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!