CI Teaser Activation

crucking_fazy

crucking_fazy

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Had my surgery July 2nd and post op check up on thursday July 11th for the AuD to make sure my incisions were healing and to do a implant/auditory nerve check. Sorry, I don't know what the test is officially called. Well, she put the UHP on my head and did some stuff on her laptop and I'm just sitting there not hearing a thing...next thing I know, I hear someone knocking like knock knock knock knock (4 knocks and a pause then 4 more and on). It scared the crap out of me cuz it was so unreal. Like someone knocking on my head but not physically touching me. lol. So weird and different from the days I wore a HA. My AuD let the test run its course and she said it was going extremely well and knows I am going to do well on my activation day.

Now the teaser part.... she turned on the voice and all i can said is WOW!!!! It was very different and very good, but not perfect. It was some what tinny and I was amused by the half second delay of saying a word and hear it half second later. Same thing when my AuD was talking. I would read her lips and there would be a half second delay before i heard it. She said it was common and the delay goes away after a few days. When I was looking away and she said something, I looked right at her cuz I know she was talking. I could hear paper shuffling, my voice, her voice, keyboard on her laptop clacking...And the best part of this? She told me the set up she was using for the testing does not have clear voice, or any features for speech clarifying...By all means, it wasn't perfect but I have a good feeling it's going to be a rockstar activation on July 25th when the mapping gets started and speech clarifying settings are on. Now that I had a 5 min taste of semi activation....It's going to be Loooooonnnnggg 12 days for me. lmao. This was the first time I heard a peep of noise since Oct. 13th 2012. I'm so happy and excited. Looking forward to putting in the hard work to maximize my CI potential and live a wonderful hearing life. Can't wait to hear my 5 y.o. daughter and wife's voices, love ones, friends and music. This is going to be great!
 
Congrats on the successful implantation and it sounds like you'll do well. But I think your audi jumped the gun a bit. There's a reason they wait around 30 days before activation. To give your body time to heal and adapt to the new thing in your head. The implant would work as soon as they put it in but they always wait as a precaution.
 
So very very happy for you!

You need to have a party or something :) Cheers and Beers for my Ears!

What brand did you get and how did you lose your hearing if I may ask? :) congrats again
 
The waiting period is for incision healing and swelling elimination, even the timing differs with everyone. I had my followup a week til activation, I know that sound. It's like a bass drum in my head,IIalso felt pressure in my ear made me jump like a cat to the ceiling! My audi didn't give me a peek into what it would sound like, but I was cleared for activation. On the day I was turned on, it was like I was in the Wizard of Oz! Everybody sounded like a munchkin! :shock: LOL But the pitch and sound eventually began to be normal within the month. That was quite an experience. :) Oh, don't forget to use it as often as you can tolerate it, you need to give your brain the chance to make sense of the sounds it "hears". It will come, I promise.
 
Congrats.....I think they did a test on mine while I was on the operating table, but it was just a simple impedance test of each electrode.

And...be careful what you wish for....some previously annoying folks' voices will still grate your nerves....LOL.

Just wait until you plug the personal audio cable into an iPod and play music...then it would be worth all the trouble.
 
Green427, I know i will be able to plug my processor into an Ipod or anything with a 3.5 mm jack. I'm starting out with the Neptune since I race in harsh conditions such as mud, water, dust, dirt, and of course I will be sweating inside my helmet. Do you know what the Neptune is? I know you have Coclear brand as I have Advance Bionics. I have a certificate to get the newest processor which has built in bluetooth, FM and a bunch of goodies. Should be out soon pending FDA approval.
I cannot wait to hear music again. plugging straight into a music device from the CI is awesome! and the best part is I can wear earbuds or headphones and there will be no feedback squealing like HA's do. I can wear earbuds or headphones if i use the T mic which is a microphone that sits at the opening of the ear. July 25th is a long ways....sigh
 
Jess said:
The waiting period is for incision healing and swelling elimination, even the timing differs with everyone. I had my followup a week til activation, I know that sound. It's like a bass drum in my head,IIalso felt pressure in my ear made me jump like a cat to the ceiling! My audi didn't give me a peek into what it would sound like, but I was cleared for activation. On the day I was turned on, it was like I was in the Wizard of Oz! Everybody sounded like a munchkin! :shock: LOL But the pitch and sound eventually began to be normal within the month. That was quite an experience. :) Oh, don't forget to use it as often as you can tolerate it, you need to give your brain the chance to make sense of the sounds it "hears". It will come, I promise.
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Jess, you described it right, like a bass drum IN the head. lol. I'm also aware that the more i wear the CI, the faster and easier my brain will process each and most of the noise. I could hear well with a HA for about 38 years until i lost it back in oct. I'm expecting good activation due to the fact that my brain already knows what noise sound like. I'm not expecting it to be perfect from day one, but I know it will get better as time goes by and with practice.
What kind of CI do you have?
 
Katniss said:
So very very happy for you!

You need to have a party or something :) Cheers and Beers for my Ears!

What brand did you get and how did you lose your hearing if I may ask? :) congrats again
Click to expand...

Cheers, beers for my ears? lol, that is a good one. I have Advance Bionics (AB) with HiRes Fidelitly 120 and will be starting out with Neptune processor T mic Tcomm. And when the Next generation Processor is approved by the FDA, I will be getting that as well. It looks like the Harmony processor, but smaller and loaded with a lot of features.
I do not know how I lost my hearing in both ears. My parents said I was very very sick with extremely high fevers at the age of 2 and lost my hearing from it. worn a HA in left year for 39 years, nothing in my dead right ear. My left ear stopped working with any HA's back in Oct and had no choice but to go the CI route and hope for the best. The only thing....I wished I did this a long time ago. So much better than HA's but thats my honest opinion...everyone reacts differently with HA's and CI's. I will post how my big day on permanent activation goes.
 
ncff07 said:
Congrats on the successful implantation and it sounds like you'll do well. But I think your audi jumped the gun a bit. There's a reason they wait around 30 days before activation. To give your body time to heal and adapt to the new thing in your head. The implant would work as soon as they put it in but they always wait as a precaution.
Click to expand...

not everyone waits 30 days. I was activated at 13 days post op. I know of someone who was activated like 3 days post op (for her 2nd CI).
 
crucking_fazy said:
Green427, I know i will be able to plug my processor into an Ipod or anything with a 3.5 mm jack. I'm starting out with the Neptune since I race in harsh conditions such as mud, water, dust, dirt, and of course I will be sweating inside my helmet. Do you know what the Neptune is? I know you have Coclear brand as I have Advance Bionics. I have a certificate to get the newest processor which has built in bluetooth, FM and a bunch of goodies. Should be out soon pending FDA approval.
I cannot wait to hear music again. plugging straight into a music device from the CI is awesome! and the best part is I can wear earbuds or headphones and there will be no feedback squealing like HA's do. I can wear earbuds or headphones if i use the T mic which is a microphone that sits at the opening of the ear. July 25th is a long ways....sigh
Click to expand...

It doesn't have Bluetooth built in. You'll need the AB ComPilot to use Bluetooth. It's the actual ComPilot which has the Bluetooth in. If Bluetooth was in the CI, you'll be changing batteries every 5 mins!

Good Luck tho!
 
NaidaUP said:
It doesn't have Bluetooth built in. You'll need the AB ComPilot to use Bluetooth. It's the actual ComPilot which has the Bluetooth in. If Bluetooth was in the CI, you'll be changing batteries every 5 mins!

Good Luck tho!
Click to expand...

Sorry for the misinformation. NaidaUP is right. I'm still learing about the CI and what AB offers. Thanks for straightening that up NaidaUP
 
That's right....Bluetooth sucks the life out of my Android phone, can't imagine how much juice it would require on a CI.
 
This is wonderful for me to read as I will probably be getting an implant next year. This brought tears to my eyes reading this. I really wish you the best!! Kendi
 
When I think back 6 years at the process of getting activated. My was 4 weeks. I could go swimming in 2 weeks. There was No test re activation at that point. Actuality happened 2 weeks later. I could "hear somewhat" right away.
I tested everything at a singles dance 2 days later. a bit weird sound. Re mapped the next day.

A piece of advice given to me" leave your Implant all the time except when sleeping to get used to all the sounds that one hasn't heard in "years" Aside: mentioned before" heard footsteps behind me-no one was there-just picking up my own!

Much success-
getting used to your new Cochlear Implant.
 
crucking_fazy said:
Cheers, beers for my ears? lol, that is a good one. I have Advance Bionics (AB) with HiRes Fidelitly 120 and will be starting out with Neptune processor T mic Tcomm. And when the Next generation Processor is approved by the FDA, I will be getting that as well. It looks like the Harmony processor, but smaller and loaded with a lot of features.
I do not know how I lost my hearing in both ears. My parents said I was very very sick with extremely high fevers at the age of 2 and lost my hearing from it. worn a HA in left year for 39 years, nothing in my dead right ear. My left ear stopped working with any HA's back in Oct and had no choice but to go the CI route and hope for the best. The only thing....I wished I did this a long time ago. So much better than HA's but thats my honest opinion...everyone reacts differently with HA's and CI's. I will post how my big day on permanent activation goes.
Click to expand...
Hi crucking... down the line for me CI will be in my future. I am learning what all about. Also hoping to find few folks who have same kind of hearing loss like I have. You pretty much what I had but I was cought by the german messle before birth. I have to ask you this, how it sounds like after the CI implanted in you? does it sound close or same what you had before? does have a differnt sound pitch? does it feel any weight on your side?( implanted part).
 
crucking_fazy said:
Jess, you described it right, like a bass drum IN the head. lol. I'm also aware that the more i wear the CI, the faster and easier my brain will process each and most of the noise. I could hear well with a HA for about 38 years until i lost it back in oct. I'm expecting good activation due to the fact that my brain already knows what noise sound like. I'm not expecting it to be perfect from day one, but I know it will get better as time goes by and with practice.
What kind of CI do you have?
Click to expand...

That is a similar experience I had, used an HA for 30 years, then briefly late deafened til I opted for the CI. I also have AB, using two Harmony processors (one every other day, the other to dehumidify since it is often humid in FL.) It will be almost 5 years since I was activated, so far I like the progress I've made since. Might consider one advanced processor later if the benefits of using one exceeds the harmony, but the Neptune isn't for me. Not comfortable with body worn processors. So if you need assistance or tips about your CI, PM me. Best of luck with your CI start! :)
 
hi Jess.. lovely pic of you.. gotta ask you.. far concern of the CI goes. Does it sound differnt than your what you used with HA? sharper and clear, or metaic sound? how you lost your hearing?
 
westernirish said:
hi Jess.. lovely pic of you.. gotta ask you.. far concern of the CI goes. Does it sound differnt than your what you used with HA? sharper and clear, or metaic sound? how you lost your hearing?
Click to expand...

Thanks, about the CI, in my experience never heard a metallic sounds, but the extreme pitches (12k Hz and up, think of sounds from a tweeter speaker) are heard more strongly. As it looks to me, slightly better than an HA because speech is made sharper with the introduction of higher pitches, something we lose when we are deafened. But with 5 years of use, sounds are like what a hearie hears, but speech is still an ongoing progress. About my hearing loss, it originated from Scarlet Fever complications as an infant, but never noticed the loss til late grade school, it declined slowly since. Hope that helps! :)
 
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