countdown to CI surgery!

[Raykat]

Oh congratulation raykat for getting surgery date finally, wow 2 years? That's really long wait!
Are you excited?

You bet...I am over the moon. Took me a while to stop bawling when I got the letter yesterday. Two years wait is the usual here in NZ as they only do 24 per year for North Island and kids go first. This year being election year the nice govt. people have doled out a bit more cash to keep the peasants happy.....lol

Have enjoyed reading your thread as your experience has been so recent.

 

[Raykat]

Vallee, just had a look at your blog. From what I can tell (cant read these things very well) it looks like I have a lot less high tones than you had originally, mine goes way down below the graph.

Was interested that you had Ipod and playing music. When I went for initial checkup I was told that CI was not programmed for music so I wouldnt enjoy that. Are you able to hear the words of songs or is it still just the beat of music?

Anyone else who wants to jump in with their music experiences please do so.

 

[vallee]

Vallee, just had a look at your blog. From what I can tell (cant read these things very well) it looks like I have a lot less high tones than you had originally, mine goes way down below the graph.

Was interested that you had Ipod and playing music. When I went for initial checkup I was told that CI was not programmed for music so I wouldnt enjoy that. Are you able to hear the words of songs or is it still just the beat of music?

Anyone else who wants to jump in with their music experiences please do so.

If you click on the audiogram it takes you a bigger version of it. Then you can read it.

Music they said the same thing. I love LOVE music now. I used it to train myself to hear with it. I picked one song and pulled up the lyrics. I sang and listened to the song. The first oh say 15 times it sounded terrible. Finally it gets so much better. You have to spend around 20 minutes a day doing it. Work on no more than 2 songs for around 2 weeks. Oh, pick a song you remember. Be patient. It comes. I have 57 songs on my itouch and I listen to them everyday and enjoy them.

 

[contradica]

Interesting thread, had to read it all thru to see what I am in for. After nearly two years on waiting list I got my long awaited letter today. My pre op apt is next Monday 18th then implant is 10th March, with activation about 3 weeks after that.............cant wait.

How have others found the sound of their own voices? I guess it would be a bit of a shock.

Congrats!! That is my mom's birthday, there is NO way I can forget that hehe

 

[R2D2]

Interesting thread, had to read it all thru to see what I am in for. After nearly two years on waiting list I got my long awaited letter today. My pre op apt is next Monday 18th then implant is 10th March, with activation about 3 weeks after that.............cant wait.

How have others found the sound of their own voices? I guess it would be a bit of a shock.

Fantastic news Raykat! Let us know how it all goes. How exciting for you

 

[R2D2]

I wonder if any of you get slight tiny ache in cochlea or get really tired from hearing cuz everything are so loud?
I didn't feel ache yesterday till late in night it get little uncomfortable so I took off around 10 pm in night and today its tiny bit uncomfortable starting in early afternoon, will it go away?

Yes, this is all very normal. Remember, your brain thinks that quiet is normal, so the new stimulation brings about a lot of activity and adjustment. You will get used to it though. You did well to last to 10pm in your first few days before taking it off.

If it's really bothersome though, go back to the audie and ask her to turn the volume levels down. Don't worry about seeming to go backwards, you will soon surpass where you are at. It's all about getting used to sounds again at this stage. It's important not to be too uncomfortable because that might set you back.

 

[Raykat]

Fantastic news Raykat! Let us know how it all goes. How exciting for you

Thanks R2D2, Skullchick and Contradica. Went for pre op meeting with audiologist today, just running over things and choosing the configuration.
Its a freedom processor. Next week is meet the surgeon day then only 2 weeks to wait.

I better start my own thread as dont want to go hijacking Skullchick's...lol

 

[SkullChick]

Raykat, music does sound terrible lol right now it does for me nothing makes senses because so many going on like guitar, drum, etc with voices I can't pick up any lyric at all haha. But I'm sure some day way later I'll be able to pick it up.
Oh no worries raykat about hijacking my thread haha.
Well update is not much only started getting mild headache and if I'm in constant loud evironment like bowling alley my eyes feel funny and tired and I'm overhwelmed by it and after I left bowling alley I get ear-ache when all sound quiet down but it went away in few hours, and then last night I was at mall and spend time with my fiance's biological father's family for 2 days and they talk LOUD lol so when we left there to go home and I get ear-ache and felt so tired so I took it off and later I get headache on left side from my jaw tense up from loud noise and then before I went sleep I get migraine and loud ringing but of course as soon I wake up its all gone and quiet whew!! I can't wait for ADRO for that darn loud evironment problem! Lol just hope today's good day like the first 4 days was headache-free wonderful day. *crossing my fingers* lol
Don't think there's any new sound I heard so far that I remember haha.
OH by the way I almost forgot. Can all of you hear regular fire alarm? I can't! Only can feel it if I'm focused on it. Jason think I should get those few electrodes audiologist turned off, turned back on (first 2 was off because its part of mapping *shrugs* and other end 2 is off too because I felt it, jason said low frequency I'm supposed to feel some vibration with sound so....? Lol

 

[LadySekhmet]

It seems I have been saying pizza wrong all these years and no one thought to sound it out for me, not sure how you guys say it but down under it is more like "pitza".......not my version of "peezza" well how was I to know there was an invisible t in it.....lol

Interesting, I think it's an accent thing. I pronouce Pizza like Peeza. I say the long 'i'. So I think 'pitza' is more of an accent thing.

 

[LadySekhmet]

Vallee, just had a look at your blog. From what I can tell (cant read these things very well) it looks like I have a lot less high tones than you had originally, mine goes way down below the graph.

Was interested that you had Ipod and playing music. When I went for initial checkup I was told that CI was not programmed for music so I wouldnt enjoy that. Are you able to hear the words of songs or is it still just the beat of music?

Anyone else who wants to jump in with their music experiences please do so.

What implant will you be going with? I assume you're getting Freedom implant/Freedom processor since you're in NZ.

Since the Freedom has 4 programs, you can use one program for music only to your own taste. I prefer more treble, lower frequency sounds over the high frequency. So, I would make one program to adjust that. I haven't done it yet because I was just activated, so the sounds are different than HAs, so I may actually change my preferences.

I'll be bluntly honest with you. If you have enjoyed music for a long time, and able to follow the lyrics and beats, your auditory memory would kind of take over, and it may sound different at first, but then over time it will sound like you remembered. However, at first activation for a couple weeks or so, it will sound bad. Trust me. LOL!

If you never really enjoyed music or following lyrics, you will have a harder time because you're not used to the sounds of the singer, sounds of music in general. I'm not saying it's impossible, it's just a harder time.

I have over 2400 songs on my iTunes. And half of them I don't know the lyrics, and they're the ones that I'm going to practice on. When I was activated, my favorite songs sounded terrible. I waited a couple weeks, and things sounded better. Over time when you do your training, and perhaps listen to a song (ballads and slow songs are better and easier to follow than rock/ rap :roll, will help you hear the songs better.

Now I'm in the mood to listen "We've Only Just Begun" by the Carpenters...I don't know why, but I like the sound of this song....

 

[Raykat]

What implant will you be going with? I assume you're getting Freedom implant/Freedom processor since you're in NZ.

Since the Freedom has 4 programs, you can use one program for music only to your own taste. I prefer more treble, lower frequency sounds over the high frequency. So, I would make one program to adjust that. I haven't done it yet because I was just activated, so the sounds are different than HAs, so I may actually change my preferences.

I'll be bluntly honest with you. If you have enjoyed music for a long time, and able to follow the lyrics and beats, your auditory memory would kind of take over, and it may sound different at first, but then over time it will sound like you remembered. However, at first activation for a couple weeks or so, it will sound bad. Trust me. LOL!

If you never really enjoyed music or following lyrics, you will have a harder time because you're not used to the sounds of the singer, sounds of music in general. I'm not saying it's impossible, it's just a harder time.

I have over 2400 songs on my iTunes. And half of them I don't know the lyrics, and they're the ones that I'm going to practice on. When I was activated, my favorite songs sounded terrible. I waited a couple weeks, and things sounded better. Over time when you do your training, and perhaps listen to a song (ballads and slow songs are better and easier to follow than rock/ rap :roll, will help you hear the songs better.

Now I'm in the mood to listen "We've Only Just Begun" by the Carpenters...I don't know why, but I like the sound of this song....

Yes, it's Freedom. I have gone for a 3 and a 2 battery option as the audi told me the 3 battery one has a lapel mic which can be useful. Also batteries will last longer.

As far as music goes, will just have to wait and see. I am born deaf so never heard the words to songs. However I did spend several years learning to play piano, reading the sheet music and was quite good at that. The way I would describe music now is that it has a lot of gaps in the sound where the high notes are. I find most modern music is played way to loud and just becomes a huge wall of sound, not enjoyable at all. Now dont laugh as I dont know if others do this, but I can hear music in my head, which sounds great to me but probably nothing like the real thing. I spent 50 years being a good churchgoer so all the music I was brought up on was church music not the rock n roll etc stuff.

I guess it will just be a big adventure by trial and error so see what I pick up.

 

[LadySekhmet]

Don't think there's any new sound I heard so far that I remember haha.
OH by the way I almost forgot. Can all of you hear regular fire alarm? I can't! Only can feel it if I'm focused on it. Jason think I should get those few electrodes audiologist turned off, turned back on (first 2 was off because its part of mapping *shrugs* and other end 2 is off too because I felt it, jason said low frequency I'm supposed to feel some vibration with sound so....? Lol

I like Beam for blocking out background noise! For school fire alarms I can hear it with my HAs, so I assume that I will hear it with my CI since it's in the low frequency range. My apartment has a fire alarm that is high frequency, I have to go in the hallway (outside the apartment) to hear it, but even so I cannot hear it that well...that's because I could not hear high frequency as well.

I had two of my electrodes turned off in the high frequency because it would be way too high and overwhelming. All 20 others of mine is turned on.

I think you need adjusting in the low frequency ranges because even now there's a lot of low frequency sounds that I have a hard time hearing ie - outside noises, car driving by (wth?). Over time, it will balance itself out. It probably will be the same for you. Maybe she turned off the two low frequency sound because it may overwhelm you according to your beep test/pure tone test.

Good luck on your next map!

 

[rokicki]

Turn it down?

Wow, I thought you would be able to turn these things down, just like we do with hearing aids, if the environment is too loud. Is that not the case? I know they are 100% different from hearing aids, but between the sensitivity and volume controls one would think you'd be able to back it off if you feel overwhelmed. The thought of having to choose between "too loud" and "nothing at all" is very troubling. That's like what I went though for a while when I tried out a fancy digital hearing aid with no volume; it was very unpleasant.

I'm going to have to discuss this with my audiologist. My family is big and loud!

(I'm one week post surgery and scheduled to be activated in two weeks.)

 

[vallee]

Wow, I thought you would be able to turn these things down, just like we do with hearing aids, if the environment is too loud. Is that not the case? I know they are 100% different from hearing aids, but between the sensitivity and volume controls one would think you'd be able to back it off if you feel overwhelmed. The thought of having to choose between "too loud" and "nothing at all" is very troubling. That's like what I went though for a while when I tried out a fancy digital hearing aid with no volume; it was very unpleasant.

I'm going to have to discuss this with my audiologist. My family is big and loud!

(I'm one week post surgery and scheduled to be activated in two weeks.)

It is very different from a HA. I thought I would have a problem too. I don't because it sounds so natural.

 

[LadySekhmet]

Wow, I thought you would be able to turn these things down, just like we do with hearing aids, if the environment is too loud. Is that not the case? I know they are 100% different from hearing aids, but between the sensitivity and volume controls one would think you'd be able to back it off if you feel overwhelmed. The thought of having to choose between "too loud" and "nothing at all" is very troubling. That's like what I went though for a while when I tried out a fancy digital hearing aid with no volume; it was very unpleasant.

I'm going to have to discuss this with my audiologist. My family is big and loud!

(I'm one week post surgery and scheduled to be activated in two weeks.)

There is volume control. No worries there!

The thing why people say that it's loud, doesn't mean that it's like LOUD in volume. It's loud as you can hear every single little sound. the paper crinkling, the rain falling, rubbing of the jeans against one another, etc. Majority of the deaf do not hear in the high frequency ranges so they never heard these sounds, or if they do, they're very very quiet. CI "wakes" your ears up to high frequency sounds. So, you're hearing everything.

That's what I perceive as "loud". Not in volume.

I wish you best of luck!!!!

 

[jillio]

Interesting thread, had to read it all thru to see what I am in for. After nearly two years on waiting list I got my long awaited letter today. My pre op apt is next Monday 18th then implant is 10th March, with activation about 3 weeks after that.............cant wait.

How have others found the sound of their own voices? I guess it would be a bit of a shock.

Congratulations, Raykat. Keep us posted on the progress.

 

[R2D2]

There is volume control. No worries there!

The thing why people say that it's loud, doesn't mean that it's like LOUD in volume. It's loud as you can hear every single little sound. the paper crinkling, the rain falling, rubbing of the jeans against one another, etc. Majority of the deaf do not hear in the high frequency ranges so they never heard these sounds, or if they do, they're very very quiet. CI "wakes" your ears up to high frequency sounds. So, you're hearing everything.

That's what I perceive as "loud". Not in volume.

I wish you best of luck!!!!

Yes, that's right. "Loudness" with a CI is very much a perception and depends on how much your tolerance for sound is. Those with extensive exposure to sounds tend to have a greater tolerance than those with little exposure.

Also nerve damage may have a factor as well. In my first CI I have two electrodes (1 & 2) turned off, as I do not have a great tolerance for loud sounds in those frequencies but I tolerate equally loud sounds in other frequencies just fine. My audiologist reckons I have a sensitive spot on my hearing nerve. But in my second CI, I have all of the electrodes turned on. Apparently it doesn't make much difference if you have some turned off as the remaining electrodes interact to compensate.

 

[SkullChick]

Hey! Today was my new mapping, much better! I asked my program 2 to have ALL 22 turned on and program 1 have same base (3 is still turned off on this one) and new soft sound and loudness too and with program 2 I can hear the "rumble" of deep voice my bf have WOW! I was surprised and laugh when I heard it cuz I didn't hear it before. Finally his true voice! And also my major CI moment happened today too jason was in laundry room and I was in dining room and I heard sound and at first I thought it might be cat meowing but second time I heard again I was like "no it sound like its from where jason is" and I heard one more and it sound like my name so I walked over and look at jason he said "good job! You heard me!" I was like "yay!" haha this mapping's great lol car's a lot louder too haven't tried fire alarm yet will listen to it later see if I can hear it now or not

 

[LadySekhmet]

Hey! Today was my new mapping, much better! I asked my program 2 to have ALL 22 turned on and program 1 have same base (3 is still turned off on this one) and new soft sound and loudness too and with program 2 I can hear the "rumble" of deep voice my bf have WOW! I was surprised and laugh when I heard it cuz I didn't hear it before. Finally his true voice! And also my major CI moment happened today too jason was in laundry room and I was in dining room and I heard sound and at first I thought it might be cat meowing but second time I heard again I was like "no it sound like its from where jason is" and I heard one more and it sound like my name so I walked over and look at jason he said "good job! You heard me!" I was like "yay!" haha this mapping's great lol car's a lot louder too haven't tried fire alarm yet will listen to it later see if I can hear it now or not

Way to go Amy!! I have to ask my audie again if it's possible to get all 22 turned on for me, but seeing how I did on the audiogram, it may be just too much. At least it's there.

You're lucky you got a second map this soon!

Three cheers!

 

[SkullChick]

Way to go Amy!! I have to ask my audie again if it's possible to get all 22 turned on for me, but seeing how I did on the audiogram, it may be just too much. At least it's there.

You're lucky you got a second map this soon!

Three cheers!

thanks! yeah you can ask to turn it all on and see if it feel ok like not hurting you or anything. and also where did she turn it off? guy voice might will sound better if you turn it on if its in the lower frequency. oh also I think i know what dynamic range are now today i looked at my program on computer i saw little "DR" on bottom i think its number of how much in between softest sound to comfortably loud sound. its all different in all electrodes but average all around is about in 40's.