Blimey, the world is a noisy place! Welliemum is SWITCHED ON ==== for kokeshi ====

[welliemum]

Hi kokeshi

Here's a copy of a round robiny thing I'm writing - thought you might be interested. Not long to wait for you! I know it's different for everyone though.

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They switched the implant on on Monday and it was a very very bizarre experience. Every sound has an "echo" and at first the echoes were much louder than the actual sounds, so the effect was of total psychedelia. At first I couldn't speak because the cascade of sound generated by my own voice was so confusing.

Then I started to be able to distinguish the voices amongst all the sounds, but they were very quiet and not recognisable as voices - just scratchy sounds.

We went outside and they all kicked fallen leaves for me - it sounded like hissing, and the cars going by in the road made a rustling noise.

We went back to the motel and Mum read "Green Eggs and Ham" to me. I could guess what she was saying, although this was mostly from knowing the book very very well and recognising the cadences.

I had 3 X 3 hour mapping and rehab sessions in Christchurch (on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) which was exhausting: sitting there for hours trying to judge whether 2 tones were the same volume or not etc etc etc., plus some tests to set the baseline. They seem pleased but have very low expectations at this stage.

But now (day 4) although the echoes are still there, they're assimilating with the sounds so it's easier to find the sound amongst the echoes. I'm amazed at what I can detect - it doesn't feel quite like "hearing" yet. The voices now sound like voices and are getting more natural. Mum sounded American on day 1 and now sounds more Irish - so is moving rapidly in the right direction - and I can easily tell that her voice and DH's voice are different. I'm starting to get an inkling of dd1's and dd2's voices too, but that's harder as I've never really heard their voices.

The weirdest thing of all was that during the mapping session before switch-on, they were playing pure tones to the implant via a cable to check something or other, and I heard the arpeggio of a major chord. It was a very very strange moment. Listening to music is quite beyond me at the moment though.

That's all for now. It's very very tiring but also very exciting. I'll be flying to Christchurch once a week (with dd2) for more mapping fun, so it's a long process.

Now need to address large pile of laundry and unpacking so will stop there!

I think you were amazing to have that coffee with us in the noisy cafe.

I have been following your story welliemum and I'm so pleased that you're making such fantastic progress. The world is indeed a very noise polluted place. Enjoy your music and your dds' voices. Congratulations.

Thank you so much for posting this, Welliemum. I'm trying to imagine what it sounds like for DS(7). I think it's great you can distinguish between voices by this stage, day 4 only.

A few days ago I had this conversation with my DS: I was in the kitchen, he was in the living room. "Dominic, do you want breakfast?" "Yes" "What would you like?" "Croissants" (or whatever). It then dawned on me we were quite possibly having the first conversation ever over a long distance and with no lipreading involved. This afternoon he was playing with an electronic toy of DD's. It was asking him "What colour is...?" And he turned to us and asked "What colour is what?" But the fact he'd got those few words off an electronic toy was fantastic (and I didn't understand what object it was either, it really wasn't clear at all). He's been switched on since 19 Feb.

You'll do so, so well, you have so much more to help you remember what sound is really like. Please keep us posted of progress. I hope one day you'll be able to enjoy music again. For DS his greatest wish is to talk on a mobile phone.

wellie, was lovely to see you on Tue and I second what twentypence says. Look forward to seeing you again!

Thanks all for the good wishes!

Mrs JC and twentypence, thanks for coming out on Tuesday, it was lovely to see you all. I was feeling very shellshocked with all the implant stuff and and it was so good to have a bit of normality. Thanks also for the ideas on musical things to do with the dds. Keen to meet up anytime!

Cristina, wow, that's great progress for your ds - makes me feel really hopeful. I know I'll never really get music back but hearing even a little bit would be more than I ever thought possible. Mobile phoning is a much more sensible aim though!

As someone who has had a DH switched on I am fully aware of how much your quality of life is going to improve.

My DH listens to muscic. We played the same CD ad nauseum until he finally got it. If I never hear Don Maclean and American pie again it will be too soon.

I am crying my eyes out for you, as you can only go from strength to strength.

Much love

LGJ

Sherlock, what a lovely post, I'm welling up now..... but also laughing at the American Pie aversion therapy....

Thank you for that.

Oh and he can use a mobile. He uses a loop, Nokia do one.

He can use the phone without it, but it makes life easier.

I wonder if kokeshi is about.

That limbo period between the op and switch-on isn't a lot of fun - hope you're hanging in there kokeshi. It's worth the wait!

Just read this and am really pleased that it all seems to be going so well for you. Hope you enjoyed your day out and hope to see you next time though if it is in the next week or so ds is spotty so in quarantine at the mo.

bumping for kokeshi!

Bumping too!! Great News!!

Hi YM, I was sorry not to see you, and I'm sorry DS isn't well. Hope his spots are better soon.

Am in chch tomorrow but just a flying visit - literally - am jetting in for an appointment then rushing back to collect dd1 from daycare.

How are your Wednesdays? I seem to have lots of Wednesday appointments!

FANTASTIC!!! Welliemum, I am so pleased for you! How exciting it must be, especially the DC's voices. I have been busying myself with other things as much as possible, also went to a rehab course for deafened adults (explained on your other thread) which helped loads.

I've been actively trying to remind myself what things sound like, and I know I am really fortunate to have been implanted so quickly after my deafness, it must be really strange to hear after a long time. I was thinking myself (tonight as everyone was chatting at dinner) sometimes it can be a blessing not to have to join in wth everything!

I will be more visible on here when I'm switched on too, so glad there are others out there who know what it's like. Mumsnet is fab.

Thanks for thinking of me when you have so much going on yourselves.

wow, wellie, i didn't know that you had hearing funkinesses. why would i? lol.
how cool that you're switched on now, it all sounds exhausting and wonderful. (apart from american pie...) congratulations and all the best.

oh how disgusting... am aitch...

HI again wm. DS still fairly miserable but usually Wed is a good day for me so when we are spot free would love to see you and for you to hear ds and your dd's chatting to each other!

kokeshi, I bet you have a much better time with distortion, because they've told me that they're having to keep the high frequencies turned down quite a lot at the moment - I haven't heard them for years and have a low tolerance for them.

But I do have a trained ear (ex-musician) so that works in my favour.

YM, that sounds great! Let me know when DS is out of quarantine and we'll make a plan.

Thanks Aitch! And what a lovely, if rather startling new name . You're right, am not deaf online, but you'd be amazed how many people have remarked IRL that "You don't look deaf" - I think it's a compliment, but I've never worked out a sensible reply.

Have not felt quite strong enough for "American Pie" - I love that song (huge nostalgia value) - but am practising listening to little bits of solo instruments and driving DH to drink by playing scales on the piano v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. If you see a headline "Woman admitted to hospital for surgical removal of piano", you'll know how it happened...

Welliemum, I haven't read your story before, but this is fantastic to read! Congratulations.

Thanks, Knightswho....!

But you know when you say Ni! it sounds like Nu!... must go back for more mapping.

but you're from NZ, aren't you? you do all speak funny over there don't you? i had a boss who used to run round the office shouting 'shut shut SHUT' whenever there was a ballsup.

at shut shut shut

I don't have a Kiwi accent myself though (I have a very odd accent due to moving around a lot but haven't picked up the local one as I can't hear it). dd1 definitely talks about fush and chups.

Thanks to the switch-on everybody now sounds Irish, which is just surreal. It's like being suddenly transported to Co Waterford.

(Which is a very nice place, she said hastily).

LOL welliemum, I am trying to imagine this... like living in a world full of Terry Wogans!