My first introduction to sounds!
After my switch on I was absolutely knackered - it was amazing how much i took in - if you watch the very first video in my prior blog, Helen the audiologist scientist ( a role of a very dedicated person who knows all abt measuring sound and understands hearing loss), describes that i was going to 'feel very tired for the first few days, as the brain takes a while to work out sounds I've probably never ever heard before!' - well guys she was right, it was like my brain was being plugged into to electrical socket - and my bodily functions felt almost like flu - i ached i didn't want to move it was too much hard work and SO intense! So i just had an easy few days, just resting!
After my tune in audiology appointment i was given a big box of neurelec stuff which included a book told to keep a diary of noises so that the Audie ( audiologist ) could see what i could hear and what needed adjusting in future. I was also given a pink folder with my name and all the guidelines and info about being a cochlear implant recipient - this was very helpful as there were things i didn't know like what to do if i went flying, got an ear infection and whom to contact in an emergency. It wasn't too much to worry about as i could do most activities so long as i took care.
My first day of sound:16/7/11
The implant was easy to attach although i kept thinking to touch a ear mould - i used to wear digital hearing aids before and these implants don't need one ha ha! So it was a bit strange to begin with! Voices were helium like - metallic crackly buzzy - which didn't make sense, some things were echoey like a submarine sonar radar going off 'OOoo Ooo OOoo' - but managed to hear the car engine roaring away when my husband drove me home from the centre! That was to me pretty amazing as I've never heard anything like that before the implant so i knew that it was a pretty good start !
Second day of sounds :17/9/11
I began to realise noises were changing especially voices they sounded like i was listening to R2D2 robot from from star wars!! and began to change later in the day to lower tones like 'RA RA RA' - still couldn't make sense of it yet
Third day: 18/9/11
I managed to hear a cup being put on the side - made my husband repeat and repeat the action as i wanted to clarify how it sounded - i couldn't believe i could hear it wow. Still getting R2 D2 in speech but kind of smiled as i like him ha ha - I'm a bit of a star wars freak anyway - when my daughter asked me who he was i had to show her a photo on the Internet and after googling it - I accidentally found a R2 D2 translator here's link :http://www.r2d2translator.com/ we couldn't stop laughing as it showed me the transcript and words that R2D2 would say when i typed our language in ( PS try swear words that's even funnier ! - i know I'm naughty!)
Also some light humour for you Ive attached below is a personal cartoon of my experience of me drawn by a very dear old school friend of mine Ian Johnstone :
It made me chuckle - if you require any information of Ian's services please email me on lisabai@ntlworld.com or follow Ian's site http://idjmedia.co.uk/ A special thank you to Ian for this and also for his support during my hearing journey - hes kept my spirits up that's for sure and when i saw this i had the biggest smile ever!
After this experience I then had an interesting experience of the toilet or should i say lavatory !! My husband heard me banging and on his discovery asked me if was OK and i replied in shock: 'that damn toilet flush terrified me' i must of jumped ten foot in the air! Good job i had me knickers back on ha ha! Speaking to Cherry another neurelec C.I wearer she too had experienced the same in the beginning of her journey - so warning to newbie C.I wearers! Phew wouldn't wish that shock on anybody !!
19/9/11
My morning began discovering how noisy i eat !! i could hear the spoon rattling in the cereal bowl! 'Cringe' no wonder my daughter used to moan about my eating habits and yet my darling husband never moaned - i suppose having deaf parents it was the norm to him - aw how sweet is he eh ?! Voices began to get slight bit better, tone was there despite R2D2 appearing ! I also heard some of the keys on my laptop keyboard being touched in a very soft fuzzy tone, so that was very exciting to hear too!! I proceeded to flush the toilet but left the magnet hanging off this time hahaha! i wasn't keen to endure another shock yet or heart attack ! I'm too young to go yet and besides i hadn't full filled my mission yet - the blog !! I'm due at the CI centre tomorrow so maybe a tune in will improve things - I've heard the more you tune in the better it gets but I'm happy for the first week to hear what i have done - its a bit frustrating though as i wanted to be able to hear some more things - but i suppose being in doors and taking it easy is probably enough for me at the moment - been sleeping like a log!!
Ive attached some photos of the things i was given after my switch on for you to look at below:
The case my neurelec
The whole processor ( right in purple)and microphone( left in grey) - on top of a wallet case full of accessories to be used
The whole box the accessories manuals and cases came in - it also also included a massive supply of batteries, wipes, neurelec card, leads etc ( i felt like it was my birthday when i got it ha ha!)
Me wearing my processor which the magnet lies on my left side, you can also see the beige lead that attaches to the microphone onto my other ear which is below
My other ear showing the microphone!!
Good to see my hair growing back isn't it - he he! keep you posted how the tune in went very soon !
By the way special thanks for my C.I pals for support and the audiologists for there patience xxxx
6 comments:
You've done incredibly well. Have the patience of a Saint! Exciting stuff! Amazing what they can do now.I reckon you've managed to climb that mountain and now,it's all free-wheeling (hopefully). Way to go LisaAB!
Love the cartoon!
hello my name marnie i had the neurelec cochlear implant last year and i was born deaf good to hear you are doing well and good to hear there some one who had the same as me
dearest sarah thanks soo much - i dont feel like i have patience at the moment thou! I want to hearr morrrrrrrrrrrrre hahaha! buthat will come later - god willing!
And marnie wow - you were one of the first wasnt you ? id love to meet you some day. I did this blog to help people alike us - andi was born deaf too - noisy world isnt it? shocking at times lool - thanks for your comments - keep putting feedback people - i wants to getto know my fans!! mwah xxx
Hello Lisa !
I've reading your blog and I'm very impressed by your story.
My nephew have been implanted with a Neurelec CI about a year ago (he is 2 years old), so it is very interesting to hear more about how you feel with the CI, how you hear...
So thank you very much for this blog !
Here in France, it seems difficult to get professionnals spend time trying to get the most out of CI fine tuning performances. Could you tell me more about the tuning of your CI and how well you can hear ?
Again, thank you a lot!
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