also if I did not take the test, I will always ‘wonder’. On the very next day, I made arrangements to have the assessment test.
Appointment was set for August 2007 in Halifax and passed the test. Next were the balance test and the CT scan, all completed in Moncton. These are done now and next is to wait to meet the surgeon for the final “yes” or “no”. No appointment has been set yet.
During this waiting time after the August appointment, I can always have my name removed from the waiting list. I have decided to proceed with the CI surgery, why not? I have a good many years left ahead of me and would like to hear again like I did in the past. Seeing Raymond’s CI success has put a fire in me in hoping that the surgery will be sooner, not later.
Again, Raymond’s success does not mean that I will have the same results, no. Everybody is different and all have a different outcome.
Will CI work for me 100%? No. It will help me with sounds around me, hear voices, etc., but I will never be able to talk on the phone, listen to the radio, etc., because in my brain, I am a trained lip-reader and a visual person. I don’t have the skills to “listen” to voices without looking. The CI will help me in my daily life, like Raymond or others calling my name, hearing thing around me clearly and communicate easier in conversation settings.
I was not with Raymond when he had his assessment test, however, I can share with you my experience on what happens during this test.
First of all, the audiologist checked the insides of my ears and checked my hearing aid. I forgot to clean my ears, so if you go, make sure you clean yours. :) Next was another kind of test, where she placed ear piece in my ear and wire is connected to the computer. There was a chart on the computer screen, I forget what this was for.
Then she put me in a sound booth:
- Hearing test, push the button each time you hear a sound
- Listening to audiologist as she said some words. She did not cover her mouth, so I was able to get all words. Then she covered her mouth, I did not get anything at all. Only could hear her voice.
- Listening to a CD and I must tell her what it says. I couldn’t do this one but I was able to identify that it was a man’s voice.
- She gave me a sheet of paper. It had 4 columns of a total of 24 or 25 sets of words. Each set was 4 words. I had to listen to a CD and on the first set of words, the man would say one of the words and I had to tell the audiologist which word he said. I passed this with flying colors with only 2 errors, meaning I am a visual person.
After this assessment, some reviews and some discussions, the audiologist said I was a qualified candidate for the CI surgery.
Next was the balance test. I shall tell you this was a “trip” for me. The lady, I forget her profession, but she worked in the Audiologist department of the Moncton hospital, got me to look at a long LED board and follow its dots back and forth. Again follow it up and down, all keeping my head still, and only just move my eyes. Piece of cake.
Then she placed cold water in my ears and I had to close my eyes and count backwards by 2’s starting from 100. It sounds simple, but as soon I hit around number 50 I became extremely dizzy. Once I got dizzy, I still had to keep counting backwards until she tapped me on the shoulders. It was a challenge to focus on counting the numbers by 2's backwards because I had to say it out loud. By then I was around number 30 when I opened my eyes, oh my lands, everything was spinning. I had to focus on a dot on the ceiling which was “supposed” help to stop the spinning. It didn’t work. Luckily, the LED board was straight up, so I focused on that until the LED board looked straight.
She repeated this step on my other ear with cold water. Then gave me a break for a couple of minutes and started all over again with hot water in both ears separately.
By the time I left this place, it took me about two hours before finally feeling “normal”. I will never understand this, when Raymond had the balance test, he walked out of the room just like nothing had happened and went straight for Tim's coffee! Me, Raymond took one look at me and said, "What happened to you??" ;)
I asked the lady what was the purpose of this test and she said it was to measure my balance. She said as long as there is balance and spinning, which means all is normal. Gee...nice to know.
Lastly was the CT scan which took all of 2 minutes. Now am waiting for an appointment date to see the surgeon.
Stay tuned….
Sunday, 13 January 2008
The Activation Day
Starting after a few days after Raymond’s CI surgery up to the activation day, Raymond has been missing hearing sounds, really craving for them. He found it very frustrating at times, thus making him really cranky at times, and making me cranky too. The most common word he said over the three week period was, “What?”. I said I would be honest on this blog, and you are getting it. It was his left “good” ear that was implanted, so he had to rely on his poor right ear.
The big day, January 8, 2008, finally arrives! Oh, the anticipation leading up to this appointment was intense… full of wondering if the implant will work, how much will he hear, how clear will the sounds be, what will he actually hear, very excited to hear ‘sounds’, etc., etc….
During this appointment, the audiologist conducted measurements of soft and comfortable sounds, created an initial program or “map” for Raymond’s processor. Also she reviewed the parts and care of the new cochlear implant with us.
First, the audiologist placed the processor on Raymond’s ear and tried to place the headpiece over the magnet that is in the implant which is embedded in his side skull. She was unable to find it so she changed the magnet on the headpiece to a stronger strength. Raymond’s hair is still new and spiked from it being shaved for the surgery. Hopefully it will become softer as his hair grows.
The audiologist attached a wire to the processor from the computer and turned on a program. It begins now :) You should have seen the look on Raymond’s face….it was mixed with different emotions – anxious, curious and excited. They went through four different groups of sounds. Raymond was to tell her when he first hears something, even the tiniest sound and then she would increase the volume of that sound until bearable and comfortable.
That took some time and did some tuning and adjustments. Finally, when it was done, the audiologist “turned” on the processor officially and she talked for a bit to see how Raymond felt. He was really shocked how well he could hear her. These are the sounds he heard during this moment – she snapped her fingers, tapped the desk, and rustled her sweater sleeve. He was able to hear them all clearly. She laughed and then I laughed. When he heard me laugh, he was surprised to hear me for the first time. He became emotional and started to cry. The reason for that is the audiologist’s voice and my voice is different and he noticed the difference and was able to identify the difference. It was the first time for him to “know” my real voice, my real laugh. We have been together for 14 years, so that is a long time for him not to know or hear my real voice.
Then Raymond started to talk and he jumped back a bit. His voice is “loud” to him. To me it was normal, but with the CI, the hearing becomes more clearer and with clarity. All of sudden, his voice dropped and it’s been like that since. I miss his voice already as I now don’t hear it with my hearing aid as he is like whispering, well, to me it sounds like that. He is embarrassed that his voice was loud, so he talks low now.
The audiologist tested some words on Raymond, covering her mouth. First set was days of the week, second set was months of the year, and then lastly were sentences. He got all the days of the weeks, and months right. The sentences were more of a challenge for him but he got it very well considering.
The audiologist then set the processer into three programs – 1, 2, and 3. For the next two weeks, Raymond is to start at number 1 and when he gets used to the sounds around him, and the quality becomes lower, he is to change it to number 2 where it is louder. And so forth. By the time he goes back for the second mapping, he will be on number 3. The first mapping went very well; he was able to hear very clearly and sharp.
Before heading out, the audiologist reviewed the parts of the cochlear implant processor, items and how to take care of it. Next appointment date is January 25th.
Here comes the real world!!!!! The Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centres is located in a mall, so we had to go through the mall to get to our truck. He could hear people walking around him so clearly, more so than before. He was in a daze walking through the mall with a silly smile on his face.
Started the truck and he jumped a little shocked… he could hear the motor run. Now we were parked in those indoor parking areas that have several floors, I am not sure exactly what they are called. The ceiling is low and our truck is a bit high. As we drove out, the radio antenna was hitting every pipe overhead causing a clacking noise each time we hit one. It was a bit annoying for Raymond. Finally, got outside and as Raymond accelerated the truck, he could hear the motor run faster and the tires going faster. A dump truck went by us; he watched it go by hearing its entire mechanics running. When it was time to make a right turn, he turned on the right signal and nearly jumped. It felt so loud and right in his ear.
We were to meet friends of ours after they got off work and we were a bit early so we decided to go into Lower Sackville and stopped at A&W just to sit back, relax and shared small fries. Raymond ordered and while he was standing there, he could hear the fast bubbles of the deep fryer in the kitchen! He heard the whine of the foundation soda machine and heard himself “eat” and realized he ate loud. I blew my nose forgetting he can actually hear more, and he jumped and said, “Oh that is gross!!!” Oops.
Finally, we went to friends of ours and chatted some. Raymond was downstairs in the bathroom looking at his new cochlear implant in the mirror for the first time. Admiring it, shall I say. Our friend sneakily put the bathroom fan on and scared Raymond for a second as it was loud. He flushed the toilet for fun and was amazed to hear the sound of the water flushing, sounding like waterfall, and then for the first time, he heard the water tank in the back fill up.
Instead of cooking supper, we decided to go out to a restaurant later that evening. Never thought it was a bit overwhelming for Raymond’s first day, maybe we should have gone to a quieter place or even stay home. However, it was an experience for Raymond as he could hear everything, such as utensils hitting the plates, overlapping of people talking, banging of things around him, etc. During that evening, he went to the washroom and heard the music overhead, it had no words and it was very soft. He soon washed his hands and was enthralled with the sound of the water as it sounded like “air”. The paper towel has an auto-sensor where you place your hands over the sensor and paper towel will roll out. Raymond heard the mechanic roll running and the paper sliding out. He thought that was amazing. Like a child, he tried it again about 3 or 4 times until the paper hit the floor. He grimaced when he ripped the paper from the dispenser and was surprised to hear how loud a paper towel sounded while drying his hands. He had to force himself to easily dry his hands.
Getting ready to leave the washroom, there was a spot on the floor that was sticky and he never noticed. When he left and as he picked up his feet from the floor, it stuck a little bit and sounded like tape on the bottom of your shoes peeling off. He could hear that “peeling” sound and thought that was neat and tried it again a few times :)
My friend and I were in the back seat of the car on the way home and Raymond was able to identify who was talking or who was laughing without looking back. He was never able to do that before. During this time, it was dark, so he could not see us so it was absolutely amazing he was able to identify our voices.
Over the next few days, it was all new sounds; however, once he recognized them, he was able to tune them out. I will name a few, and remember, most of these he never heard clearly and with clarity:
- the rustle of the newspaper, he hated this one the most but now is getting used to it.
- heard the wet snow slush while walking outside, heard it go whoosh whoosh.
- overhead fan of the stove. This was loud to begin with but now can tune it out.
- the click clacking of a computer keyboard.
- heard the sound of hitting the touchpad of the lap-top and also heard the dings, etc., when clicking on “Inbox” of e-mails, etc.
- his own breathing, it is strong sound when breathing out very clearly.
- he made chicken fricot and was able to hear the “very” beginnings of boiling. He never heard that before. It was very small bubbles at first and could hear it gradually boil faster and faster. When it really boiled, he was able to recognize that now it was time to turn it down before it over boiled. He could hear it boiling steadily from the living room.
- I peeled and diced carrots, Raymond found the dicing a bit annoying as it was repetitive.
- Raymond was sitting in the living room and I was in the kitchen. I had a glass of water on the island and normally I always “pick” up the glass but at that moment, I slid it a bit before picking it up (not thinking what I was doing) and Raymond looked at me. He was able to hear it from a distance! He said that it sounded like that I was dragging the glass across the island.
- the low fuel alarm came on (rarely) and this really scared him as it was pretty loud
- his son loves to sneak into chips when he knows he has had enough. In the past, he was able to take some more without our knowledge. Last night, this failed ;) Raymond was able to hear him trying to put his hands into the chip bag lightly and Raymond said, “I hear you!”. His son was really surprised and also disappointed at the same time, ha!
- when he tapped his hand on the chair arm, he was able to hear the 'click click' of his wedding band.
- heard me use the water cooler behind him. I did not let him know that I was there and he heard the stream of water going into my glass. He was able to identify the direction of the sound as he immediately turned around and looked at me. Amazing!
- we have a phone booster on our phone for more volume. With his CI, he has to turn it all the way down and thinks will need to remove it and use the normal volume control on the phone itself. He hears a lot more and with the booster, it is too high. :)
Right now, he is able to hear sounds around him and afar too. The only thing is people’s voices on TV, radio and also music are very vague right now. He says it sounds like the person has a cold, with a coarse voice. This is partially blocked for now and that will eventually come to him in the next few months while he goes through these mapping processes with the audiologist.
I will leave here as it is, as there are many other sounds he is learning. He is doing extremely well and loves the cochlear implant.
Next is the second mapping on January 25th. Stay tuned.
The big day, January 8, 2008, finally arrives! Oh, the anticipation leading up to this appointment was intense… full of wondering if the implant will work, how much will he hear, how clear will the sounds be, what will he actually hear, very excited to hear ‘sounds’, etc., etc….
During this appointment, the audiologist conducted measurements of soft and comfortable sounds, created an initial program or “map” for Raymond’s processor. Also she reviewed the parts and care of the new cochlear implant with us.
First, the audiologist placed the processor on Raymond’s ear and tried to place the headpiece over the magnet that is in the implant which is embedded in his side skull. She was unable to find it so she changed the magnet on the headpiece to a stronger strength. Raymond’s hair is still new and spiked from it being shaved for the surgery. Hopefully it will become softer as his hair grows.
The audiologist attached a wire to the processor from the computer and turned on a program. It begins now :) You should have seen the look on Raymond’s face….it was mixed with different emotions – anxious, curious and excited. They went through four different groups of sounds. Raymond was to tell her when he first hears something, even the tiniest sound and then she would increase the volume of that sound until bearable and comfortable.
That took some time and did some tuning and adjustments. Finally, when it was done, the audiologist “turned” on the processor officially and she talked for a bit to see how Raymond felt. He was really shocked how well he could hear her. These are the sounds he heard during this moment – she snapped her fingers, tapped the desk, and rustled her sweater sleeve. He was able to hear them all clearly. She laughed and then I laughed. When he heard me laugh, he was surprised to hear me for the first time. He became emotional and started to cry. The reason for that is the audiologist’s voice and my voice is different and he noticed the difference and was able to identify the difference. It was the first time for him to “know” my real voice, my real laugh. We have been together for 14 years, so that is a long time for him not to know or hear my real voice.
Then Raymond started to talk and he jumped back a bit. His voice is “loud” to him. To me it was normal, but with the CI, the hearing becomes more clearer and with clarity. All of sudden, his voice dropped and it’s been like that since. I miss his voice already as I now don’t hear it with my hearing aid as he is like whispering, well, to me it sounds like that. He is embarrassed that his voice was loud, so he talks low now.
The audiologist tested some words on Raymond, covering her mouth. First set was days of the week, second set was months of the year, and then lastly were sentences. He got all the days of the weeks, and months right. The sentences were more of a challenge for him but he got it very well considering.
The audiologist then set the processer into three programs – 1, 2, and 3. For the next two weeks, Raymond is to start at number 1 and when he gets used to the sounds around him, and the quality becomes lower, he is to change it to number 2 where it is louder. And so forth. By the time he goes back for the second mapping, he will be on number 3. The first mapping went very well; he was able to hear very clearly and sharp.
Before heading out, the audiologist reviewed the parts of the cochlear implant processor, items and how to take care of it. Next appointment date is January 25th.
Here comes the real world!!!!! The Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centres is located in a mall, so we had to go through the mall to get to our truck. He could hear people walking around him so clearly, more so than before. He was in a daze walking through the mall with a silly smile on his face.
Started the truck and he jumped a little shocked… he could hear the motor run. Now we were parked in those indoor parking areas that have several floors, I am not sure exactly what they are called. The ceiling is low and our truck is a bit high. As we drove out, the radio antenna was hitting every pipe overhead causing a clacking noise each time we hit one. It was a bit annoying for Raymond. Finally, got outside and as Raymond accelerated the truck, he could hear the motor run faster and the tires going faster. A dump truck went by us; he watched it go by hearing its entire mechanics running. When it was time to make a right turn, he turned on the right signal and nearly jumped. It felt so loud and right in his ear.
We were to meet friends of ours after they got off work and we were a bit early so we decided to go into Lower Sackville and stopped at A&W just to sit back, relax and shared small fries. Raymond ordered and while he was standing there, he could hear the fast bubbles of the deep fryer in the kitchen! He heard the whine of the foundation soda machine and heard himself “eat” and realized he ate loud. I blew my nose forgetting he can actually hear more, and he jumped and said, “Oh that is gross!!!” Oops.
Finally, we went to friends of ours and chatted some. Raymond was downstairs in the bathroom looking at his new cochlear implant in the mirror for the first time. Admiring it, shall I say. Our friend sneakily put the bathroom fan on and scared Raymond for a second as it was loud. He flushed the toilet for fun and was amazed to hear the sound of the water flushing, sounding like waterfall, and then for the first time, he heard the water tank in the back fill up.
Instead of cooking supper, we decided to go out to a restaurant later that evening. Never thought it was a bit overwhelming for Raymond’s first day, maybe we should have gone to a quieter place or even stay home. However, it was an experience for Raymond as he could hear everything, such as utensils hitting the plates, overlapping of people talking, banging of things around him, etc. During that evening, he went to the washroom and heard the music overhead, it had no words and it was very soft. He soon washed his hands and was enthralled with the sound of the water as it sounded like “air”. The paper towel has an auto-sensor where you place your hands over the sensor and paper towel will roll out. Raymond heard the mechanic roll running and the paper sliding out. He thought that was amazing. Like a child, he tried it again about 3 or 4 times until the paper hit the floor. He grimaced when he ripped the paper from the dispenser and was surprised to hear how loud a paper towel sounded while drying his hands. He had to force himself to easily dry his hands.
Getting ready to leave the washroom, there was a spot on the floor that was sticky and he never noticed. When he left and as he picked up his feet from the floor, it stuck a little bit and sounded like tape on the bottom of your shoes peeling off. He could hear that “peeling” sound and thought that was neat and tried it again a few times :)
My friend and I were in the back seat of the car on the way home and Raymond was able to identify who was talking or who was laughing without looking back. He was never able to do that before. During this time, it was dark, so he could not see us so it was absolutely amazing he was able to identify our voices.
Over the next few days, it was all new sounds; however, once he recognized them, he was able to tune them out. I will name a few, and remember, most of these he never heard clearly and with clarity:
- the rustle of the newspaper, he hated this one the most but now is getting used to it.
- heard the wet snow slush while walking outside, heard it go whoosh whoosh.
- overhead fan of the stove. This was loud to begin with but now can tune it out.
- the click clacking of a computer keyboard.
- heard the sound of hitting the touchpad of the lap-top and also heard the dings, etc., when clicking on “Inbox” of e-mails, etc.
- his own breathing, it is strong sound when breathing out very clearly.
- he made chicken fricot and was able to hear the “very” beginnings of boiling. He never heard that before. It was very small bubbles at first and could hear it gradually boil faster and faster. When it really boiled, he was able to recognize that now it was time to turn it down before it over boiled. He could hear it boiling steadily from the living room.
- I peeled and diced carrots, Raymond found the dicing a bit annoying as it was repetitive.
- Raymond was sitting in the living room and I was in the kitchen. I had a glass of water on the island and normally I always “pick” up the glass but at that moment, I slid it a bit before picking it up (not thinking what I was doing) and Raymond looked at me. He was able to hear it from a distance! He said that it sounded like that I was dragging the glass across the island.
- the low fuel alarm came on (rarely) and this really scared him as it was pretty loud
- his son loves to sneak into chips when he knows he has had enough. In the past, he was able to take some more without our knowledge. Last night, this failed ;) Raymond was able to hear him trying to put his hands into the chip bag lightly and Raymond said, “I hear you!”. His son was really surprised and also disappointed at the same time, ha!
- when he tapped his hand on the chair arm, he was able to hear the 'click click' of his wedding band.
- heard me use the water cooler behind him. I did not let him know that I was there and he heard the stream of water going into my glass. He was able to identify the direction of the sound as he immediately turned around and looked at me. Amazing!
- we have a phone booster on our phone for more volume. With his CI, he has to turn it all the way down and thinks will need to remove it and use the normal volume control on the phone itself. He hears a lot more and with the booster, it is too high. :)
Right now, he is able to hear sounds around him and afar too. The only thing is people’s voices on TV, radio and also music are very vague right now. He says it sounds like the person has a cold, with a coarse voice. This is partially blocked for now and that will eventually come to him in the next few months while he goes through these mapping processes with the audiologist.
I will leave here as it is, as there are many other sounds he is learning. He is doing extremely well and loves the cochlear implant.
Next is the second mapping on January 25th. Stay tuned.
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