I'm a candidate!!!!

Abbie,

Congratulations on your candidacy. I am in the middle of the candidacy process myself. I see the surgeon on Wednesday.

If you are interested in the book by Michael Chorost. It is called "Rebuilt" I just purchased a copy and it is pretty good so far.
 
Congrats for CI candidacy !!

CI is great. I have CI for 3 years. I love it and able to hear variety of sounds. But the downside of it is that I can't understand someone who is talking behind me. I can hear voice clear but not words by words. It's common problem with CI patients ( that's what my CI Audiologist says). IT have nothing to do with practicing listening voices to understand. CI which have either 12 or 16 electrodes (depend which CI brand you choose, Nucelus Freedom or Advanced Bionics or MED EL). EACH electrodes sits on small section of 15,000 nerves in your cochlea. It funnels group of sound of it's pitch into each individual electrodes. For example, hearing candy plastic wrapper crinkling and pin drop which is a high fequency sound falls into one or two high fequency section of electrode, lawnmower and jet noise falls into low fequency section ect.. Hearing Aids are entirely different breed cuz it pumps sounds into your ear in full range. I used to understand people talking behind me or on telephone. With CI, not always the case. Some CI patient were able to use telephone or cellphone without problems. So it's individual case. But the big advantage for CI is that I can hear sound from distance and narrow down to pinpoint which is making a noise.

Let me tell you short story,
I was at deaf friend's house planning fix his pc. I heard a beeping noise. His mother said she think it's his PC. I do not think it was. I can hear it from the basment cuz I was situated by the stair. I followed the noise and walked around basment. I heard louder beep and narrowed down to one box that was stacked upon other boxes. I asked my friend (pointing at the middle box) to pull that out and check what's in it. After he pulled out box and cut open the tape. It was a fire alarm running low on battery. He left it in box for 6 months driving his mom crazy. His mom thanked me so much for finding such culprit. LOL

This is perfect example that CI have one of benefits. There's plenty more benefit of having CI.

Thanks
Catty
 
purplecatty said:
Let me tell you short story,
I was at deaf friend's house planning fix his pc. I heard a beeping noise. His mother said she think it's his PC. I do not think it was. I can hear it from the basment cuz I was situated by the stair. I followed the noise and walked around basment. I heard louder beep and narrowed down to one box that was stacked upon other boxes. I asked my friend (pointing at the middle box) to pull that out and check what's in it. After he pulled out box and cut open the tape. It was a fire alarm running low on battery. He left it in box for 6 months driving his mom crazy. His mom thanked me so much for finding such culprit. LOL

This is perfect example that CI have one of benefits. There's plenty more benefit of having CI.

Thanks
Catty
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:snicker: that is hysterical. Not to mention, quite the CI moment. I can't hear the low battery beeps as it stands right now but it drives my mom up the wall when it happens as she is vertically challenged and cannot reach it to change the battery :) Thank you for sharing that CI moment with me. This is exactly what I would love to hear from everyone.
 
set2 said:
Abbie,

Congratulations on your candidacy. I am in the middle of the candidacy process myself. I see the surgeon on Wednesday.

If you are interested in the book by Michael Chorost. It is called "Rebuilt" I just purchased a copy and it is pretty good so far.
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Ok, I have to say this is off topic beginning sentence but what a cute puppy dog :)

Moving along, is this your first time seeing the surgeon or is it a follow up? What is your hearing loss like? I'm going to go to Barnes and Nobles sometimes this week to get a copy of Chorost book. From what I read about him, he is from NJ like myself, and a technical individual as well. I am looking forward to reading it!
 
contradica,

I have a severe to profound loss in the right Ear (PTA = 97) and a moderate to severe loss in the left ear (PTA = 87). My hearing loss is the worst at the mid frequencies. When tested with stronger HAs I could understand 36% of the words in sentances with my left ear and 18% with the left and 54% with both. Without the HAs and at 115 db I could understand 12% of words with my right ear and 28% with the left. I am trialing HAs but I am getting a lot of distortion and get headachy at times, not bad but annoying. I get tinnitus (moderate) in the right ear which is usually musical.

It will be the first visit with the surgeon.
 
Good luck at the surgeon Set2 - you've struggled with your hearing aids for a while now, haven't you?
 
contradica said:
I'm going to go to Barnes and Nobles sometimes this week to get a copy of Chorost book. From what I read about him, he is from NJ like myself, and a technical individual as well. I am looking forward to reading it!
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You'll love it - it's a very techie book! It also contains some history of how CIs came to be developed. The only thing that turned me off was that he was a bit too honest about his love life ewwwww.
 
contradica said:
Ok, I have to say this is off topic beginning sentence but what a cute puppy dog :)

Moving along, is this your first time seeing the surgeon or is it a follow up? What is your hearing loss like? I'm going to go to Barnes and Nobles sometimes this week to get a copy of Chorost book. From what I read about him, he is from NJ like myself, and a technical individual as well. I am looking forward to reading it!
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here's his website; Michael Chorost

(I posted this many times in AD :D could have used search function as well as I have posted a link to his Wired article. :D

I think he's currently residing in California after moving there from Austin, Tx. although born in NJ.
 
contradica said:
HORRIBLE time understanding children now. Did you get static or anything like that upon activation?
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I actually finds that I understand children better than when I wore hearing aids, when I was growing up, I could never understand young kids when they are speaking to me, I had to depend on my parents to tell me what the kids said, its sucks because I love kids, and I love babysitting, but I was always afraid to go out and get jobs as babysitters cuz I was afraid that I wouldn't understand what they want or need, or that their parents would think I am not reliable. That is what made me who I am today, extremely shy with talking to strangers out there. But I have noticed that since I got my CI, i had been slowly building up my confidences for speaking.
 
contradica: Sorry I'm late in relying, somehow I had missed this thread this whole time. Anyways, congrats on your CI candidacy! I am looking forward to hearing your experiences as you go thru the whole CI journey. :]
 
race ya!

Hi Contra Thats great im so happy for you.Im going for my first evaluation this thurs.Ive had all of those tests numerous times because of my menieres disease.Yes the water test (caloric test)is a bitch I friggin hate it but i have a very messed up vestibular system and not planning on duing well but Ill do my best to do 'em.It was explained to you right there is no water faucet, more like a little bulb ot turkey baster cold water first swirled into each ear cold the worst will make you feel like youre on the gravitron then warm not as bad but still sucks.:rl: Eat light is my advice.Maybe though if you like rides you wont mind it-even want them to do it again lol.Im going to try to bribe my way out of it-gourmet meal cooked for ya house cleaned :bowdown: anything haha! oh well got to do what ya got to do.when are you going? will be glad when thurs is over for me then one more appointment and if approved im on my way !!! Has anyone ever been turned down for a CI anyone know?
 
Hope the testing goes well Tami Sam and may you fail them all! Usually people who get turned down for a CI are people who do too well with hearing aids or who lack the necessary inner ear structure for the CI e.g. a functioning auditory nerve, ossified cochlea etc.
 
Hello All!! I wanted to update you guys on the tests. I had the balance testing done along with the water squirting in my ear. They used warm water which felt like hot water to me. It was an experience I have to say. I didn't really get dizzy from that. They did the whole follow the light test. There is nothing wrong with my vestibular system, they are both equal and both ears can be implanted. They did the hearing test with with hearing aids in both ears with word and sentences with the right, left and both hearing aids in. With my right hearing aid in, speech discrimination is around 30%, my left is 0%, and binaural hearing aids is 34%. I go back to the surgeon next Tuesday for the final determination. I'm getting pretty excited about it!
 
Contradica: Awesome news! Which ear do you think you'll get implanted? Is one of your ear worst than the other?

Does everyone get that water squirty thing test or whatever? My Surgeon didn't do that test with me. He did the follow the light, checked how I move my face, eyebrow, nose, etc. . . and had me walk and do a few balancing stuff with my legs. That's it.

Anyways, good luck girl!
 
deafmama78 said:
Contradica: Awesome news! Which ear do you think you'll get implanted? Is one of your ear worst than the other?

Does everyone get that water squirty thing test or whatever? My Surgeon didn't do that test with me. He did the follow the light, checked how I move my face, eyebrow, nose, etc. . . and had me walk and do a few balancing stuff with my legs. That's it.

Anyways, good luck girl!
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I am picking my left ear since I feel that I have nothing to lose if I get it done. I'm deaf as a doorknob in that ear as it is now :) I use to hear in that ear, so I am hoping that auditory memory will help me.

I didn't do any of the walking or balancing stuff as a part of the test. I just sat down followed the light and got wet.

More importantly, how are you feeling now? Activation is right around the corner! :)
 
Im so glad your test went well for you Contra,Wonder why I get so dizzy you seemed to do fine.puzzling.Are you leaning towards any specific CI brand? When will they be contacting you did they give you any idea? Thanks R2D2 for good wishes Ill think of that while I'm spinning lol and hope it'll help.First test I hope I fail. Just hope I have enough good inner ear activity to implant.
 
TAMI SAM said:
Im so glad your test went well for you Contra,Wonder why I get so dizzy you seemed to do fine.puzzling.Are you leaning towards any specific CI brand? When will they be contacting you did they give you any idea? Thanks R2D2 for good wishes Ill think of that while I'm spinning lol and hope it'll help.First test I hope I fail. Just hope I have enough good inner ear activity to implant.
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Thank you Tami!! I already met with the cochlear implant team and they showed me the models for cochlear and advanced bionics. I got to play with them and try them on for size. I am leaning towards AB because of several personal reasons. Comfort, similarity to my hearing aids, technological advancements, and many others played a part in my decision which I have researched and I feel confident that I am making the right decision for myself.

I am wishing you all the luck in the world that you are eligible :)
 
I will follow you posts ,was hoping to be going right behind you, but thats ok we will give you all the attention and care you need.I'll have to wait,still think the woman was wrong about me getting a CI,It would be nice if I didnt have to though but I dont see it.Cant wait to see what it will be,Harmony was my first choice then I got so confused.
 
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