Surgery Day

etalton said:
First of all :ty: all for being here for me. It made me feel so good to see your questions.
My appointment lasted an hour and a half. I had my daughter and hubby with me to cheer me on. When I heard the first beeps, I have to admit I giggled. All I can say is that I do hear. Nothing makes me jump, but I do have "what is that" syndrome. Right now, my world is full of computers inhaling helium, so not that pleasant but they say that will go and voices will sound normal as my brain retrains itself. Yes, I know you have all heard that, and I am sure it will, just a little down right now. I can speech read better, and that does help with my hubby. Poor thing gets so frustrated when I don't understand him. Oh, and I no longer talk too loud..one of the hard parts of sudden deafness, not knowing your own volume. I can also start to hear music, at least to the point that I know it is music, not just noise, so that is great.
I was amazed at all the accessories that come with the nucleus. Not going to run out of anything any time soon. I just have to find the patch cord to plug my tv audio cable into my audio jack. I know I have one around here from my ha but where???:hmm:
What I find most annoying is hearing things when everyone else says there is no noise. No AC, no fans...is that normal? Almost like a radio channel that is not tuned correctly, if that makes sense.
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its a great thread I read with interest and can see it from the pro-CI side of things, and all this 'similar experiences and varied outcomes of the recovery is quite interesting, I believe 'weak legs' sydrome has alot do with the the general anaesthesia for there are quite alot of different types, like faster rates of going under and faster rate of waking up, all these different types have different pros and cons.

wow, your nucleus comes with everything, I love music too, i miss it so much, due to failing hearing and bouts of severe tinnitus for the last 2 years, I have been to see CI team short while ago. Its a big decision but they say I'm a very good canidate, so give or take about 6 months that I'd have to decide. Yah i do know what you mean by not realising your own voice volume, as the falling hearing i have - i get conspicious of how loud i maybe. im sure it would be quite an experience.
now jsut slightly of the topic note the bold, i'm so curious what relationship does helium have with computers?? im bit confused sorry

any way Cheers,
 
It's the pitch I hear with my CI right now. Do you remember hearing someone speak after inhaling helium? The pitch goes up? Well, imagine a computerized voice after inhaling helium. I know a pc can't actually do that, but that is the only way I can describe the sound.
 
etalton said:
It's the pitch I hear with my CI right now. Do you remember hearing someone speak after inhaling helium? The pitch goes up? Well, imagine a computerized voice after inhaling helium. I know a pc can't actually do that, but that is the only way I can describe the sound.
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i know what you mean, et. when both of my ci's were activated, everything sounded *extremely* high pitched (although not computerized -- to me, it sounded more metallic).
 
it's either a computer or a synthesizer. But artificial sounding..lol, which it is.
 
etalton said:
it's either a computer or a synthesizer. But artificial sounding..lol, which it is.
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what you're hearing could very well be reminiscent of the old speech synthesizers of the early 80s. i used them back then (to work on computers), so i have a good idea of what you're hearing right now.
 
That could be. It is getting better and at least I can understand more than I have for the last year. It's all good.
 
I actually didn't even wear my ha today and didn't miss it. Although it picks up environmental sounds, speech is garbled so I chose to do without. I will wear it tomorrow to see how things go and to give me directionality.
 
etalton said:
I actually didn't even wear my ha today and didn't miss it. Although it picks up environmental sounds, speech is garbled so I chose to do without. I will wear it tomorrow to see how things go and to give me directionality.
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after my first ci was activated, i continued to wear a hearing aid in my nonimplanted ear for 6 months post activation. eventually though, i ended up losing more hearing and could no longer tell when my hearing aid was on or off, so i stopped wearing it and decided to get my other ear implanted after my ci surgeon's recommendation. having said that, i know of many people who are very successful using a bimodal approach. let us know how your hearing aid sounds tomorrow. perhaps it won't sound so garbled.
 
Glad you're continuing your progress.

I have not wore my HA since I left the office after activation. I felt I would get more used to the CI faster without the HA. This is what the audiologist recommended.

Things are doing ok. I just feel I need more power. I know she turned it down for me when I was activated because it was too much. Now I am used to everything and need more volume. So I am going in as soon as possible after New Years and get some tuning done.

On a plus side, I finally got those nail covers for my 2 dogs. It's nice and quiet when they walk now. Well I still hear them but it's not the usual *clack* click clack* that drives me nuts.
 
Hear Again said:
after my first ci was activated, i continued to wear a hearing aid in my nonimplanted ear for 6 months post activation. eventually though, i ended up losing more hearing and could no longer tell when my hearing aid was on or off, so i stopped wearing it and decided to get my other ear implanted after my ci surgeon's recommendation. having said that, i know of many people who are very successful using a bimodal approach. let us know how your hearing aid sounds tomorrow. perhaps it won't sound so garbled.
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I couldn't really even tell it was on. So, it stays home or in my purse as a back up if something goes wrong. Won't be much help, but as I said, it still does pick up some environmental sounds, in between the feedback.
 
JKB315 said:
Glad you're continuing your progress.

I have not wore my HA since I left the office after activation. I felt I would get more used to the CI faster without the HA. This is what the audiologist recommended.

Things are doing ok. I just feel I need more power. I know she turned it down for me when I was activated because it was too much. Now I am used to everything and need more volume. So I am going in as soon as possible after New Years and get some tuning done.

On a plus side, I finally got those nail covers for my 2 dogs. It's nice and quiet when they walk now. Well I still hear them but it's not the usual *clack* click clack* that drives me nuts.
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That is great..I can only imagine how annoying that must be. For me, it is the constant hum of the computers at work. I work for WalMart and my office contains all the computers and servers that run the store. They hum 24/7 and I work not even 4 feet from them. I had a headache by the end of the day, but half of that was the damned processor. My snugfit that I ordered from Cochlear USA came in today, and it is sooo much better. No pain at the top of my ear and I don't worry about it falling off. Once I get my main processor, it will look better too, as they sent me chocolate brown snugfits like my main processor and my backup is tan.
I bumped up to P3 yesterday and so far so good. I want to give that more time to adjust now that I am back at work before I bump up to P4. I will be there before my mapping session on the 8th but don't want to rush it. Voices still sound synthesized, and music sounds like crap, but then..it did before. Catching more words too, but only with certain peoples voices. I actually made out a persons name on the PA at work, and haven't been able to understand anything on it for over a year. I am getting tired of trying to explain what people sound like though, as everyone at work wants to know. I must have said "computers on helium" at least 50 times today. :giggle:
 
etalton said:
I couldn't really even tell it was on. So, it stays home or in my purse as a back up if something goes wrong. Won't be much help, but as I said, it still does pick up some environmental sounds, in between the feedback.
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continuing to wear your hearing aid for sound directionality might be a good idea since it does still give you a little benefit. i wore my hearing aid for as long as i could until it was no longer possible to tell whether it was on or off -- or hear environmental sounds from my right side. one of the things that really made me aware of how little i was actually hearing with my hearing aid was when i was nearly hit by a turning car i didn't hear on my right side.
 
Et, As i read you had problems with top of your ear and weight of processor, I am having same problems, the top of my ear hurts alot in the afternoon and often take my processor off for little while before i start my evening shift.

Does the snugfit take really work??

Regards
 
overthepond said:
Et, As i read you had problems with top of your ear and weight of processor, I am having same problems, the top of my ear hurts alot in the afternoon and often take my processor off for little while before i start my evening shift.

Does the snugfit take really work??

Regards
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Today was my first full day trying it out and I ended up with a sore ear anyway. Just a different part of the ear. I think it might be because they only have two sizes. Small for children and large for adults. There is no middle size and I spent a lot of time trying to shape the bendable part to fit my ear. Or, I just don't have the hang of it. I also noticed it stuck out farther from my head, thus making it more noticeable. I may take it with me to work and switch off during the day. It's easy to put on so that wouldn't be a problem.
 
Hear Again said:
continuing to wear your hearing aid for sound directionality might be a good idea since it does still give you a little benefit. i wore my hearing aid for as long as i could until it was no longer possible to tell whether it was on or off -- or hear environmental sounds from my right side. one of the things that really made me aware of how little i was actually hearing with my hearing aid was when i was nearly hit by a turning car i didn't hear on my right side.
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I may start wearing it again. I noticed today without it that the tinnitus in that ear was louder than usual. I would have to assume it is due to the lack of sound. It was a female choir in my head this time. And that is a new one for me. Not singing, but running through scales and "ah" ing a lot.
 
overthepond said:
Et, As i read you had problems with top of your ear and weight of processor, I am having same problems, the top of my ear hurts alot in the afternoon and often take my processor off for little while before i start my evening shift.

Does the snugfit take really work??

Regards
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Hi, hope you're having a great holiday season! Sounds like a good possibility you have a skin infection from a dirty processor. Do you use a Dry & Store dehumidifier? Its UV disinfecting light should kill the bugs causing your irritation. Another way is to use a very damp amount of alcohol to clean the affected area, avoid getting it on or near the mic.
 
I haven't used the SnugFit yet...but the Freedom IS heavy and add to the fact that I wear glasses too..well it falls often..only solution so far is to get the babyworn cord...*sigh* I'm purchasing it this christmas.
 
Vivie said:
I haven't used the SnugFit yet...but the Freedom IS heavy and add to the fact that I wear glasses too..well it falls often..only solution so far is to get the babyworn cord...*sigh* I'm purchasing it this christmas.
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I wear glasses as well, and it is awkward. I am adjusting to it and find the snugfit wasn't such a good fit :giggle: I went back to the regular earhook, then the extended one and that works best for me so far. The only time mine falls off is if I wear a scarf or something with a high collar and I adjust it. I am just getting used to not playing with my hair as I knock the cable and the whole thing falls.
 
etalton said:
I wear glasses as well, and it is awkward. I am adjusting to it and find the snugfit wasn't such a good fit :giggle: I went back to the regular earhook, then the extended one and that works best for me so far. The only time mine falls off is if I wear a scarf or something with a high collar and I adjust it. I am just getting used to not playing with my hair as I knock the cable and the whole thing falls.
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I had for the same reason my hair cut really short...:roll:so I woudn't touch my hair...

a suggestion for anyone that is going to get CI and has glasses..always take thin wire glasses..mine are pretty thick ...

Etalton , I have the extended earhook too and seems to work most of the times..but as I'm always out and about , pretty scared that I won't lose it...
 
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