It is thanksgiving time, and there are many that we are thankful - and for the sounds of life around us.
We are thankful for the engineers and their leadership to invent and improve the cochlear implants we wear today.
We are thankful for the amazing doctors who put the implants in our heads and become a part of hearing world.
We are thankful that we have friends and family that supports us during our cochlear implant journey.
(copied and pasted from another website....)
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Rest Periods
When I first got my CI implant activated on July 29th and went back two weeks later for a mapping/adjustment, the audiologist, Heather Maessen said that anytime I felt overwhelmed with the CI, I can take it off for a little bit. We are allowed to take a small rest from it.
My work's noise level is very overwhelming so I take off my CI everyday during my 15 minute break. Sometimes just once during the shift, I would take it off just to chill out, but always put it back on like about 5 minutes later, it is never off long. This is only once in a while.
If you don't do this, you will only tire yourself out more and get yourself overwhelmed even more. Rest your ears once in a while. CI is an HUGE adjustment, I shall tell you.
Raymond does this alot too, and I am sure many other CI users do this as well.
My work's noise level is very overwhelming so I take off my CI everyday during my 15 minute break. Sometimes just once during the shift, I would take it off just to chill out, but always put it back on like about 5 minutes later, it is never off long. This is only once in a while.
If you don't do this, you will only tire yourself out more and get yourself overwhelmed even more. Rest your ears once in a while. CI is an HUGE adjustment, I shall tell you.
Raymond does this alot too, and I am sure many other CI users do this as well.
Saturday, 20 September 2008
September 20, 2008 - Update - Cheryl
This blog is so far behind, and I am afraid I may not remember everything I have heard to share with you, so I will try my best whilst I write this. This has been quite the month with some high and lows with my CI. My work colleagues can tell you if they could :)
I had my mapping session with Cathy on August 28th, and she balanced out the volume and tones of the 4 groupings. The volume is a bit higher than the mapping session I had before and do now hear more pitches, etc., of voices. There's no soft sounds just yet and I am anxiously waiting for this part. I hope it won't be too far into the future. Right now, everything is still loud to me, but I am hearing alot more things now than before, they are alot more distinct and clearer. Like I can identify the sounds better than before. It is still work in progress.
Cathy got me into the sound booth and was pleased to learn that I am almost where I should be. She gave me sheet of paper where there were 4 words in each section. She would cover her mouth and say a word in that 4 word section. I got 23 out of 25..... only two wrong. I was quite pleased with this because my hearing is different now than it was when I had my hearing aid, so I wasn't too sure before. Now I am sure :)
I don't need to go back to see Cathy again until October - likely the latter part of October, so this gives me nearly two months to work on the CI processor switches she has set up for me. The switch 1 is my old program, switch 2 is the new program, and finally, switch 3 is the same as switch 2 but louder.
Cathy has advised me that she would like for me to stay on switch 2 to get used to it. Up to today, September 20th, I am still on switch 2 and 12 o'clock. I can't seem to get it higher because if i do, it is so loud. I really don't know why. It seems like I have struck a "stand still" time, .......nothing is moving or nothing is happening in order for it to improve....hopefully it will break through one of these days. Cathy says, "have patience, it takes time."
The MOST difficult thing I am going through is the noise level at work. It is so ungodawful! I returned back to work on August 18th on an "ease back into work" transition of working 4 hours a day and up to today, I am still not used to the noise level. I work in a call centre so there are constant noises in the building. There is white noise above supposedly to help you "tune" out noise... ha ha... that ain't helping me at all. There is constant talking in the background, people coughing, sneezing, and laughing. Even worse, across from my pod, there is a private office and the lady who works in there is so loud. She gets alot of visitors so I hear them chatting away in there and her laugh is piercing!! (don't worry, she doesn't know me, so I am safe to say this in here :)
Two weeks ago, I tried two days of 6 hour shifts and I couldn't handle it, so reverted back to the 4 hour shift. Then went on vacation for 9 days. Returned back to work today, and did 6 hours today. I have not heard back from my case manager if I should stay on the 4 hours or not, so hope to hear from him for sure on Monday. If not, then I will ask my TM to call him for me to see what the next plan is.
When I returned back to work on August 18th, I was exhausted by the time I got home and had alot of naps daily. Now I try to avoid the naps, and instead I take off the CI just for a little break.
So in overall, work is still very difficult to get used to. Especially in a noisy group, etc. When I go back to see Cathy in October, I truly do HOPE that she will put in a background block on one of my switches so I can tolerate the work noise level. Keeping my fingers crossed and keep your fingers crossed for me please :)
The following are what I have heard for the last while:
- Beeping of the crosswalk. One day, Raymond and I drove down Main Street - downtown Moncton and stopped at the stop lights. I heard a beeping sound and asked Raymond what that beeping was... he smiled at me and said, "It's the crosswalk!" I NEVER knew it actually made noise. Boy, I was really amazed. I am 42 years old and I am just learning this NOW... geez.... This was about 2 weeks ago, and I am still in awe about this :)
- Cell phone ringing. I was in Chapters on the other night browsing around for a book and I was in deep concentration reading a book.... and all of sudden I heard a cell phone ringing! The person answered it on the second ring. I had this goofy smile on my face when I heard this. It was amazing!
- Bird communication. One day, I was sitting at the kitchen table and our patio door was open. A blue jay came to our bird feeder and started "calling" out to others. Did this twice so I looked over and sure enough it did it again. Two other blue jays came along.... so the first bird was calling out to them telling them, "Fresh food here!!! Come on down!!" ha ha....
- Raymond on phone. I was in the living room reading a book and Raymond was on the phone in the sun room....for those who has never seen my home, the kitchen separates the living room and sun room. When Raymond talks to a family member, he tends to be loud talking to them as they do to him as well....so I listened into his phone conversation and heard, "Yeah" a few times, "Okay" a few times, "Not a problem" and "Okay bye bye" and then heard him walking through the kitchen to see me... could hear his foot steps. Wicked!!!
- Unknown Noise. One evening, I was home alone and I could hear a noise constantly all evening and it was annoying, I shall tell you! I didn't recognize this one so I had to struggle to figure out what it was, I even listened around the house, nearly every room on the main floor, and soon learned it was from outside... but "what"???? Finally Raymond comes home shortly after 9 pm... and told him immediately - "Listen!!!".... so he listens and tells me what it is right off the bat... I felt soooo small! They are building a garage next door, so they were using the hammer all evening. LOL.....
- Cracking.... I hear the cracking of my neck and wrists all the time.
- Newspaper & Kitchen Noise. I still despise the sound of the newspaper, getting better each time though. Raymond is soooo noisy in the kitchen, so while he is in there, I actually take off my CI, I have no choice. He bangs things, does not put things down lightly, bangs the doors, etc... gosh...I cringe everytime he goes in there to make something or make a meal. His meals are lovely, so it is worth it anyways. :)
- Flooring. We have uniclic flooring in our house and they do squeak everytime I walk down the hallway. I never heard this before with my hearing aid. It is annoying but I am getting used to this now.
- My voice. Everybody tells me that my voice has nearly disappeared. I talk really low now, just above a whisper. The T-mic next to my ear is very close to my mouth, so to me, I sound very very loud, but to them it is like a whisper or a very low voice. This can give you a fair idea that sounds are indeed loud to me.
- Keys in truck. I am trying to "train" Raymond just to put the key in the ignition but don't turn it on until he puts the seatbelt on first. The beeping of the seatbelt warning is so ungodawful loud.
Up to now, my very favorite sound is the rain!! How I love this so much! I love the way it hits our screen room roof, the roof of the truck, the roof of the trailer, and even the roof of the house. It is an awesome sound!
As I read through this blog, I realize that I complain that certain things are so loud. It is supposed to be like that for the first while after your CI has been activated. This is the process for your brain to learn the sounds. It will get better within time and patience is virtue. I know it is not easy, and there are some days, I just want to whip off the CI and leave it off, but I love alot of the sounds I hear and have learned to hear. It will get better within the next few months after a period of adjustments and mapping, etc.
Learned today that I go back to see Cathy on October 23rd, so another trip to Halifax again :) Looking forward to this one.
Coming soon, Raymond's update....
Until next time.....
I had my mapping session with Cathy on August 28th, and she balanced out the volume and tones of the 4 groupings. The volume is a bit higher than the mapping session I had before and do now hear more pitches, etc., of voices. There's no soft sounds just yet and I am anxiously waiting for this part. I hope it won't be too far into the future. Right now, everything is still loud to me, but I am hearing alot more things now than before, they are alot more distinct and clearer. Like I can identify the sounds better than before. It is still work in progress.
Cathy got me into the sound booth and was pleased to learn that I am almost where I should be. She gave me sheet of paper where there were 4 words in each section. She would cover her mouth and say a word in that 4 word section. I got 23 out of 25..... only two wrong. I was quite pleased with this because my hearing is different now than it was when I had my hearing aid, so I wasn't too sure before. Now I am sure :)
I don't need to go back to see Cathy again until October - likely the latter part of October, so this gives me nearly two months to work on the CI processor switches she has set up for me. The switch 1 is my old program, switch 2 is the new program, and finally, switch 3 is the same as switch 2 but louder.
Cathy has advised me that she would like for me to stay on switch 2 to get used to it. Up to today, September 20th, I am still on switch 2 and 12 o'clock. I can't seem to get it higher because if i do, it is so loud. I really don't know why. It seems like I have struck a "stand still" time, .......nothing is moving or nothing is happening in order for it to improve....hopefully it will break through one of these days. Cathy says, "have patience, it takes time."
The MOST difficult thing I am going through is the noise level at work. It is so ungodawful! I returned back to work on August 18th on an "ease back into work" transition of working 4 hours a day and up to today, I am still not used to the noise level. I work in a call centre so there are constant noises in the building. There is white noise above supposedly to help you "tune" out noise... ha ha... that ain't helping me at all. There is constant talking in the background, people coughing, sneezing, and laughing. Even worse, across from my pod, there is a private office and the lady who works in there is so loud. She gets alot of visitors so I hear them chatting away in there and her laugh is piercing!! (don't worry, she doesn't know me, so I am safe to say this in here :)
Two weeks ago, I tried two days of 6 hour shifts and I couldn't handle it, so reverted back to the 4 hour shift. Then went on vacation for 9 days. Returned back to work today, and did 6 hours today. I have not heard back from my case manager if I should stay on the 4 hours or not, so hope to hear from him for sure on Monday. If not, then I will ask my TM to call him for me to see what the next plan is.
When I returned back to work on August 18th, I was exhausted by the time I got home and had alot of naps daily. Now I try to avoid the naps, and instead I take off the CI just for a little break.
So in overall, work is still very difficult to get used to. Especially in a noisy group, etc. When I go back to see Cathy in October, I truly do HOPE that she will put in a background block on one of my switches so I can tolerate the work noise level. Keeping my fingers crossed and keep your fingers crossed for me please :)
The following are what I have heard for the last while:
- Beeping of the crosswalk. One day, Raymond and I drove down Main Street - downtown Moncton and stopped at the stop lights. I heard a beeping sound and asked Raymond what that beeping was... he smiled at me and said, "It's the crosswalk!" I NEVER knew it actually made noise. Boy, I was really amazed. I am 42 years old and I am just learning this NOW... geez.... This was about 2 weeks ago, and I am still in awe about this :)
- Cell phone ringing. I was in Chapters on the other night browsing around for a book and I was in deep concentration reading a book.... and all of sudden I heard a cell phone ringing! The person answered it on the second ring. I had this goofy smile on my face when I heard this. It was amazing!
- Bird communication. One day, I was sitting at the kitchen table and our patio door was open. A blue jay came to our bird feeder and started "calling" out to others. Did this twice so I looked over and sure enough it did it again. Two other blue jays came along.... so the first bird was calling out to them telling them, "Fresh food here!!! Come on down!!" ha ha....
- Raymond on phone. I was in the living room reading a book and Raymond was on the phone in the sun room....for those who has never seen my home, the kitchen separates the living room and sun room. When Raymond talks to a family member, he tends to be loud talking to them as they do to him as well....so I listened into his phone conversation and heard, "Yeah" a few times, "Okay" a few times, "Not a problem" and "Okay bye bye" and then heard him walking through the kitchen to see me... could hear his foot steps. Wicked!!!
- Unknown Noise. One evening, I was home alone and I could hear a noise constantly all evening and it was annoying, I shall tell you! I didn't recognize this one so I had to struggle to figure out what it was, I even listened around the house, nearly every room on the main floor, and soon learned it was from outside... but "what"???? Finally Raymond comes home shortly after 9 pm... and told him immediately - "Listen!!!".... so he listens and tells me what it is right off the bat... I felt soooo small! They are building a garage next door, so they were using the hammer all evening. LOL.....
- Cracking.... I hear the cracking of my neck and wrists all the time.
- Newspaper & Kitchen Noise. I still despise the sound of the newspaper, getting better each time though. Raymond is soooo noisy in the kitchen, so while he is in there, I actually take off my CI, I have no choice. He bangs things, does not put things down lightly, bangs the doors, etc... gosh...I cringe everytime he goes in there to make something or make a meal. His meals are lovely, so it is worth it anyways. :)
- Flooring. We have uniclic flooring in our house and they do squeak everytime I walk down the hallway. I never heard this before with my hearing aid. It is annoying but I am getting used to this now.
- My voice. Everybody tells me that my voice has nearly disappeared. I talk really low now, just above a whisper. The T-mic next to my ear is very close to my mouth, so to me, I sound very very loud, but to them it is like a whisper or a very low voice. This can give you a fair idea that sounds are indeed loud to me.
- Keys in truck. I am trying to "train" Raymond just to put the key in the ignition but don't turn it on until he puts the seatbelt on first. The beeping of the seatbelt warning is so ungodawful loud.
Up to now, my very favorite sound is the rain!! How I love this so much! I love the way it hits our screen room roof, the roof of the truck, the roof of the trailer, and even the roof of the house. It is an awesome sound!
As I read through this blog, I realize that I complain that certain things are so loud. It is supposed to be like that for the first while after your CI has been activated. This is the process for your brain to learn the sounds. It will get better within time and patience is virtue. I know it is not easy, and there are some days, I just want to whip off the CI and leave it off, but I love alot of the sounds I hear and have learned to hear. It will get better within the next few months after a period of adjustments and mapping, etc.
Learned today that I go back to see Cathy on October 23rd, so another trip to Halifax again :) Looking forward to this one.
Coming soon, Raymond's update....
Until next time.....
Monday, 25 August 2008
Most common questions....
Since I got activated, I have been asked alot of questions by friends.... and it was interesting to learn that there is indeed a most common question. Want to know what it was?
"Do you sleep with your CI on?"
It is natural for people to be curious and I love answering their questions. But this one as thrown me for the loop, as I am thinking to some of these people..."Do you sleep with your glasses on?" :)
Two other popular questions are:
"Do you go swimming with your CI on?"
"Do you shower with your CI on?"
The answer to questions like that, is.... "no". The CI is a tool same as glasses, prothesis, etc., we take them off when needed to. CI is not waterproof, like full immersion in water. We can go out in the rain with them on... but they cannot be immersed in water. And plus sleeping with the CI, it will definitely fall off as you move around in your sleep, so therefore we don't sleep with them on. They are expensive enough as it is, so we need to take a good care of them. It is a nice advantage to be completely deaf during your sleep - nice and peacefully quiet. Even now, if I put my head back on a chair/couch just to relax and move my head in a certain way, the headpiece will fall off hanging from the processor.
"Do you sleep with your CI on?"
It is natural for people to be curious and I love answering their questions. But this one as thrown me for the loop, as I am thinking to some of these people..."Do you sleep with your glasses on?" :)
Two other popular questions are:
"Do you go swimming with your CI on?"
"Do you shower with your CI on?"
The answer to questions like that, is.... "no". The CI is a tool same as glasses, prothesis, etc., we take them off when needed to. CI is not waterproof, like full immersion in water. We can go out in the rain with them on... but they cannot be immersed in water. And plus sleeping with the CI, it will definitely fall off as you move around in your sleep, so therefore we don't sleep with them on. They are expensive enough as it is, so we need to take a good care of them. It is a nice advantage to be completely deaf during your sleep - nice and peacefully quiet. Even now, if I put my head back on a chair/couch just to relax and move my head in a certain way, the headpiece will fall off hanging from the processor.
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
August 12th Mapping Session
Visited Heather on August 12th at 2:30 p.m. and we discussed on how I did for the past couple of weeks. I have told her I am hearing alot of high pitched sounds and she reduced this for me. Boosted up the loudness of the processor and I am to follow the same steps again - switch #1, #2, #3 again until August 28th, which is my next appointment. That was it. My own appointment time took all of like 15 or 20 minutes.
Raymond had difficulty with the loop system and Heather changed the program on switch #2 and #3. Raymond is to try them at home to see how things go, and so far, he loves switch #3 which is "aux only with T-Coil", all background is cut off. Finally we got it! We have a loop system at home and tried it with the TV and as well as the stereo... he really LOVES it. Next is to try the church loop system this Sunday.
For the last two or three days, Raymond was hearing noises in his processor and it was discovered that his T-Mic was either dirty or had moisture inside it. Tried another one and it worked just fine. Lucky we have two T-Mics he can rotately use once in a while.
Most importantly of all, if you had humidity problems with your hearing aid, then it is likely you "may" have humidity problems with your CI. You should be putting your CI and T-Mic into the "Dri-Aid" nightly. That will help alot.
Raymond had difficulty with the loop system and Heather changed the program on switch #2 and #3. Raymond is to try them at home to see how things go, and so far, he loves switch #3 which is "aux only with T-Coil", all background is cut off. Finally we got it! We have a loop system at home and tried it with the TV and as well as the stereo... he really LOVES it. Next is to try the church loop system this Sunday.
For the last two or three days, Raymond was hearing noises in his processor and it was discovered that his T-Mic was either dirty or had moisture inside it. Tried another one and it worked just fine. Lucky we have two T-Mics he can rotately use once in a while.
Most importantly of all, if you had humidity problems with your hearing aid, then it is likely you "may" have humidity problems with your CI. You should be putting your CI and T-Mic into the "Dri-Aid" nightly. That will help alot.
There are several kinds of Dri-Aids, this picture above is just one of the examples.
Back to me, Heather made some changes to my processor after I explained what I was hearing too much of. It sounded great in the audiology office and it sounded great while Heather and Raymond was talking.
As I left the office, it still sounded great. Watched TV for a while, no problems at all. Today, oh, it is a different story. Maybe I explained the sound to Heather in the wrong way. Maybe I should have not said "high pitched" sounds, instead I should have said, "loud noises that really echo". I find it a real challenge to describe these sounds and getting the point across.
Today, the noises really comes to me really high, even the vehicles driving by my house. I don't know....needless to say, I am a little frustrated today. Maybe that is part of the process and I will need to have patience and ride it out until my next appointment on August 28th.
With this changes to my processor, I am even more nervous in going back to work on Monday the 18th. More new sounds and more people around. We'll see how that goes.
We learned something new from Heather yesterday, is to keep checking the headpiece area of our head to ensure there are no rash or irritations. If there is, just simply get a piece of gauze and put your headpiece over it (over your implant). If there is a redness or worse than that, put polysporin on it, then gauze over it and then headpiece over it. If it is alot worse than that, go see your CI doctor.
Tomorrow will be 6 weeks ago I had the surgery, and today is exactly 8 months ago Raymond had his second CI surgery. (Read earlier posts on why he had the second CI).
Soon, I think I will head over to the public library to see if they have any children's "Read-along" books with a CD so I could practice reading and listening at the same time. I am told this is a great exercise.
Until next time.....
Monday, 11 August 2008
Pictures of Activation Day - July 29, 2008
Arrival at the audiologist's, Heather Maessen, office in Halifax (I am no small fry and who cares):
Heather getting my headpiece ready:
Heather getting my headpiece ready:
Putting the processor behind my ear:
Headpiece goes on:
Listening attentively to Heather's explanations:
Turning on the mapping program on computer:
Explains further what I will expect to hear:
Chatting away as usual to Raymond and Kim:
Hearing for the first time!:
Freaked over the sound of my voice:
The mapping on the computer:
The mapping on the computer:
Heather saying the "days of the week" behind a folder and I got 6 out of 8 correct!:
Me listening to Heather saying the days of the week:
Going through the Harmony kit which I was given:
Heather and me :)
Raymond and I with our wee purses for our batteries:
Raymond, Kimberly Carter - CEO of Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Foundation and myself:
Just outside at Gatsby's Pizza Pub on Spring Garden Road - can't even tell I am wearing the CI:
Time to celebrate, eh??:
Raymond:
Saturday, 9 August 2008
Raymond's Update as of August 9, 2008
Raymond is doing extremely well with his CI. He is still learning new sounds, playing with the CD music, etc. He practices listening to music while reading the lyrics at the same time, and trying it later without the lyrics in front of him. Doing well in this area, still quite a ways to go, but coming along.
Raymond has a cell phone and it is Bluetooth enabled. He discovered he can have a neckloop that is Bluetooth capatible with his cell phone. He ordered one yesterday and hopes to have it by next week.
http://www.alds.com/maxit-bluetooth-inductive-loopset-p-206.html
For the hard of hearing, there is a variety of "Assistive" technologies; for example: FM, Infrared, Loop System etc. Bluetooth is the latest technology that is being incorporated into Assistive Listening Devices. In each case, you need like product to complete the transmission. Example: to use a FM Receiver, you need an FM Transmitter. This applies to Bluetooth products. To use a Bluetooth MaxIT Neckloop, you require Bluetooth enabled products.
A MaxIT will work with:
Any standard Bluetooth enabled Mobile Phone.
Any standard Bluetooth enabled computer.
Any standard Bluetooth enabled cordless phone
etc, etc.
There are other Bluetooth neckloops:
http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=bluetooth
http://www.weitbrecht.com/product/Artone-bluetooth-neckloop-telecoil-tcoil-cellphone-headset.html
As you google this, I am sure you will find something that would be capatible with your cell phone or whatever you want it for.
Once he gets the neckloop, I will fill you in on how he made out with it. There is a 30 day policy on the item, if he does not like it, he can return it no problem. So that is one good thing.
Until next time....
Raymond has a cell phone and it is Bluetooth enabled. He discovered he can have a neckloop that is Bluetooth capatible with his cell phone. He ordered one yesterday and hopes to have it by next week.
http://www.alds.com/maxit-bluetooth-inductive-loopset-p-206.html
For the hard of hearing, there is a variety of "Assistive" technologies; for example: FM, Infrared, Loop System etc. Bluetooth is the latest technology that is being incorporated into Assistive Listening Devices. In each case, you need like product to complete the transmission. Example: to use a FM Receiver, you need an FM Transmitter. This applies to Bluetooth products. To use a Bluetooth MaxIT Neckloop, you require Bluetooth enabled products.
A MaxIT will work with:
Any standard Bluetooth enabled Mobile Phone.
Any standard Bluetooth enabled computer.
Any standard Bluetooth enabled cordless phone
etc, etc.
There are other Bluetooth neckloops:
http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=bluetooth
http://www.weitbrecht.com/product/Artone-bluetooth-neckloop-telecoil-tcoil-cellphone-headset.html
As you google this, I am sure you will find something that would be capatible with your cell phone or whatever you want it for.
Once he gets the neckloop, I will fill you in on how he made out with it. There is a 30 day policy on the item, if he does not like it, he can return it no problem. So that is one good thing.
Until next time....
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