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This is my first updated post since being activated on October 29th, I’ve been so busy working I haven’t had a chance until now. A little info about myself my name is Rick Horton, I’m 57 years old & I live in Everett, Washington. I have profound noise induced hearing loss in both ears. My left side was implanted with a Synchrony & the right side I use a hi power HA. I was activated about a week & a half ago using a Rondo2 processor ( waiting for a Sonnet2 as well) . All I can say so far is WOW!! This is the most amazing experience! I was surprised that I was able to understand speech immediately, wasn’t expecting that! Aside from the initial robotic sound of voices I was also amazed at how realistic the voices are! Watching TV ( no more closed captioning) Tom Selleck sounds like Tom Selleck & Julia Roberts sound like Julia Roberts! Wasn’t expecting that either! I’ve already had so many wow moments! I can now talk on FaceTime with my daughter! Never been able to do that! & last Friday I went thru a 3 hour class at work that 6 weeks ago would have been impossible! With the instructor constantly turning his back to us to point out slideshow or talking behind his computer monitor where I couldn’t read his lips, I sat at the back of the class & caught every word he said! Amazing!! & soo many sounds that I haven’t heard in 15 years. The sound of my footsteps, running water, & falling rain. Also the sounds of my granddaughter breathing as she sleeps on my shoulder! That one is priceless! It’s not perfect & I still have a long way to go as far as improvements but I went into this expecting to be disappointed at first & I am completely amazed at how much better I communicate already. My confidence & self esteem are quickly returning & it’s as though my old self is awakening from a long sleep! So thankful for that! I had the first mappings a few days ago & everything is so loud now that it was almost like starting over again but it settled down the next few days fairly quickly. I figure that’s just part of the process! This journey is incredible! Looking so forward to all the coming wow moments!!😁 Rick H

The job's great, I'm glad I made the move. We are moving slowly. I've been staying in the new house during the work week because it's so much closer to work, but I only have a daybed and a bedside table, a kitchen table and one chair, and my treadmill. Oh, we did put a couple of chairs in the living room this week - they won't be there permanently, we'll move them later but it's nice to have a place to sit. Oh, and the fiber optic's hooked up and I have a TV in the room with the treadmill. But it's kind of weird with Ron in the other house, and the cats and 90% of my stuff. I live out of a suitcase. But from the standpoint of getting the house ready to move into, it really makes it easier to do the work that's needed. We are replacing some appliances (so far just the microwave and the range hood, they're both kind of icky) and putting in whole-house water filtration because it's well water and smells kind of sulphury. And painting some walls because the sellers had some really weird taste in paint colors - seriously, one of the kitchen walls was this weird color sort of in between a really dark, dry Burgundy and deep bruise. It was hideous. So we're painting and fixing odd things that we find, and one room we're going to put cedar plank wall in there and have a sort of cabin-y effect, I have some old wood XC skis and a pair of snowshoes and a set of canoe paddles that we'll put on the walls. Lots of work, but better to do it now before we put all our stuff in. BOOKSHELVES, we need to build a lot of bookshelves. Luckily my husband has serious handyman skills. 🙂 As for the town - it's nice, not too small, we have a home-improvement store and a good supermarket and a Target. Not too many choices of restaurants, but we'll be going into the city periodically for Costco runs and CI appointments and dental appointments and so forth because we want to keep all our healthcare providers, so we'll eat Thai and Middle Eastern and what not when we do that. We're loving the quiet and being out in the country.

You have both covered it very well, @Mary Beth and @Joan! One day this week a woman in the supermarket asked me about my CIs. Her audiologist is suggesting that she will soon be a candidate and she's nervous. I told her that it's not like hearing aids, it takes commitment and application. But that more than anything else I can recall, my CIs have given me my life back. It really can't be understated. My thanks to Med-El for that. I'm loving this.

I am so happy I found this forum and found out about the Artone. I use it often at work. In the past week I have held several calls over the computer with people overseas. I make out about 98% of what is said when I use the Artone! I love it!

Hi guys I was just swithed on today.Sounds are very very wierd.I can't understand 70% sound.Small sounds are very disturbing and speech are also like robot voice.Very wierd.What was your experience then???Speech voices are very funny (I am implanted in one ear only)

@Mary BethThanks for all these thoughts, Mary Beth! Yes, the Roger 21 that works on his RIGHT CI side fails to work when moved to the LEFT CI side. We completely replaced every component of the LEFT CI, including new speech processor. This morning, we just tried using the RECHARGEABLE battery on the LEFT CI and we were instantly able to connect the Roger Pen to the Roger 21 receiver on his LEFT implant. A mom in Colorado had encountered the same issue. After months of replacing the Roger 21 receivers, and then systematically changing out all component parts on the LEFT CI, it never occurred to me to that the disposable batteries were the problem. Just speculating, but I wonder if some CI maps combined with the Roger DM require greater power input than the Sonnet's 2-battery disposable batteries are able to provide? I will share this with our educational audiologist so she can go back to Phonak as they had no ideas for us on how to remedy our issue. This could be an issue for other kids whose maps are very different between one CI and their contralateral CI. Thanks again for your support! Suzanne

Hi @Valentin, thanks for tagging us As already mentioned, even though MED-EL devices have several integrated safety features, there is a small risk that ESD might harm the audio processor / implant. But in most cases wearing a wool hat or cotton cap does not cause any ESD. Kind regards, Barbara

@Rick H Rick - thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement. Great advice on getting a Rondo and waiting for the Sonnet2. I have to wear safety glasses also, so that plays a factor. It is encouraging to hear the positive feedback! Thanks again!!! Mary

@MaryGP Hi Mary thats awesome that they are a 2 processor center! I don’t think you can go wrong with what ever you decide as far as 2 Sonnets or Rondo2/Sonnet2. The important thing is having a back up processor. I’m still waiting for my Sonnet2 so All I have right now is my Rondo2 but I have to say I’m loving it! The sound quality is great & I like that it charges overnight & lasts all day. It’s so small & discreet & at times I don’t even know I have it on. Also we wear safety glasses at work & it’s nice not having anything on my ear. All in all the Rondo2 is a great processor & though I don’t have any experience with the Sonnet2 yet it’s supposed to be even better! I was nervous before my surgery too, that’s pretty normal but don’t worry, you will do great! Not that I have had a ton of surgeries but I’ve had a few & this one was by far the easiest one with greatest benefit!! I’ve been activated for about one month now & I’m so impressed by how well the implant is working out. I expected everything to be so different but it’s not really. I could understand speech right away, & within 2 minutes could differentiate between my wife & audiologists voices & I was able to tell what songs were playing on the radio on the way home, though that was more difficult. I turned the closed captioning off on the TV right away & was surprised that I could watch TV the next day & hear perfectly what they were saying. I’ve had so many Wow moments in one month 😁!! The big one was actually being able join in the conversations at Thanksgiving with the relatives! My coworkers & family members say I’m like a different person! Yesterday me & my wife watched the movie Bohemian Rapsody & I was just amazed at how well the music was coming acrossed. It was about a 8 out of 10 as far as how it used to sound! I couldn’t help but think how much I love this Medel implant & how I should’ve done this years ago! I’ve only had 2 mappings & I still have a long way to go but what a journey so far! so its normal to be nervous, but get excited Mary because this is going to give you back your life!! It’s that life changing! I can’t wait to hear how well you do! I’m praying for you, so best of luck to you & keep us posted! Rick H

(english version below).. Hola @EVA MARIA CANTERO MATEOS Soy usuario de Rondo (el procesador anterior a Rondo 2) y he llevado gorro sin inconveniente. Lo que evito es ponerme o quitarme un sueter por ejemplo que es cuando se genera una electricidad estática mayor. Si haces la prueba, cuando te quitas una de esas prendas en la oscuridad, se observa un destello que no es otra cosa sino la electricidad estática que se genera. Esta podría dañar el procesador. Un gorro de lana no genera tanta "energía", pero al usar Rondo has de tener cuidado tanto al ponerlo como al quitarlo, porque si no se hace con cuidado, este saldrá despedido. Si se golpea con el suelo por ejemplo, se podría romper. La electricidad estática es un problema para los dispositivos eléctricos, pero no creo que un gorro dañe a Rondo. Por favor si estoy equivocado, que @MED-EL Moderator me corrija -------------- Hi Eva María I am a user of Rondo (previous version of Rondo 2) and I have worn a hat without inconvenience. What I avoid is putting on or taking off a sweater for example, which is when higher static electricity is generated. If you do the test, when you take off one of those garments in the dark, you see a flash (the static electricity that is generated). This may damage the processor. A wool cap does not generate as much "energy", but when using the processor you have to be careful both when putting it and removing it, because if it is not done carefully, it will be fired. If you hit the ground for example, it could break. Static electricity is a problem for electrical devices, but I don't think a cap will harm Rondo. Please, If it is wrong, @MED-EL Moderator, correct me.

The wonderful sounds of life returned through my Med-El CIs. The genuine care and support the Med-El team provides to each recipient. The Med-El research and development that is always searching for ways for us to hear the best we can. The Med-El friendships made with employees and other recipients all over the world. This HearPeers forum where we can celebrate our successes, support each other and ask Med-El direct questions. What are you thankful to Med-El for this November? @MED-EL Moderator

@Mary Beththank you so much ☺️

Thank You Have a great Thanksgivin

YES the handsome guy in the white sweatshirt 😇🤷‍♂️

The Artone TVB is a truly amazing piece of technology! Such incredible, clear sound from such a small (2.25”x2.25”), very lightweight and inexpensive device. I live in an apartment and there is absolutely no change in the sound quality no matter where I am within my apartment, including outside on my deck. In a word....wow!! Thank you so very much @Mary Beth for making me aware of this amazing device and helping me test it!

Hi @Jewel! We had planned all along to take this winter to try to get the new house ready for us to move in. Once that's largely complete then Ron can complete some project and do a buff and shine of the old house before we sell it. I'm not having to deal with contractors - my husband is doing almost all of the work, the only thing we're hiring contractors for is to build an outbuilding at the new place. Ron has it all designed so as soon as it's warm enough to build in the spring we'll have it built. I wouldn't say that I'm more independent with my CIs - I always was, I'm stubborn that way. But I'm far more *successfully* independent. I can hear my flight announced, I can chat with the checkout person at the supermarket. When we're at the home improvement place I can talk to the people helping us. Week before last I went to the water treatment company and talked to a guy there about the best filtration systems to install at the house. I am contrary enough that I used to always TRY to do these things. Now I do them.

Sounds lovely @Mary Featherston. Hopefully before too long you will all be under one roof again.

Last night I got my hair cut at a new place....part of the process of moving to another town. I explained to the woman who was going to cut my hair about my CIs and how I wanted my hair cut, and in the process knocked the magnet off my implant. She put it back on and I said, "hey, you got the magnet on the first try!" and we laughed. I figure the more comfortable she is around my CIs the better off we'll be.

@Mary Featherston I live in a senior community that has over 425 residents and I am the only one with CIs! Lots and lots of hearing aids around here though! Just this week, I was contacted by another resident who was recently told by her ENT she needed to consider CIs. She really didn’t even understand exactly what they are and, like the lady you met, was very nervous. My comments to her were identical to yours...it takes serious commitment but the rewards cannot be understated. I’m loving this journey too...with many thanks to Med-El!😊

I’m so very thankful for all the same reasons @Mary Beth listed, plus..... How much my bilateral hearing has improved the quality of my life That my age (72 when implanted) was not a deterrent to receiving my implants That, at the time of my implants (both in 2014), Med-El’s implant was the only one FDA approved for MRIs (which are an ongoing medical necessity for me) That my implants coincided with a grandchild’s first birthday and I’ve always been able to understand conversations with her since her first words...something I was unable to do with two older grandchildren I offer very grateful thanks to Med-El for my new hearing, my new friends...for bringing my life to life!😊

Hi @EVA MARIA CANTERO MATEOS, thanks for your question. And @Mary Beth thanks for tagging us. In general, all electronic devices are influences by electrostatic discharge (ESD). The MED-EL implants and audio processors have several internal safety features integrated to reduced ESD, but there still is a small risk, that the audio processor or implant can be harmed when static discharge flows through. In case of an ESD event, you might experience a short interruption of stimulation or a shutdown of the audio processor. In the user manual of your RONDO 2 you can find a list of tips to prevent ESD in your daily life. In general regarding clothes, it is that cotton or natural fibers are less likely to cause ESD problems. Also fabric softeners might help to reduce static electricity. We recommend to put your RONDO 2 on last, when getting dressed. And remove it, when getting undressed. Kind regards, Barbara

@@Jessdunn1 I had false dead battery alerts in my Sonnets. Turns out it was when using only a specific battery brand. When I returned to Power One Implant Plus batteries that stopped. Others have reported constant false dead battery beeps (which are loud and annoying) when using rechargeable batteries with Sonnets. As far as I know everyone solved the issue by ..... -switching to Power One Implant batteries -replacing BOTH the disposable battery pack AND the battery cover -replacing the rechargeable battery adapter -replacing the rechargeable batteries If the problem remained, I would ask to replace the control unit (processor). If it still occurred, I would discuss turning off the low battery beep alert. I hope this helps and you find a solution soon. That must be so annoying! Keep us updated. Wishing Chloe the very best!

@Lori Martin congratulations! Rest easy. The fun begins at activation!

Hearpeers I made it through the first step. Surgery was three hours. I am home resting and will have to take it easy for at least a month. Next is activation on December 9th. Then more follow ups. December, January, March Hopefully I am done after that. Thank you all for being here on this forum. Lori

The working voltage is regarding the separate power supply input that goes to the volume control amplifier. This does not directly feed into the audiolink and is not intended to power the AudioLink. The only thing that goes into the AudioLink from that volume control amplifier is the stereo plug.

This is similar to the receiver that I have: https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Simultaneously/dp/B01EHSX28M/ iPad/iPhone/other Bluetooth transmitter paired/connects to the Bluetooth receiver Bluetooth receiver is connected to the 2.5mm AudioLink input jack via 3.5mm to 2.5mm cable It has its own rechargeable battery and is relatively compact.

I reached out to @MED-EL Moderator for some guidance as now that children in the US with single sided deafness can receive Med-El CIs via recent FDA approval, we are starting to see these young SSD children with unilateral CIs in school. These two suggested apps are terrific for any child with CI (unilateral or bilateral)! Thanks for your guidance Med-El !

Hi @Mary Beth, thanks for tagging us @Marcy: Welcome to HearPeers and congratulations on your CI! Yes, GripWear can be used with RONDO 2, you can find all fixation options for RONDO and RONDO 2 on our website: https://www.medel.com/hearing-solutions/accessories/fixations Your local MED-EL team can also assist you with finding the right fixation option for you. Best regards, Verena

Hi all to hearpeers I don't know but getting nervous for I head to Boston tomorrow for cochlear implant surgery on Tuesday @ 7:00 am. Holly Molly!! I am trying so hard to be excited but the anxiousness is so taking over. Keeping the faith Ms. Lori

I think it's important to point out, which Mary Beth did in a nice way, that it's not valid to extrapolate from a single data point. I'm sorry that Paul is having trouble hearing music and discerning pitch, but the conclusion that that will be the universal experience just isn't so. I can tell when I'm out of tune.

@Mary Beth Thanks for suggesting such a great power pack! Especially after my recent experience with multiple power outages within a three week period, I strongly recommend every Rondo2 user have a backup non-electrical power source for charging their processors. This power pack definitely meets that need!

@Marcy @MED-EL Moderator This morning I could not find this and was perplexed because GripWear is not listed in the Med-El US shop as a Rondo 2 accessory. But now I found where I saw GripWear works with Rondo 2.

@Marcy Another thought.... Med-El says we can help line up the internal rotating magnet (which makes it hold better) by .... put Rondo 2 on your head rotate it to 2:00 position, then back to 10:00 position, then return to 12:00 position I do this with my Synchrony side when needed too. It makes a difference for me.

@Marcy welcome to HP I am bilateral had my first implant 2016 and second 2018 I have the (2) Sonnet and(1)-Rondo at first I did have the same problem with Rondo 2 falling off a lot had to do with internal swelling try just sliding the Rondo on your head instead of just placing it and try to part as much hair as possible. Dont get discourage it will all come together Keep in touch

@Joan: Hi Joan, that's great news! Wonderful to hear that your issue was solved Best regards, Verena

@Mary Beth yes im hoping that the echo will go away as time goes on & with further mappings! It sounds like numerous people have experienced it so it think it’s just part of the process! thanks & I’ll keep you posted Rick H

@Jewel thanks jewel Yes I've got the same electrode, flex 28, so far I am loving this ! I can’t wait to hear the Sonnet2 & try out the new audiolink even though I am loving my Rondo2 so far! The first few days was a little tough as the magnet wasn’t strong enough & it kept falling off, but Medel sent me a #4 magnet right away no problem since! Great service! Music is coming across great too ! I can recognize songs on the radio as they play & my guitar sounds great! Heck I might even learn to play it! Lol thanks for your comments Rick H

Hi @Rick H Congratulations! Great that you're making rapid progress. I'm curious as to how you and @Tommy Cwill find the Sonnet 2. I prefer the Rondo2 to the Sonnet but I don't know how it stacks up against Sonnet 2. Many more wow moments ahead for you. I never had an echo problem. Hopefully your next mapping isn't far away. Which electrode did you get? I have Flex 28.

Congratulations Rick, I was activated on September 11, 2019. Your story sounds almost identical to mine. I had prepared myself for three to six months of very little understanding of speech, but I was understanding the audiologists before the activation session was over. I have had two new mapping sessions since activation and it just gets better each time. I did have trouble with the TV but that is all ok now. I too have the Rondo 2 and awaiting the new Sonnet 2. My implant is on my left side also with my old hearing aid on the right side. The Implant sounds so good that some days I never put the hearing aid on. I can tell that you are excited and I understand that because I am too. It is truly amazing, I feel so blessed and to think that I almost backed out of having it done. Please keep posting, I love hearing these success stories. Oh, by the way, I am a 79 year old male.

@Mary Beth It certainly was a quick fix! I’m a happy camper!😊

@Mary Beth @MED-EL Moderator Regarding the “ticking” issue in the t-coil which I experienced during the recent activation of my Rondo2s (see my earlier posting in this topic), I’m very pleased that the issue was addressed and successfully resolved very promptly by Med-El and my audiologist. Although I do not know the technical aspects of either the problem or the “fix”, my audiologist has applied the fix to my processors and the ticking is now gone. To any other Rondo2 user who may be experiencing a similar issue with the t-coil, I suggest you contact your audiologist to have the fix applied to your processor(s).

Can not believe I had my one year checkup. Very little change to 6 month mapping. I have discovered a whole world. Rarely use Rogers pen now but love Atone 3 for streaming. Looking fed to meeting everyone October 2020

@treesrd1896 Medicare supplement plans can vary as to their coverage. Just be certain your clinic accepts Medicare. Best of luck!

Oh yes @Mary Beth. One of the best decisions I've made in my entire life! I have no regrets whatsoever although I am much deafer now since the surgery but once my processor is on I usually forget I'm deaf. In fact I was watching TV one night and all of a sudden I couldn't hear a thing! I checked the remote to see if the TV was on mute. It took me a while to realise that my battery for my processor had died! Lol! I guess I'm so used to tuning out the dead battery beeps.

@Mary Beth I wore the Sonnet. A coworker asked if I needed someone to sit in on the calls and I confidently said I could handle them by myself. 😊

@iHM24 @Mary Beth No question...I love mine!

Hi Marybeth Thank you so much for your assistance. Lori

This is a great idea @Mary Beth!! I’m definitely going to look into this. My apartment came with a talking smoke alarm but I brought another smoke alarm with a strobe. If anyone ever knocks on my door while I’m sleeping, this might work! I have a door bell that flashes but...ya know most people don’t push it, they knock 👎 Thanks for sharing 😁

@VirginiaMomof2, @Megan L. is in NYC now

@MaryGP hi Mary Good luck on your upcoming decision. Sounds like you can’t go wrong with either one they both have some excellent pros. I know the feeling for travel, my center is about an hours drive but with rush hour traffic I always have to add an hour for safe measure for my appointments. But for me it’s worth it to go where I’m going to get the best outcome from my CI & the best care. One more thing you may want to consider when checking the places out I’ve heard that some centers are single processor centers & others are 2 processor centers meaning they can get you approved for 2 processors. Wether that would be Sonnet2/Rondo2 or Sonnet2/Sonnet2, processors are expensive & having a back up if something happens to one is a major plus! If one of them is a single & the other is a two, it could be the decision maker! Just a thought! Mine luckily was a 2 processor center. Check them out but I’m sure you’ll be great no matter what! My surgery was about 10 days ago & it was a cake walk! One of the best surgeries I’ve had, still waiting for activation. I’m just starting my journey but so far it has been great & I know the best is yet to come! Technology is a wonderful thing! You’ll do great!! Best of luck to you & take care! Rick H