Favorite labels for organizing the gear!

[Tim]

While it isn't strictly rehab, this seems like the best place for a discussion of "dealing with all the gear".

Like every new user, I feel like I'm swimming in boxes and gear. 

I finally decided to pull out the label maker to help get myself a little more organized.

Here is my "work area" for my CIs.  I have a food tray to keep things from sliding off and to keep it from taking over the whole credenza.

I know these things probably get to be second nature for the veterans but as a new user, I wish there was more information.  Even a sheet of stickers in various languages.

1. Charger:  "Tilt in and Brown Bar" - I put a label on the battery charger to remind myself which way to tilt it in and to have the brown bar facing.  It is hard to read since that is angled away.
2. UV Dryer:  "No Rondo or Batteries" - I put a label on my UV dryer to remind me to not put my Rondo 3 or batteries in it.  (This is a smaller dryer from my bone conduction implant days but it seems similar.)
3. Air Charge: "Place Upside Down/Orange means charging/light off when done" - I put a label on the Air Charge to remind me that Rondo 3 goes on upside down and to watch for the orange charging light.
4. Small Case:  "CI Tools" - not pictured but I'm using one of the small cases for all the little tools like the Rondo magnet remover, brush, and screwdriver like device for Sonnet covers.  (Essentially adding the Rondo tool to the Sonnet 2 Daily care case.)

Am I missing anything?  Do others have better ideals for how to label things or tips to remind themselves of? 

Feel free to show off how you have things organized.  Personally I'm hoping to avoid descending into the "junk drawer" approach. 

 

[Mary Beth]

@Tim

There is a lot to learn at first but very soon it will just be second nature to you.

That’s a new dry kit.  Since my first activation 8 years ago, Med-El has used 4 different dry kits.

This new one seems to have a very short cycle which is great.  Does it seem like two Sonnets could fit inside together?

[Tim]

@Mary Beth I haven't used this UV dryer on myCI equipment yet.  It is what I had with my bone conduction device from Oticon 6.5 years ago and I used it occasionally then.  (Maybe once a month when I was actively using the device. 

I haven't unboxed my dryer from Med-El.  Based on the box, it seems like would be MUCH bigger.  I'm trying to keep the gear from sprawling all over.

I don't know if it would fit 2 Sonnets but then I only have one so it seems like a perfect size for me.  I'll take a look at how my sonnet fits in when I get home from work to see if it would fit two. 

As for labels, yes I know it will eventually be second nature but also I'm often doing stuff with gear in the morning before coffee or at night when half asleep so I don't trust myself to not be forgetful.  I already forgot to bring in my AudioLink to work today.  (Don't really need it in the office at this stage.)  At some point I might end up buying an ArTone to keep at the office but that's a whole different topic and the last thing I want right now is another CI related device.  Although if it worked with a Rondo 3 without requiring a dongle and there was no risk of the telecoil clicking problem (defect) needing a workaround - I probably would have already ordered it.

 

 

[Mary Beth]

@Tim

It is overwhelming at first for most of us.  So much new tech.  So many new sounds 

How are things sounding to you today?

[Tim]

@Mary Beth Everything is getting better slowly.  It feels like very small improvements every day.  I was hoping for more of a "WOW" moment after my first followup yesterday but my Audi just adjusted loudness settings on each electrode to be "comfortable" and then compared electrodes for "similar volume while trying to ignore difference in frequency." No booth testing or words, she said we'll do that in the meeting (one month post activation). She compared the programming at activation and the followup and said it really is just in essence increasing volume and not much in the way of significant differences by electrode.  The result is words and other things still sounded pretty similar.

Day by day, slow improvements. 

Feels like every day I find another little trick or idea.  Whether it was @Lauren mentioning Qi charging for the Rondo, your suggestion for Word Success (renamed AB Clix), or just things I stumbled across as an engineer and tech geek. I'm going to compile a current list.  Today's discovery is that using noise cancelling headphones can be a lot easier than straight streaming to the Rondo. 

I'm trying to do 3 hours of dedicated practice every day (apps, ebooks via text to speech, etc) , even if it comes after a long day at work. Do I risk over doing it?

I'm looking forward to my wife coming out out of Covid isolation so I can have a partner for practicing words.  It has been 8 days since activation and she still has not even seen my processors!  Long story but I'm glad not to have not caught Covid again myself which would have made my recovery more complicated!

 

[Mary Beth]

@Tim

Sorry your wife has COVID.  I hope she feels back to normal soon.

 

Aural rehab is training our brains.  Our brains learn best with repeated success when we are not tired.  So it is not really the number of aural rehab hours put in that determines progress.  I recommend spreading out the actual aural rehab activities throughout the day.  For me doing some aural rehab in the morning before work, more at my lunch break and more in the evening was effective.

Trust your instincts.  You know how your brain learns best. And remember- all day we are actually doing aural rehab whenever we connect a sound to its meaning.
 

 

[mattpobrien4]

It's understandable that you want to keep your hearing gear organized and in good condition. The UV dryer that you mentioned may be useful for maintaining the hygiene of your hearing devices, and it's great that you're being proactive in ensuring the longevity of your equipment.

[Kylie]

This is great Tim! I especially like the labels for which way to tilt the batteries!!! That's so annoying to get wrong but eventually becomes a habit. Now even my kids are good at it. I use more disposable batteries now, but last year when I used rechargeable ones again for a while, I could just send them to swap it for a charged one, so they became pros at the tilt too

[Dianna]

Kylie that is so awesome your kids are involved, lol. When my rechargables beep i run upstairs and switch. My sis looks at me like im a weirdo.

Im back to disposables for the ease of all day no beeps, lol. Saving for max!! When my sis was in hospital i had to sometimes let ci go and rely on ha cuz i was not prepared. My purse kit always has spare disposable batteries but i didnt have the tray!

 

Yes, its easy to charge and carry little battery pack in pocket, but i lose that exercise of running upstairs, at my age running up the stairs 10 times a day in winter is my daily!