Rick H Posted November 10, 2019 Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 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 Kylie, Mary Featherston, Mary Beth and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted November 10, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 @Rick H I am so happy for you! Wonderful! I love your comment.... ”it’s as though my old self is awakening from a long sleep!” Excellent description of this journey! Keep posting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick H Posted November 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 @Mary Beth thanks , this really is life changing! Rick H Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted November 10, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 @Rick H Yes they are! And that is hard to describe to people who are unfamiliar with this journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick H Posted November 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 @Mary Beth did you ever hear an echo or reverberation of the deeper tones , almost like a second voice after someone talks as you where getting used to the new sounds? It’s still understandable but don’t know if it’s just me or the new mapping or just part of the process of learning to hear speech. Rick H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy C Posted November 10, 2019 Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 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. Jewel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy C Posted November 10, 2019 Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 Yes, I did hear a faint echo. I found that I could reduce the echo by lowering the volume just a notch or two on the Rondo 2 until I adapted to the new mapping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted November 10, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 @Rick H and @Tommy C So happy you are both doing so well. I can’t wait until you trade in for your Sonnet 2 processors to read your experiences with both Rondo 2 and Sonnet 2. @Rick H In the beginning I heard layered voices (robotic voice and natural voice layered on top of each other). Over time the robotic voice peeled away and the natural voice remained. The only times I have heard an echo is once or twice during a MAPping appt and as soon as I mentioned it my audiologist made an adjustment and the echo disappeared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Jewel Posted November 10, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 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. Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick H Posted November 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 @Tommy C that sounds great Tommy! Yes we are both pretty much alike on all counts. I too waited for a long time before doing this but once I made the decision I just went with it! I kept hearing all the simulations & they would scare me off of it. But after reading recipients saying that the simulations are so far off I just decided to take a leap of faith & I'm so glad I did! Glad to hear your doing so well also! Aren’t these things great!!! I’ll have to see if I can tweek the volume to eliminate the echoing. It only does it some of the time. Isn’t it great to be able to hear the TV again! I can hardly wait for the Sonnet2 to get here it should be even better & be able to stream as well! Best of luck to you & take care man & me posted on your progress! Rick H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick H Posted November 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 @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 Jewel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick H Posted November 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 @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 Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy C Posted November 10, 2019 Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 Rick H. How are you doing on the phone? The phone and TV were the only rough spots that had. I found that I understood phone conversation best by holding the phone just above the Rondo 2 and using it like a normal person would hold the phone to their ear. I tried to use the speaker phone early on but had trouble understanding. I think that I need to try the speaker again, I believe that I could understand it now. It would be much more comfortable using the speaker, my arm gets tired trying to keep from knocking the Rondo off my head. LOL I have done that a couple of times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted November 10, 2019 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted November 10, 2019 @Tommy C and @Rick H Think about trying the Artone 3 MAX for phone use as well as streaming music. If you are using a hearing aid in the other ear and if that hearing aid has an active telecoil, you would hear the streamed phone call/music in both ears. The Artone allows us to be hands free for phone calls. Just switch to MT via the remote. The phone can stay in your pocket. Artone 3 MAX works with your Rondo 2 processors and will also work with Sonnet 2. I have the AudioLink with my Sonnet 1. But I can also use the Artone. http://www.artonecs.com/store/p1/Artone_3_MAX_world's_strongest_streamer.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick H Posted November 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2019 @Tommy C yeah the phone works best on speaker. I have only done one actual phone call since activation & that was the day of activation! but for some reason FaceTime really comes across really loud & clear . I can hear my daughter from 5 feet away with out even looking at it. I don’t know if the speaker is louder on FaceTime than a normal phone call on speaker or not but the difference is night & day to me. Try FaceTiming someone you tell me what you think. The TV seemed like it was far away & not very clear compared to my wife talking to me at the same volume & distance she was loud & clear. But by day 2 I really noticed the TV clear as can be, being able to understand the news like it was normal. That really made me happy! I have noticed sometimes that it changes & some days it’s harder to understand, again I think this is just part of the learning & adjustment process. Still way better than before the implant. How are you with music? Have you tried that yet? @Mary Beth thanks for the advice on the artone I’ll have to check it out! Rick H Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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