February 2023 HearPeers GoogleMeet hosted by Mary Beth for Med-El CI users, families and those considering Med-El CIs

[Mary Beth]

The February 2023 HearPeers GoogleMeet hosted by Mary Beth will be on:

Sunday February 26 at 9:15 am New York time.  The meeting opens around 9:00 am New York time for chatting.

All Med-El CI users, families and those considering a Med-El CI are welcome.

Invites are sent a few moments before the meeting opens to those who reply below.

GoogleMeet has free automatic captions.

Tagging those who have recently attended.  First timers are always welcome.  Smile

If you wish to receive an invite, please respond below.

@Mary Beth  

@Joan  

@Kylie  

@Hila  

@Mary Jo Strickland  

@Lauren  

@Dave in Pittsburgh  

@Kirk S.  

@Dianna  

@Ralph34  

@Bill C  

@Tim  

@Andrew42  

@Gerda  

@Jared Charney  

@Roy  

@JoceSky

@Jimit  

 

 

 

 

[Joan]

Count me in!😊☕️

[Dianna]

Me toooo!

[Andrew42]

Thank you. On the calendar.

[Lauren]

Sign me up 

[Dave in Pittsburgh]

I’ll attend ☕️🍩

[Anne N]

Do you have one that is a bit better timewise for the west coast? 9 am new york is very early in california

[Mary Beth]

It is early in California and even earlier in Alaska for Lauren but it is late in Japan and Australia for Kirk and Kylie.  It is a compromise that has been working well for our group for 3 years.  So I will stay with that day and time for the monthly group I host.

I have encouraged other HP members to host their own monthly GoggleMeets at times that are more convenient for them but so far no one has done that.  There are HP members who want to join a monthly chat but need a different day/time.

@Anne N

[Anne N]

OK thanks for the response. I would host one but don't know how to do this. Not extremely computer literate but would love to join one if anyone does start one.

 

[Tim]

I'll be there and already put it on my calendar.  January's meeting was only my second but it was very helpful and nice to see what are becoming familiar faces.

@Anne N I asked the same question early on and realized it made perfect sense to keep it as is.  With people from around the world, there is no perfect time and even the issue of picking a time can be frustrating. I do a doodle poll every quarter for my research group and it is painful to arrive at a decision (and I only have about 20 people and 4 time zones represented!) 

Mary Beth has a group that has been doing it consistently creating a great community - no need to change things.  That is a tremendous asset to Med-El users.  I'm willing to set my 5:45 AM alarm one Sunday a month.  If this time works well for Mary Beth, I'm happy to adjust to accommodate that as a small token of appreciation for all the help she gives us.

As for an additional meeting, I use Zoom pretty often at the university, serving as host or co-host for around 20 zoom meetings a week so I could host a small monthly meeting.  Perhaps centered around relatively new users (but of course welcoming all the experienced people.)

By the way - very nice job @Mary Beth facilitating the meetings. As someone who hosts a lot of online meetings, I'm really impressed with how well you do it. You have great patience with us new users and in running the meetings! Little things like unique meeting IDs for security and prevent accidental problems, doing a friendly microphone check, private emails for introductions in advance, and monitoring the chat are all things that probably took learning the hard way. I like your coffee mug ("You are Muted") and should end up looking for a similar one. 

I sure hope Med-El treats you well, the difference between the HearPeers community and AB's HearingJourney community is tremendous and was a factor in my device selection.  AB's site just doesn't have much of a sense of community.  Even worse is Cochlear's that I joined in 2015 also and then they effectively shut down and created a new one for Cochlear branded people only blocking the "Considering CI or Selecting Device people entirely.

I'm still shocked by your number of posts - 12,700.  We joined in the same year of 2015 but then I had my involuntary bone conduction detour for seven years before rejoining the CI journey. Of course it isn't the number but the quality. An average of around 4.3 posts a day since 2015 but they aren't just a curt response of "ask your audi", "read the (friendly?) manual", "answered many times before-use the search tool" but usually it is a thoughtful response, often linking elsewhere for more information, and connecting other people associated with it.

If I post a question - sometimes I end up kicking myself realizing that I just wasn't able to find it in the forum search too!  Thanks for not giving me a kick for not doing that! 

Have a great rest of the weekend everyone.

Tim

 

[Mary Beth]

Thanks for your kind words @Tim

The success of our monthly HearPeers GoogleMeets is due to the friendly and helpful nature of those that join in.  @Kylieand I are the remaining original GoogleMeet founders but several of the participants have been joining in regularly for a very long time.  It’s a great group and a fun way for me to pay it forward.

We usually have first time participants every month.  So far 50 HP members from 12 countries have participated.

It is a great extension of this forum and something I look forward to each month.

I’m glad you found us and joined in. It will be so much fun following your journey on the forum and in the GoogleMeet chats.

[Kylie]

Yes I'm in!

[Teddy]

MB...please add me to the list of invitees for the February 26 Meetup. Thanks.

Theo

[Mary Beth]

Hi @Theo

It will be great to have you join in.  In a moment check the top right menu for the envelope icon.  I will send you a private HP mail message to get your email address for the invite.  Invites are sent around 9:00 NY time on meeting day.

[Jimit]

I am hoping to attend this one.  

[Jared Charney]

If I'm not in NYC I will def. be joining!

[Mary Beth]

Update 

The February 2023 HearPeers GoogleMeet hosted by Mary Beth will be on:

Sunday February 26 at 9:15 am New York time.  The meeting opens around 9:00 am New York time for chatting.

All Med-El CI users, families and those considering a Med-El CI are welcome.

Invites are sent a few moments before the meeting opens to those who reply below.

GoogleMeet has free automatic captions.

 

So far invites will be sent to the following members.  No need to reply, you are on the list.

@Mary Beth  

@Joan  

@Dianna  

@Andrew42  

@Lauren  

@Dave in Pittsburgh  

@Tim  

@Kylie  

@Theo  FIRST TIME

@Jimit  

@Jared Charney  

 

If anyone else wishes to attend, just reply below.  First timers are always welcome.

[Mary Beth]

Checking to see if these members wish to receive an invite

@Hila  

@Mary Jo Strickland  

@Kirk S.  

@Ralph34  

@Bill C  

@Gerda  

@Roy  

@JoceSky

 

 

[Ralph34]

Mary Beth put me down I think I can make it.

[Robbin J]

Sure, I'd be interested in attending 🙂

[Roy]

I'm free that morning, so yes, please. 

[Mary Beth]

@Robbin J

Terrific

In a moment check HP mail (top right menu, envelope icon).  I will send you a private message to get your email address for the invite which is sent a few moments before the chat opens at 9:00 am NY time.

[Gerda]

Hi Mary Beth

i would love to be there but we are going on a trip leaving 8:30 from Pearson for South America 

so sadly I have to miss it...

but hopefully the next one.

I would also appreciate if anyone has tips for me for 2 long flights?

Gerda

[Mary Beth]

@Gerda

Sounds like a fabulous trip!!!

On long flights I just make sure to have extra batteries with me just in case.  I use my Sonnets with BOSE QC35 around the ear headphones.  They have a cord that can be plugged into the airplane entertainment system.

Keep all of your CI supplies with you in your backpack that never leaves your side.  Enjoy.

[Mary Jo Strickland]

I’m putting it in my calendar and hope to have an update to my ongoing adventure with the upgrade to my CI…

Mary Jo