I am going to tell you about my second implant experience. The operation went really well. No problems and my recovery was good. The Switch-On went really well and I had a great first session. At first I couldn't understand my audiologist and mum's voice with just my new speech processor alone for the first 10 minutes. After about 10 minutes some things started to make sense and sound familiar like my name. An hour later and I could identify the ling sounds and some words. It all sounded a bit like a helium balloon voice ( very high) or mickey mouse for a short time but I adjusted quite well. I was identifying and hearing things that my habilitationist thought might take much more time to be successful with so we were all really pleased and excited at the great results so early on. Also the 2 implants work so well together. The sound for me is richer and crisper. Far better than the hearing aid!!!! At the beginning when I would take take my first speech processor off to let my new implant/processor work alone to get used to it and I couldn't tell where the sounds come from or people's voice because the sounds would be blending in (I mean all sounds such as people talking, kettle boiling or paper noises all together) but soon I could make more sense of the sounds. I am even turning to the left when I hear sounds coming from that side. This means I'm starting to locate sound which is really good. I do some work most days with just my second processor so as I can improve my listening skills. It's going really well.
I can identify the Ling sounds.
I can distinguish a word from 3 words - words with different syllables e.g sad, silent, Saturday
Also identify a word from 4 words-cold, kitchen, crocodile, caterpillar
Sentence identification between 7/8 sentences that I can identify which one is being said ( Closed Set)
Also working on some Open Set sentences
Identification of sentences with carrier phrases at start of sentence or end of sentence
3 item selection sentences and repeating sentence eg Auntie Karen bought chips at McDonalds or Mum bought a burger at KFC
Great success with identifying Phonemes (low vs high vowel frequency use) bath or booth, spark or speak, tar or too
Word final discrimination in middle of sentence-This cage is for bears, This cave is for bears
Sentence recognition-related topics eg time, weather, sport
Sentence tracking
Reading aloud to hear my own voice
The best thing is that I love having a second implant. It's great and I am so pleased that I got it. It has made a big difference. I am hearing things that I couldn't hear before.