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Greetings! Any former musicians?


Marjorie Monroe-Fischer

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Hello!  I am Marjorie Monroe-Fischer, and a complete newbie!  I was implanted 11 days ago, and get ‘turned on’ next Tuesday.  I am anxious about how quickly I will be able to understand speech, and how well I will be able to hear music. I have been a professional musician my whole life until losing my hearing 4 years ago. I have a doctorate in conducting - my hearing was exceptional. Were any of you musicians before hearing loss?  I would love to chat with you!!  Actually, I would love to chat with anyone who has gone through this recently enough to remember their beginning with a CI. 

Thanks, 

Marjorie

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Hi @Marjorie Monroe-Fischer and welcome!  Congratulations on your implant and wishing you the best at activation and in the following months as so much changes so quickly at first.

I played several instruments for many years before giving up the piano due to my hearing loss progression many years ago.  I was implanted sequentially in 2015.  Best decisions ever!

My right CI began enjoying music at about the 3-4 month point.  Prior to that I listened to music and just enjoyed the parts that were perceived.  At first percussion, then high frequency instruments, etc.  My left CI enjoyed music even before speech.  So each CI journey differs even for the same person.

Pitch perception improved over time and training.  (Check out the aural rehab topic for speech and music training apps and suggestions.  We have a lot of great info there.)

I love music, both familiar and new and the Grammy 2016 album will remain dear to my heart as it was the first music I learned the lyrics to just by listening in many many decades.

I returned to playing the piano in mid 2016 and it is so cool to play music again.  Waking up with songs in my head has been amazing.

There is a FB group for musicians with hearing loss.  People with CIs, HAs, one of each, etc.  There are professional musicians in that group.

With my CIs, I have enjoyed music in many ways.....Broadway shows, concerts in small theaters and in huge arenas, car radio, BOSE speaker at home, playing the piano, etc.

My CIs have returned music to my life and it has been wonderful.

I did not expect music to sound correct at first, just like speech didn’t sound correct at first so I was not discouraged by the journey music appreciation had to take.  I just kept actively listening, training and trusting that my brain would sort it out in time.

I hope your journey is as rewarding.

Are you getting a Sonnet, Sonnet EAS or Rondo?

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Hi @Mary Beth!  What a treat to read your response!  You have definitely made my day!!!  I am not banking on being able to return to conducting, but even hearing the music will be such a blessing.  Perhaps I will be able to return to playing the piano & organ and singing. What a treat!  I know it will be a lot of work, but I am used to that, and with such a goal, it will be much more satisfying. 

Right now, if I hear a piece that I know well, orchestral or pop, my brain fills in the blanks. But hearing something that I do not know is just a pile of noise. And choral music, my specialty, is impossible. 

Thank you so very much for replying!  

Cheers!

Marjorie

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@Marjorie Monroe-Fischer

Super!  That is exactly the mindset that is helpful!

 

I have realized that I have been singing the wrong lyrics to many songs for years without realizing it!  

 

 

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On 2/23/2018 at 5:55 PM, Mary Beth said:

@Marjorie Monroe-Fischer

Super!  That is exactly the mindset that is helpful!

 

I have realized that I have been singing the wrong lyrics to many songs for years without realizing it!  

 

Al Yankovitch (sp?) wrote an album of songs of misheard lyrics. Hilarious!

We all do it!

 

 

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On 2/23/2018 at 2:35 PM, Marjorie Monroe-Fischer said:

Hello!  I am Marjorie Monroe-Fischer, and a complete newbie!  I was implanted 11 days ago, and get ‘turned on’ next Tuesday.  I am anxious about how quickly I will be able to understand speech, and how well I will be able to hear music. I have been a professional musician my whole life until losing my hearing 4 years ago. I have a doctorate in conducting - my hearing was exceptional. Were any of you musicians before hearing loss?  I would love to chat with you!!  Actually, I would love to chat with anyone who has gone through this recently enough to remember their beginning with a CI. 

Thanks, 

Marjorie

Welcome To HP!!

And welcome to MedEl world. There is so much to learn and experience - you have an incredible journey ahead.

Everyone progresses at various levels and each path is unique. 

I was a student musician in my teens and got away from it as i attended college, marriage, parenthood... I always missed playing Bass Guitar. As a later adult my hearing faded away, I wore hearing aids while my hearing loss progressed until I needed CIs. I was first implanted in 2016 and at first began hearing very bass tones from the car radio. I now play Bass Guitar again and love it. I attended a jazz camp last July 2017 and going again this year!!

I love Rock, Blues and Jazz. I am much more into theory now, too, as I got into Jazz

I was implanted on my left in 2017  and have had difficulties , 2 surgeries, (another story ) I am scheduled for 3rd re-implantaion in a few weeks, March 13.  looking forward to moving forward and Jazz Camp and becoming a better musician and enjoying music. I also hope that this correction will help me to improve verbal communications with others. That is the real struggle for me. But my HearPeer friends are always here to "lend an ear" and provide great guidance. I hope I can do so too.

Anticipation? Absolutely!

Anxiety? eh

Open Minded? Always.

Enjoy your CI journey and visit us often here at HP. 

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On 2018-02-23 at 5:55 PM, Mary Beth said:

@Marjorie Monroe-Fischer

Super!  That is exactly the mindset that is helpful!

 

I have realized that I have been singing the wrong lyrics to many songs for years without realizing it!  

 

 

Yes me too! I love my sonnet I have had it for two years. Music sounds amazing again and I can hear the concert of the wild! Birds etc. 

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You have been so encouraging!!!  I cannot thank you enough. Until four years ago my whole life had been music, both professional  and for fun.  When I couldn’t hear all of the various parts I started a nose dive. It started when I could not tell which pedal I was playing on the organ. Then I lost male singers and lower orchestral instruments. When I attended a concert of an orchestra that one of my best friends was the leader (concertmaster), and the whole concert was just noise, I pretty much hit rock bottom. I knew that I needed another artistic outlet, so I threw myself completely into my side interest, calligraphy. 

 

Thanks to being in in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) which provided me with lots of opportunities to practice, and my brilliant teacher, with whom I spend 10 days once a year, my work has improved dramatically. Both the SCA and my teacher, Sheila Waters, have really saved me. And I am very certain that God had a very big hand in that!

 

Tomorrow is is the big day - I get my processor. How well will I hear right away?  Who knows. But I am prepared to do lots of work - my audiologist’s exercises, listening to books while reading the hard copy, and the same for music. I am excited for the future!

 

Thank you again!!!

Marjorie

aka

Dr. Marjorie Monroe-Fischer, DA, MM, BM, LTCL

and

Lady Anne Elizabeth Morley 

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Hi @Kara of Canada, it is amazing!  It was activated at about 4:30 pm on Tuesday. At that point I heard a hum instead of each word. The next morning I still heard the hum, but I could pick out most words as well.  By now, 48 hours later, I can understand people in the same room at a normal speed of speech, with no more hum!  I have already bumped the program to three (she set 4). The television is still difficult to understand, but it gets easier all of the time. A few people’s voices sound basically normal, but most are higher in pitch and a bit mechanical. All in all, I am thrilled!

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That is great improvement!

congratulations on a successful start to you journey!

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