Last week, I returned to the Cochlear Clinic for more "tweaking." I am hearing more birds calling. A friend tells me that the male Cardinals are the loudest birds early in the morning. I am hearing other birds calling, but cannot yet identify the specific bird call. Mornings are definitely not quiet, as I leave for work and or run errands on the weekends.
I watched American Idol tonight. I thought, well, I think I can at least enjoy the music. To my surprise and delight, the lyrics didn't sound so "scratchy." YAY!
I was able to enjoy the contestants as they sang their songs. All of them were delightful and quite talented.
Earlier this week, I played a Amy Grant album, "Straight Ahead," which had been digitally remastered for better sound, in my car's CD player and cranked up the sound a bit. It didn't sound loud or painful. I was able to actually understand two lines of the song, "Angels," post implant. "Angels Watching over me, Every Step I take."
Hearing with a Cochlear Implant is so very different from hearing with a hearing aid or two. While I am hearing new sounds, it is definitely a process, and I am learning to discriminate among "flavors" of sounds. One thing I have to constantly remind myself about cochlear implant sound processors. There's no sound amplification. I am hearing at normal levels. Since the CI Aufiologist programs the sound processor, I don't have to worry about excessive loudness or noise.
I still think "Soundflavoringsanew" was definitely a good title for my blog. I have come so far in just five months after having the cochlear implant turned on. Amazing. I've gone from hearing
"wild and crazy" sounds in 24 hours to the first two weeks, to hearing "normally" in four months. Normal for me, anyway.
Hearing is such a gift.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sounds of Spring
There is a bird somewhere in the vicinity of my townhouse. A couple of Saturdays ago while running errands at 7:30 AM, I heard this distinctive, persistent, repetitive sound. It was unlike anything I had ever heard. It came from the trees. I turned my head and listened. There it was again. I turned my head toward the trees and heard the sound again. It was a "errr, errr, errr," sound, followed by "rrrrrrrr," a kind of trilling sound.
Later I told a neighbor that I thought I had heard a bird from somewhere high up in the trees. She said, "You did hear a bird." The bird is most active in the morning and my neighbor told me the bird wakes her up in the mornings!
Four months, post-implant, I now know what a bird sounds like. I can hear wind outdoors. I am learning to discriminate among sounds. Not all clocks sound the same. Not all key pads beep alike. Not all diesel engines idle alike. Not all car engines sound alike. There are different ringtones for telephones.
People's voices still sound like they are talking with scratchy voices, but I am slowly beginning to hear words and a short sentence without lipreading. I can hear a pot of water bubbling. Even steam sounds different in various coffee shops while listening to milk being steamed in a pitcher.
I can hear a person come up behind me. The sound of some one's footsteps sound different on a carpet, a hardwood floor, a marble floor. I can recognize commercial jingles on TV and am starting to recognize songs on the radio - only the music, the lyrics are still a challenge.
Everything has a sound. I continue to savor each new day. I may not hear a new sound each and every day, but I faithfully wear my sound processor in order to get the full benefit of my CI.
I don't understand why someone would undergo surgery, get a cochlear implant, and then intermittently wear a sound processor. Why bother getting a cochlear implant if you are not going to wear your sound processor? To me, that's like getting prescription glasses and/or contact lenses and then not wearing the glasses or contact lenses.
I'm thinking about buying a bird feeder and putting it in the backyard. Maybe that will allow me to hear more birds and to see which birds call or sing.
Hearing is such a gift. The journey has been a worthwhile one.
Later I told a neighbor that I thought I had heard a bird from somewhere high up in the trees. She said, "You did hear a bird." The bird is most active in the morning and my neighbor told me the bird wakes her up in the mornings!
Four months, post-implant, I now know what a bird sounds like. I can hear wind outdoors. I am learning to discriminate among sounds. Not all clocks sound the same. Not all key pads beep alike. Not all diesel engines idle alike. Not all car engines sound alike. There are different ringtones for telephones.
People's voices still sound like they are talking with scratchy voices, but I am slowly beginning to hear words and a short sentence without lipreading. I can hear a pot of water bubbling. Even steam sounds different in various coffee shops while listening to milk being steamed in a pitcher.
I can hear a person come up behind me. The sound of some one's footsteps sound different on a carpet, a hardwood floor, a marble floor. I can recognize commercial jingles on TV and am starting to recognize songs on the radio - only the music, the lyrics are still a challenge.
Everything has a sound. I continue to savor each new day. I may not hear a new sound each and every day, but I faithfully wear my sound processor in order to get the full benefit of my CI.
I don't understand why someone would undergo surgery, get a cochlear implant, and then intermittently wear a sound processor. Why bother getting a cochlear implant if you are not going to wear your sound processor? To me, that's like getting prescription glasses and/or contact lenses and then not wearing the glasses or contact lenses.
I'm thinking about buying a bird feeder and putting it in the backyard. Maybe that will allow me to hear more birds and to see which birds call or sing.
Hearing is such a gift. The journey has been a worthwhile one.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Three months after activation - what progress I have made
Today is a holiday for me. I was glad for a three day weekend. I indulged myself and watched "The View" earlier this morning. The show featured a new "tween" group called The Big Rush. This group sang their hit song. " I wanna be your B B B Boyfriend." The kids were cute. The music had a percussive beat, and the song was cute. While the group of tweens or teenagers who sang this song are probably old enough to be my sons, I have a young enough soul that I could enjoy the music, and did.
Musically "hearing" with a cochlear implant, three months after activation, I am likely to enjoy hearing a electric guitar solo, a piano recital, a drum solo, any kind of music that doesn't have lyrics. While voices sound more human, it still sounds to me like people are talking or singing with a scratchy voice. I am waiting for the day when I can hear and understand "a clear voice."
I am still not at the point where I can hear and talk on a landline phone, a cell phone, a cordless phone without the aid of captions. I can hear snatches of lyrics when listening to CD's, commercial jingles on television, the radio.
I still cannot fully understand speech without the aid of lipreading. Last week I had a check up with a medical specialist. We hadn't seen each other in 24 months, and I told him that I now had a cochlear implant for my left ear. I showed him my sound processor, and he was impressed. He asked, "Is it better than hearing with a hearing aid"? and I said , Oh, yes. Perhaps when we see each other in another 24 months, I will have had the right ear implanted as well. I would like that.
If I am absolutely still in my kitchen, sitting and listening, I think I can hear birds. I am not absolutely sure, but it is a high, twittering, almost tinkling sound. I think the next time I think I hear twittering, I will look outside and see if a bird is perched on a branch on my crape myrtle tree.
Does wind make a "whooshing sound"? If that is the case, then I definitely heard wind on Saturday while inside my townhouse. It was definitely windy. I had to go outside and tie down the covers on my patio furniture, and somewhat anchor down the furniture.
I discovered that clocks have different ticking sounds. No one clock is alike.
Hearing is such a gift.
Musically "hearing" with a cochlear implant, three months after activation, I am likely to enjoy hearing a electric guitar solo, a piano recital, a drum solo, any kind of music that doesn't have lyrics. While voices sound more human, it still sounds to me like people are talking or singing with a scratchy voice. I am waiting for the day when I can hear and understand "a clear voice."
I am still not at the point where I can hear and talk on a landline phone, a cell phone, a cordless phone without the aid of captions. I can hear snatches of lyrics when listening to CD's, commercial jingles on television, the radio.
I still cannot fully understand speech without the aid of lipreading. Last week I had a check up with a medical specialist. We hadn't seen each other in 24 months, and I told him that I now had a cochlear implant for my left ear. I showed him my sound processor, and he was impressed. He asked, "Is it better than hearing with a hearing aid"? and I said , Oh, yes. Perhaps when we see each other in another 24 months, I will have had the right ear implanted as well. I would like that.
If I am absolutely still in my kitchen, sitting and listening, I think I can hear birds. I am not absolutely sure, but it is a high, twittering, almost tinkling sound. I think the next time I think I hear twittering, I will look outside and see if a bird is perched on a branch on my crape myrtle tree.
Does wind make a "whooshing sound"? If that is the case, then I definitely heard wind on Saturday while inside my townhouse. It was definitely windy. I had to go outside and tie down the covers on my patio furniture, and somewhat anchor down the furniture.
I discovered that clocks have different ticking sounds. No one clock is alike.
Hearing is such a gift.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
A Noisy February
I hear more environmental sounds. The sound of my shoes squishing over saturated wet ground. My boots crunching over snow. Outside construction noises as I work from my office window. People walking and talking outside in the corridor of my office with the door closed. If it is quiet, I can hear my co-worker's phone ringing in the next office. I hear the rustling of paper.
I listen to the radio as I drive. I can hear snatches of words. Speech and lyrics are still challenging. It depends on who I am talking/listening to. I am not at the point where I can talk on the telephone or cell phone without captions. Lipreading and listening simultaneously definitely helps.
I had my nails and a pedicure done this weekend. I could hear the water swirling around in the pedicure chair. I could hear the nail technician's tools as she worked, the clipping of the nail clippers, the sound of the nail buffer brushing over my toenails and nails.
I can now hear some things drop, depending on what is dropped. Before I got my left ear implanted with a cochlear implant, if I dropped anything, a hearing person would call it to my attention.
The Grammy Awards are on television tonight. Another opportunity to hear some singing, along with lipreading the singers!
Enjoy Valentine's Day tomorrow. As for me, I'll continue to enjoy experiencing the gift of hearing with my cochlear implant. I am still stunned every night when I take off my sound processor at night, just how deaf I am. I am grateful that deaf babies and young deaf children now have the option to be implanted with cochlear implants now. They have opportunities that were not available to me at that age.
Amazing.
I listen to the radio as I drive. I can hear snatches of words. Speech and lyrics are still challenging. It depends on who I am talking/listening to. I am not at the point where I can talk on the telephone or cell phone without captions. Lipreading and listening simultaneously definitely helps.
I had my nails and a pedicure done this weekend. I could hear the water swirling around in the pedicure chair. I could hear the nail technician's tools as she worked, the clipping of the nail clippers, the sound of the nail buffer brushing over my toenails and nails.
I can now hear some things drop, depending on what is dropped. Before I got my left ear implanted with a cochlear implant, if I dropped anything, a hearing person would call it to my attention.
The Grammy Awards are on television tonight. Another opportunity to hear some singing, along with lipreading the singers!
Enjoy Valentine's Day tomorrow. As for me, I'll continue to enjoy experiencing the gift of hearing with my cochlear implant. I am still stunned every night when I take off my sound processor at night, just how deaf I am. I am grateful that deaf babies and young deaf children now have the option to be implanted with cochlear implants now. They have opportunities that were not available to me at that age.
Amazing.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Rain, Sleet, Thunder Snow Showers, then Snow
Today I worked from home. I had been hearing all week how we were going to get some "significant" snow. I admit I was skeptical. We started with rain, sleet, ice and ending as snow. Lots of it.
While working late this afternoon, I heard this rumbling noise. At first I thought it was a very hard rain (it was raining hard). Then I heard this rumbling, and it sounded like thunder. I realized the rumbling noise were thunder snow showers. Later, it began snowing about one to two inches an hour.
Thunder Snow Showers are pretty noisy. It was an amazing sound to hear, and it was hard to miss it. The snow has stopped, but it was a heavy, wet, sloppy snow. It will refreeze tonight. Many people are without power because of gusty winds. The lights kept flickering all day and I had a brown out or two for a few seconds. There was enough snow that I could not get a signal to watch the news this evening. I had to go out back with a broom and clear snow off the satellite dish.
I was glad I was home working and not out in this sloppy mess, trying to get home. I will shovel out in the morning. I guess I get to find out what shoveling wet heavy snow sounds like.Amazing what sounds I have heard since November 11th post-implant.
While working late this afternoon, I heard this rumbling noise. At first I thought it was a very hard rain (it was raining hard). Then I heard this rumbling, and it sounded like thunder. I realized the rumbling noise were thunder snow showers. Later, it began snowing about one to two inches an hour.
Thunder Snow Showers are pretty noisy. It was an amazing sound to hear, and it was hard to miss it. The snow has stopped, but it was a heavy, wet, sloppy snow. It will refreeze tonight. Many people are without power because of gusty winds. The lights kept flickering all day and I had a brown out or two for a few seconds. There was enough snow that I could not get a signal to watch the news this evening. I had to go out back with a broom and clear snow off the satellite dish.
I was glad I was home working and not out in this sloppy mess, trying to get home. I will shovel out in the morning. I guess I get to find out what shoveling wet heavy snow sounds like.Amazing what sounds I have heard since November 11th post-implant.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
More sounds - especially environmental sounds
This weekend while running errands, I heard the sirens, horns of a fire engine post-implant. The sounds were coming from my left (my left ear is implanted) and as I turned my head at the traffic light (which was red), I saw the fire engine and recognized the sounds coming from the fire engine. The sounds that I hear post-implant may be familiar or unfamiliar. The difference is, none of the sounds are necessarily amplified or "loud." While wearing hearing aids, I would have literally have had the fire engine riding my bumper in order for me to "hear" the horn honking and sirens.
Hearing with a cochlear implant is so different from hearing with a hearing aid or two. The other day I was doing laundry. I was watching television, and realized I could hear the environmental noise of the washing machine and the dryer in the laundry room area along with the television set in the basement. I haven't yet learned to "tune out" all environmental sounds. As I am typing this blog entry, I have to stop and listen to the regulator desk clock "ticking," as I have learned to "tune it out." I am learning to do that when the heat pump cuts on and off. I am aware of the sound; but my brain is processing it as "background noise."
Singing - particularly commercial jingles - the singing and the music are starting to "come together." Singing still sounds as if someone is singing with a scratchy throat, whether it is the radio, CD. TV or a video clip. Music is sounding more like music, in bits and pieces. I still do not recognize speech in its entirety if someone talks to me with my back turned. I cannot yet hear and understand an entire sentence without the aid of lipreading. I can hear words in bits and pieces with my back turned, just not the entire conversation. I still rely on my CapTel phone to "cue me in," when using the telephone. It has been 69 days since my cochlear implant was turned on.
I can measure the progress. I have consistently worn my sound processor daily since November 11th, for eight hours a day or slightly more. I can remember what sounded "wild and crazy," during my first 24 hours post implant. From hearing "voices underwater," to hearing speech and voices connect, in a little over two months, my noisy world, is sounding more and more familiar each and every day. My office door definitely squeaks when someone enters the room. Post-implant, I turn my head when the door squeaks, and no longer startle when someone comes in. I rarely collide with someone turning a corner in the hallway or when turning a corner of a grocery aisle. I hear people walking up and down the corridor of my office building with my office door closed. I hear environmental sounds of construction from my office window, and recognize the noises for what they are, instead of opening my office door in an attempt to localize the construction sounds.
So far, so good. Yes, just about everything has a sound post-implant. My cochlear implant and sound processor are functioning as they should. My job is to focus, listen, identify what I hear, and store more soundfavorings in my hearing memory, much like a data bank. There's a pattern to every sound.
Hearing with a cochlear implant is so different from hearing with a hearing aid or two. The other day I was doing laundry. I was watching television, and realized I could hear the environmental noise of the washing machine and the dryer in the laundry room area along with the television set in the basement. I haven't yet learned to "tune out" all environmental sounds. As I am typing this blog entry, I have to stop and listen to the regulator desk clock "ticking," as I have learned to "tune it out." I am learning to do that when the heat pump cuts on and off. I am aware of the sound; but my brain is processing it as "background noise."
Singing - particularly commercial jingles - the singing and the music are starting to "come together." Singing still sounds as if someone is singing with a scratchy throat, whether it is the radio, CD. TV or a video clip. Music is sounding more like music, in bits and pieces. I still do not recognize speech in its entirety if someone talks to me with my back turned. I cannot yet hear and understand an entire sentence without the aid of lipreading. I can hear words in bits and pieces with my back turned, just not the entire conversation. I still rely on my CapTel phone to "cue me in," when using the telephone. It has been 69 days since my cochlear implant was turned on.
I can measure the progress. I have consistently worn my sound processor daily since November 11th, for eight hours a day or slightly more. I can remember what sounded "wild and crazy," during my first 24 hours post implant. From hearing "voices underwater," to hearing speech and voices connect, in a little over two months, my noisy world, is sounding more and more familiar each and every day. My office door definitely squeaks when someone enters the room. Post-implant, I turn my head when the door squeaks, and no longer startle when someone comes in. I rarely collide with someone turning a corner in the hallway or when turning a corner of a grocery aisle. I hear people walking up and down the corridor of my office building with my office door closed. I hear environmental sounds of construction from my office window, and recognize the noises for what they are, instead of opening my office door in an attempt to localize the construction sounds.
So far, so good. Yes, just about everything has a sound post-implant. My cochlear implant and sound processor are functioning as they should. My job is to focus, listen, identify what I hear, and store more soundfavorings in my hearing memory, much like a data bank. There's a pattern to every sound.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Hearing People and the Telephone
There are some hearing folks who are surprised that I cannot yet use the telephone completely unaided with my cochlear implant. While I have come a long way since Activation Day, I still rely on my CapTel phone. It has not been quite two months since the cochlear implant was activated or turned on. I learned that just again today, when someone asked to speak with me on the telephone.
The Director of my office recently asked me if getting used to the cochlear implant was a small or big adjustment. I said it was definitely a big adjustment. I don't think hearing people realize that a cochlear implant is nothing like a hearing aid.
I don't always have a perfect hearing experience day with my cochlear implant. There are days when I am having an "off" day with my cochlear implant, whether it is not recognizing an individual sound, I am tired of the noise, or I have forgotten to turn the volume control to the appropriate setting. People tell me that I can always take off the sound processor, and to me, that is defeating the purpose of the cochlear implant.
I faithfully wear my sound processor each and every day, eight hours a day or more. While I would love to be able to understand speech and singing perfectly tomorrow, I know adjusting to the cochlear implant will take months to a year to two years. I have faith that my efforts and patience will be worth it.
The Director of my office recently asked me if getting used to the cochlear implant was a small or big adjustment. I said it was definitely a big adjustment. I don't think hearing people realize that a cochlear implant is nothing like a hearing aid.
I don't always have a perfect hearing experience day with my cochlear implant. There are days when I am having an "off" day with my cochlear implant, whether it is not recognizing an individual sound, I am tired of the noise, or I have forgotten to turn the volume control to the appropriate setting. People tell me that I can always take off the sound processor, and to me, that is defeating the purpose of the cochlear implant.
I faithfully wear my sound processor each and every day, eight hours a day or more. While I would love to be able to understand speech and singing perfectly tomorrow, I know adjusting to the cochlear implant will take months to a year to two years. I have faith that my efforts and patience will be worth it.
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