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

Oh thanks welliemum I'd really like that...so interested in your experiences too! I'll try and jot some things down whilst I'm there though.

Actually, I have some of the the entry for thursday...I started it in word and was too tired to finish it. Might as well bash it on now!

Just filling in for the past couple of days.

Had another mapping session on Thursday but it ended up being a bit more complicated because I preferred the faster stimulation rate of Programme 2. P1 was set at 240 hz ? and [p2 was 1200.

I I had preferred the lower rate, the wouldn?t have had to do any more tweaking, but now they?ll have to check how much faster is optimal for me brain. Usually what happens before they give me the specialised programmes (Beam ADRO and Whisper) is that they?d set P1 to 1200, P2 to 900, P3 to 1800 and p4 to 2400. I would switch between these programmes on a weekly basis and decide which one of these I preferred.

But, they knew I was keen for one of the programmes that cut down background noise as we?ll be spending a lot of time in company in Sardinia. They?ve been really accommodating - an broken protocol - to give me the ADRO programme and my favoured rate so far (1200).

They?ve also activated 4 more electrodes after testing with 8 (which I?d had already, 10 and finally 12. I do prefer the 12 electrode stimulation, which mean with I?m getting more information a lot faster. I?m also going though 3 times as many batteries!

Phew, that is quite complicated, hope it makes sense. So, I have 4 programmes now P1 ? 1200 and 12 electrodes; P2 ? 1200 and 12 electrodes with ADRO, P3 ? 900 with 8 electrodes and P4 ? 1800 with 8 electrodes. I thought this was a bit strange because there?s more than one variable changed? Ah well, I shan?t worry about it too much when I?m sunning myself in the lagoon!

Right I'm ORF! See you in two weeks!

xxx

Hi kokeshi

Hope you're having a lovely holiday!

I tried the phone with the rehab person at 1 month post switch on, and it was very exciting and weird to hear her speaking and understand a little of what she was saying.

However, DH and I tried with his work phone and all I could get was "Can you hear me?" which wasn't very helpful!

It seems to be very phone-dependent so we may need a new phone. Not bothering me much as I haven't used the phone for so many years that I'm used to working around this. I'm keen to make it work but have no sense of being in a hurry.

Cristina, I'm enjoying what I hear of music so much, even though it's very ugly and distorted. I can't agree more with your idea of encouraging DS to access music. I think it is as you say, a prejudice that someone who can't hear well can't enjoy music.

He's likely to be much better off than me in one important sense, because he's not comparing what he hears to some unattainable standard.

Things that are working well for me are:
Singing by myself (can't sing along yet)
Dancing
Listening to music with an interesting rhythm (melody is harder to make out)
Music with simple harmony/few instruments, so the sound is as clean and spare as possible
Having visual clues - have been watching musicals on DVD with the dd's

There's lots to try.

Kokeshi, can't believe I've missed your whole implant experience! Delighted you're doing so well! Am a bit at the chipmunk comparisons though! How do you know what I sound like?
BTW we had a SatNav system while on hols in France. Dh was answering the voice "yes, dear!" by the end of the trip. Made me feel quite inadequate!