HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted September 22, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted September 22, 2018 We have many bilateral CI users in HearPeers and several new:soon to be bilateral CI users. I thought it may be fun to post about bilateral WOW moments. This way others considering a second CI, can read what we experience as bilateral users. At this time, bilateral CIs are not funded for adults in all countries. Hopefully that will change. Jewel and Hila 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted September 22, 2018 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted September 22, 2018 Listening to music in true stereo! Locating the direction of sounds. The ease of listening Hearing better in noise No longer having to seat myself so my good ear is positioned best. Keeping up with fast paced bantering during large family game nights Hearing fine both as the driver and passenger in a car Hila and Jewel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Jdashiell Posted September 22, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted September 22, 2018 1 hour ago, Mary Beth said: Listening to music in true stereo! Locating the direction of sounds. The ease of listening Hearing better in noise No longer having to seat myself so my good ear is positioned best. Keeping up with fast paced bantering during large family game nights Hearing fine both as the driver and passenger in a car I agree with you on almost all points, however I am still struggling in noisy rooms or with multiple speakers, and the telephone or cellphone unless I use a roger pen. I just had my last AuD visit after activation. 6 each month. Now I see her every 6 months for more mapping and booth testing. Being bilateral is wonderful and I am still enjoying listening and playing music. That is the best enjoyment for me! Hila and Jewel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted September 22, 2018 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted September 22, 2018 When I had one CI, I used the phone on T or MT. I read about CI users who just held the phone up to their processors and heard fine. So I tried it and it was not easy at first. I wanted to be able to just pick up any phone and hear so I practiced everyday with the Telephone With Confidence recordings and matching texts. For me, this helped and I no longer needed to switch to MT or T. There are many people who prefer to use the telephone with BT neckloops, BT headphones, DAI cable or Roger System. There is no right or wrong way to hear well on the phone. We have a lot of options and fortunately we can train phone use for free with Telephone With Confidence. Being bilateral, if it is very noisy (like at an airport), I sometimes pop off the coil on the other side while on the phone. It greatly dampens the background noise. @Jdashiell What differences do you notice playing music now that you are bilateral with a full insert? Were your original surgeries in 2016 simultaneous or sequential? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Jdashiell Posted September 22, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted September 22, 2018 Telephone With Confidence - is that an app? Ive always enjoyed listening and playing music - Ive driven my daughters crazy with my knowledge of song lyrics. Every time they say something, I say that a song lyric, and I sing that! As for playing bass guitar, with my first CI at activation the very fist sounds I heard were bass tones so as Id listen to music with out hearing other that with my brand new CI only I would try to identify the song based on just the bass. It was very tough but I was able to do so. The following year after I learned to hear with that CI, I was bimodal so I felt I heard pretty well and My CI side was sooo much better I wanted a CI to match on the HA side. The ENT agreed and I was received the first of my second (Left) CI. Because it failed to fully insert, we agreed to retry and 3 months later I received the second attempt to implant a Left CI. It also failed to fully insert into the cochlea. Frustrated with that ENT I switched to UMiami and a different ENT that I had met at at a conference on CIs. So A full year from the first attempt on the Left ear I finally received a fully implanted Left CI. And now 5 months after activation I am listening quite well bilaterally. Listening and play Bass is extremely enjoyable. So to answer your second question, Sequential. Hila and Jewel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted September 22, 2018 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted September 22, 2018 @Jdashiell I forgot your second side was a year after your first. I am so glad your new surgeon successfully inserted the medium electrode array. I have the same array on my first side. It was a complicated cochlea to deal with but fortunately that was apparent before surgery on the MRI. Telephone With Confidence is a phone number you call and follow the prompts. The text of what they are saying is available on line. There are 3 choices everyday: short list of words, short passage and long passage. It is free for anyone to use. It is a bit like listening to someone read from a science article but it does give us practice with the telephone. https://www.cochlear.com/us/communication-corner/program/adult-telephone.htm Jewel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Posted September 23, 2018 Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 After just having my second CI activated less than 48 hours ago I already love it ..just having sound back in my ear (I haven’t worn my HA in that ear since last December when testing confirmed what I thought ..I was hearing better with my first CI without the HA muddling the sound )so I already feel more balanced and I’m sure all the addded benefits will occur with time ..interesting enough I’ve had to turn down the volume in my first CI when I have both on since I no longer need it that loud with 2 ears working! Hopefully Other countries that don’t cover bilateral CI s will eventually all do this ! Jane Jewel and Mary Featherston 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted September 23, 2018 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 @Jane When our brains receive sound from both sides, we experience an effect called summation. The perceived sound is louder. Cool you are noticing this already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted September 23, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 Y'know, I'm getting more impatient by the minute. ? Countdown: 19 days to surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted September 23, 2018 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 I am excited for you @Mary Featherston! Mary Featherston 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Posted September 23, 2018 Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 @Mary Beththanks I remember reading about all this and just looked it up again ..it is really so amazing when I have either one processor on alone sound is quiet but BOOM when both are on everything wakes up This new ear has been unaided for 9 months and it had been my aided ear for the 5 ears I wore Hearing aides ( I wore the cros) so I think this ear is so happy to get sounds again?maybe that’s why the summation effect happened within such a short time (?) Jane Mary Beth and Jewel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Posted September 23, 2018 Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 @Mary FeatherstonI’m excited for you..not too much longer to wait ? Jane Mary Featherston 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted September 23, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 On 9/22/2018 at 1:06 PM, Mary Beth said: @Jdashiell I forgot your second side was a year after your first. I am so glad your new surgeon successfully inserted the medium electrode array. I have the same array on my first side. It was a complicated cochlea to deal with but fortunately that was apparent before surgery on the MRI. Telephone With Confidence is a phone number you call and follow the prompts. The text of what they are saying is available on line. There are 3 choices everyday: short list of words, short passage and long passage. It is free for anyone to use. It is a bit like listening to someone read from a science article but it does give us practice with the telephone. https://www.cochlear.com/us/communication-corner/program/adult-telephone.htm So you go the website with your chosen device (tablet etc.) the you call in and follow along on the with the words in front of you to read. Jewel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Posted October 2, 2018 Report Share Posted October 2, 2018 It’s been 2 weeks since activation of second CI ..I see my Audiologist Friday for a mapping ..I’m impressed already how much better I’m hearing “in public “ in noise ..I’m already so used to hearing with both ears even if the older one is more normal sounding that when I take the new one off it feels so quiet and empty on that side ?it’s actually exceeded my expectations already ! Jane Mary Featherston, Jewel and Mary Beth 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted October 2, 2018 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted October 2, 2018 Happy listening @Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted October 3, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted October 3, 2018 Wow, great, @Jane! And, @Jdashiell, I love the photo with your guitar! 10 days to second surgery for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Jdashiell Posted October 3, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted October 3, 2018 @Mary Featherston congratulations and best of luck going forward, keep us posted on your results! Mary Featherston 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 @Mary BethI saw my Audiologist again today ..she was also impressed that I was experiencing the summation effect so soon :)what’s so interesting to me know when I wear my new right processor alone without my left one to practice it doesn’t really bother me to not have the other one on but when I wear my left one without the newer one it really feels “blank” and empty now on that side ! And I’ve only had it activated 2 weeks ! Jane Jewel, Mary Beth and Mary Featherston 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted October 6, 2018 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 @Jane Sounds like your brain is loving the sound from your new CI! Terrific. I read a PowerPoint presentation given by a CI surgeon at an international CI conference the other year and I loved his last slide. It said.....the only way we know that we have implanted the better ear is to implant both ears. Smile. Jewel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 @Mary BethLOVE that comment ! Jane Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted October 6, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 Surgery #2 countdown: 6 days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted October 6, 2018 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 Exciting week for you @Mary Featherston! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted October 6, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 I'm going to DIE if I get a cold at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted October 6, 2018 Author HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 Stay healthy @Mary Featherston! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted October 6, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 Well, in general I'm very healthy, @Mary Beth and rarely even get colds. I'm just more aware of them right now because I had a minor one three weeks ago. The worst of the symptoms were gone in two days, and I'm find now, but it's made me THINK about 'em again. I'll be so glad when Friday is here! Once I'm unconscious all will be fine. ?⚕️ Jewel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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