KOKESHI.....good luck for tomorrow

[Elibean]

Didn't want to hijack other thread, but do want to wish you the best with tomorrow's switch-on! I used to work with Deaf people, but don't know much about implants. I do know how isolating and traumatic sudden, or even not sudden, deafness can be, an awful lot for you to deal with in a relatively short space of time, by the sound of it. But then I also know you are one brave and resourceful lady.

Wishing you the best possible success from your CI, and an end to isolation asap xxx

Good luck! I hope it goes well. I'll be thinking of you.

So.....!

Hope today went well, whatever 'well' means (excuse my ignorance). Was thinking of you

xxx

Oh, do come back and tell us- I missed this but hope it's all gone swimmingly

Just posted this on another thread.

I've had a great day, although when the scientist switched on my implant he looked competely bemused - I howled with laughter as he spoke to me.

He sounded like a chipmunk (remember Alvin, Simon Theodore), then my mum spoke and my partner and they sounded the same. He did say he had never had that reaction before, but it was, erm, great, that I was laughing.

Fantastic but...weird. This keyboard is doing my fecking head in, all the tap tap tapping!

Thanks so much for asking after me folks.

PMSL at the tapping - it's driving me bonkers too! I'd forgotten about keys tapping.

BRILLIANT news kokeshi. You're doing so well - it took me a week to get to the chipmunk stage and you're there already!

Obviously your brain hasn't forgotten as much as mine!

Are you getting echoes - I would imagine you'll get this much less than me too.

Great news, Kokeshi. So pleased it's working for you. I mean I know it should be working, but it must be good to get an immediate reaction. Please keep us posted or do you keep a blog or similar? I'd really like to read about your progress.

Ah, but welliemum, I was disappointed the chipmunks weren't even vaguely Woganesque!

Not getting the echoes, he did ask me that though. For the first 10 minutes or so my brain was really confused, and it seemed like there was a lag between what I could see and what I could "hear". I'm amazed at how quickly the brain adjusts and starts filling in information. Literally minute by minute I was able to recognise new sounds (3 attempts at going for a pee before it was a vaguely recognisable whooosh tinkle tinkle tinkle). OK, TMI I know.

The scientist sent us off for to the canteen for a coffee, and the first emotional moment came as I was walking through the hospital corridor. I could clearly hear the clicking of my boots, which was in fact the last sound I remember hearing as I came from A&E that fateful day last November when I finally realised my hearing was gone for good.

Then I said, Jeeeesus, I'll need to get these boots rehealed, why didn't anyone tell me!! Clack clack clack

I thought about a blog but I'm a bit scared of exposing myself - what if people thought it was a pile a' shoite!

what fantastic news. I have missed the details of what happened to you, is there a link to a thread?

I am amazed at modern science and it is things lik ethis that make me feel very gratefull to live in the developing world.

I hope you enjoy hearing all those sounds you have missed, and getting annoyed at the ones you dont.

Your one of the few posters who really sticks out for me, your incredibly brave and i have a huge amount of respect for you

Oh god mamazon, that's an epic. Don't open it if you're feeling in the need of a laugh, it's quite heavy going. But, like always, fantatsic support from MNers.

the start

the solution

Califrau, up to the last minute I don't think I really expected to hear anything. I was relieved to be proved so wrong. I wanted to see what music sounded like, so turned on the radio on the way home. A dreadful whiny, melancoly dirge. I though bloody hell, Lily Allen has changed her style. In fact it was some obscure folk station playing a bagpipe solo which I could hear really clearly. Ooooh I thought, this bodes well, let's see about classic FM: "fzzzkrrrcccccccccchffffffffffffzfzkrkkkkrkrrch"
Ok, a bit complicated, how about Radio One? "squeaaaaaak, crackle crackle, static".

The bagpipes eh? Probably the least likely sound I would have chosen to hear. But, at least I can be patriotic!

I haven't tried bagpipes yet. Will leave this a little longer maybe

You're doing so well, that's fab!

It's a cool piece of kit though. With the Nucleus Freedom the provide the TV/HiFi cable, lapel mic and ipod cable. I'd like to get an FM transmitter that you can use in meetings but they're not supplied.

Think it will be some time before I can use the phone and the TV is still really hard to make out, so I'm sticking with subtitles at the moment.

So far so good. How are things with yours welliemum? Are you noticing changes?

It's still changing all the time, but slower than at first.

People are starting to have individual voices now which is fascinating.

I've been listening to music on CD walkman using the cable, which is easier than the hifi without a cable.

Listened to some Beatles "When I'm 64" and could definitely hear the clarinet noodling away at the beginning, and quite a bit of the singer (I think it was Paul singing on that track?).

Recorded voices are definitely harder than live ones, and I haven't tried the phone - I think it's a bit too soon as I'm still learning to listen without lip reading.

Exciting!

Oh gosh I have a dilemma. Today, the scientist was demonstrating on a working speech processor, showing me all the functions while I had mine on. He then showed me how to take it apart and put it in the drystore box overnight (how cool is that!).

Anyhoo, I pop the box open 5 mins ago to put mine to bed, and there's the other processor sitting in there still switched on! So, What do I do? Shall I put two in the same drybox? I'm worried that they'll interfere with each other. But, if I leave it out it might get damaged. Hmmm, any thoughts welliemum?

Oh there was an advert on TV today and I knew by the subs the soundtrack was "You are my sunshine". I was ecstatic that I could make a little bit of it out. This is so exciting. When I was cooking dinner tonight I kept shouting woohoo when I chopped an onion, realised I could hear the wok sizzling and even the microwave beeping! Oh and I haven't left a tap running all day!

I actually got a shock today when I went to the cashpoint and the beeping of the keypad was so recognisable.

You know I bet this is really boring - who needs a running commentary of what things sound like!?

Wow, my tinnitus is really going mad since I took it off.

Wow how aposite.

I have had a lovely evening with some school Mummies, and I was quizzed at length on DH's implant and told them how life changing it was.

Do please post tomorrow if you can.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

LGJ

so, so pleased for you kokeshi. you've been very brave about all this, i've been full of admiration for the way you've handled yourself.

Memo to self.

Read the whole thing.
Delighted it went well for you.
DH wanted to take a gun to the dawn chorus.

Mmm, dunno about the drybox but I don't think you'd damage the processor by leaving it out one night.

I so identify with all the noises - I'd forgotten how many things make noises.

I didn't realise that my mobile phone keypad beeps - must have been driving people crazy when texting in public .

I'm tiptoeing around because everything I do seems so noisy.

Oh, the tap was one of the first things I heard at switch-on - it sounded like hissing, but now a running tap sounds definitely watery.

I may well have to strangle the dog - we've got builders here at the moment and I hadn't realised how BARKY she is.

It's fascinating reading about the sounds you hear and I had to remind myself that this is just a few hours' experiences yet. Wow!

I'll be doing the gay gordon tomorrow I'm sure! Thanks for your kind thoughts all.

I'm dying to hear my 2 year old nephew, he apparently asked my Dad to change him today by pointing at his rear and pronouncing "Phew ma bum"! Awwww.

Will report in tomorrow with the second installment of "what things sounds like". Snore.

Have kicked the rogue speech processor out of the drystore box and will get DP to call the implant centre tomorrow.

Night night x

It was quite a big day for me today as I'd been putting off my medical for my permanent residency Visa for Australia. I was just at the end of the process, I only needed to get my medical when I lost my hearing. I've been putting it off until I had some kind of resolution as I was worried that my deafness would affect my application.

I couldn't believe the difference today, no-one could actually tell - until I had to explain my surgery on my form - that I am deaf. It was such a buzz, I can't begin to explain how difficult and frustrating these situations have been recently. Nothing is easy as my lip-reading is a very new skill and I got no aural clues whatsoever. The medical took an hour today as opposed to writing everything down for me and it taking 3 times as long.

I think the doctor had quite a squeaky voice anyway, but she was quite a large lady and it just sounded really funny. (I did try not to laugh though!). I think I got probably 90% of everything 1st time, except when she was a distance away or mumbling. I can't tell right away if someone is addressing me in a room, so I have to keep looking up to check.

I was on my own today so I was enjoying hearing things other than speech. I heard a bus for the first time and could identify what it was right away. The motorway traffic was hideous and my car engine sounds like it's on it's last legs (but I think it's fine!). High pitched and electronic noises seem to be far easier to recognise for me, the lower frequency sound are confusing. I nearly jumped out my skin as I went to the bathroom, sounded like a car alarm going off right next to me. Further investigation revealed I have a very squeaky door!

One of the other triumphs for me today was being able to top up my phone by myself for the first time since September. I've had to rely on other people all the time (even went into a police station a few weeks ago cos I was lost and had no credit). It really feels like I'm getting my independence back. I then called DP at the studio (several times!) which I think must have been quite irritating! I can hear some words but not others and I'm not sure where's the best place to position the phone yet, Not my ear hole obviously!

I've been practising getting my voice back to normal as well. It had really worried me as a few people had commented that my voice was quite a bit higher than before. I think that was to do with me being able to feel my voice coming out. It seemed like I wasn't speaking at all if I spoke in a low voice. That was one of the weirdest things actually, hearing my voice again. At first I didn't want to say anything because it sounded horrid. Getting used to it not though!

Al in all I'm dead chuffed with the results so far, I feel like I have my life back again.

Sorry, K, first time had a chance to rush on and post! I'm so glad things are going the way they are, and very impressed at how fast you're getting used to it all