Yesterday was four weeks post surgery. The dizziness, unsteadiness, balance issues are nearly gone. I get dizzy only when suddenly turning my head, putting my head down, any sudden movements, and I'm a little off. The tinnitus in my ears are still with me. Sometimes it is like white noise, other times a little louder.

Thursday is Activation Day. I have a 9:00 AM appointment with the CI Audiologist.  My sisters will be with me. I have absolutely no idea what to expect, or even what I will hear, if anything. I hope that the cochlear implant works 100% and that all channels are a go. 

A friend is driving me to the hotel tonight, and my sisters are flying into the airport tonight and will meet me at the hotel. We will go to the hospital's outpatient clinic bright and early Thursday morning. The rest of the day I will be getting used to whatever sounds I am "hearing."

Friday I have another appointment with the CI Audiologist for more "tweaking." After Friday's appointment, my sisters will return home (my nieces and nephews are all in school) and a friend will drive me home. I wonder what traffic noises will sound like on the interstate as we are driving home?

Think of the sound processor component of a CI as a super sophisicated stereo receiver. You have your treble, bass, reverb, "woofers" etc. The CI Audiologist "maps" each channel of the sound processor according to what I can tolerate. That is what the Friday appointment is for - she will "tweak" the sound processor.  It might be a little too much bass, not enough treble, a little too soft, muffled.

I have been told by my online CI veterans to prepare for a wild and crazy week of learning to hear with the CI. I kind of feel like I am at the beginning of a new roller coaster ride: you are sitting there, strapped in, holding on to the stabilizer bar, feeling the car go up and up and up and up. You get to the very top and you aren't sure what the ride is going to feel like.

Well, here goes. There's no turning back now!