Jump to content

November HearPeers Virtual Coffee Chat


Mary Beth

Recommended Posts

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Kylie

We will adjust the January time so it’s not as late for you.  Sorry.  I did not realize the impact of our time change.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

It's OK sometimes if it's better for others this bit later. I can take my turn. There are a lot of people to please!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

Excellent November HP chat today!

 

10 members participated, including 3 first time chat participants!

Great seeing you all

@Dave in Pittsburgh

@Tracey_66

@Kylie

@Nischal Koirala so nice to meet you!

@Joan

@Nikki

@tmscarlett10 so nice to meet you and we look forward to your activation in a couple of weeks!

@Megan L. Keep us posted on your second surgery plan!

@MallaRuth thank you for joining in!

 

We had participants from Spain, Nepal, Australia, UK and US.

Topics focused on connectivity options (music link silhouettes and Artone).  Experience as single sided CI with an acoustic ear.  Long term CI experience.  Experience with reimplantation and the brain’s ability to improve what was a non-dominant ear.  Improved speech in noise.  Apps and activities post activation.

 

Wow we covered a lot!  Great chat everyone.  Stay safe.

Next chat will be in January.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, @Mary Beth

I actually had a question related to one of the topics we covered. Tbh, I had trouble keeping up with the talking and the captions, so please forgive me if I have misunderstood. 😉

The topic was about the unilateral vs bilateral CIs, somewhere within the single-sided deafness discussion...

I do know that having two ears is much better than having one, because we need that balance. However, when referring to @Megan L., and going bilateral, I didn't quite understand where we stood with that. 

If - like for example, right now I am unilateral - my CI turns out to help my hearing increasingly to the point where I am fine with just the one and my HA, should/would it probably be even better to get the second implant?

I think you mentioned something about the brain's benefit in here somewhere. 

THANKS!!! 

Next time I will take notes 😁

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@tmscarlett10

We did cover a lot of topics!

@Megan L. is going bilateral.  Depending on COVID, she mentioned that her surgery date may change. Maybe Megan will post about her decision making process for her second CI.

 

Being bilateral has so many advantages.  Our brains are designed to handle auditory input from two ears and hearing in two ears, especially two balanced ears, is amazing!  Some advantages include....

-locating sounds

-hearing better in noise

-easier listening in general

-for me there is a fuller, richer sound quality

-for me musical pitch is much better

-having an emotional safety net in case one CI side needs to be reimplanted ( @MallaRuth talked about how she kept on hearing with one side while her older first side was going through reimplantation )

 

Questions are always welcome.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

It was great seeing everyone yesterday and meeting the newcomers!!! 

 

@tmscarlett10 So, my surgery is planned for 12/21 but COVID is on the rise. That makes me more nervous than going by myself for the surgery. I don't want to get my family sick since I would be recuperating with them and not at my apartment.  My dad has heart issues and he absolutely cannot get this virus. So, I'm keeping an eye on Maryland and what happening there. The place I'd be going to is outpatient only and not attached to a hospital so that's good. We'll see!! 

And as far as getting a second implant - that is a personal decision. I did well with one implant and one hearing aid! But I've reached the point where my implant is completely dominant and my HA just hangs out. My brain doesn't even acknowledge the low battery beeps anymore 🤣 I also want a safety net that if one fails, I have another one I can rely on. Do what you feel is best for you :) 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, I see. Thank you so much @Mary Beth and @Megan L. for clearing that up for me! 

One question my dad actually had, when I first saw my doctor, was if I could be denied my other ear later if I wanted/needed a second implant; doctor responded "no", though I wasn't sure if I could fully trust that answer lol. 

It was really great to finally meet everybody!!! Can't wait til the next meeting! 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@tmscarlett10

It seems that depending on the time between your original CI audiology testing that qualified you for a CI and your desire to pursue a second CI, you may need to go through audiology testing again.

There was 8 months between mine and that required testing again.  I think 6 months or less may not require testing again.

Both of my ears qualified at the onset. We implanted my right side.  Then 8 months later I was ready for my left side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Mary Beth, Oh wow!  That's sooner than i expected. 

I was deemed eligible for both ears at my last test, but doctor wanted to do left ear first. I wanted to do both ears, lol, an now glad I can do them each separately. 

It's funny because I thought I was such an expert on CIs - to the people around me, I am - but there is still so much that I don't know, and so much to learn! I'm excited!!! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Everyone 

It was so nice chatting with everyone 

@Tracy_66Tracy_66  asked those who have CI for a while if things keep improving

Just wanted to add a comment , one of the tells I have is while listening to music and with time I keep noticing more and more sounds

It's 3 years for me on my old ear so i'm very pleased when I have a fun moment where I can identify impertinent. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Kylie

Have you recovered from your very late night yet?  So sorry.  January’s meeting will be earlier.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Kirk S.

We sure hope you are well.  We missed you and everyone is sending their very best wishes to you for good health and restored hearing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes
20 hours ago, Mary Beth said:

@Kylie

Have you recovered from your very late night yet?  So sorry.  January’s meeting will be earlier.  

Yes I was fine, just had a big coffee on the way to work! Worth it to talk to everyone!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Nischal Koirala

Will you tell us a bit about your hearing loss?  When did it start?  One ear or both?  How long have you been implanted?  Are you using Rondo or Rondo 2?

We would like to get to know you better.  Looking forward to seeing you for the January chat!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/21/2020 at 6:03 PM, Mary Beth said:

@Nischal Koirala

Will you tell us a bit about your hearing loss?  When did it start?  One ear or both?  How long have you been implanted?  Are you using Rondo or Rondo 2?

We would like to get to know you better.  Looking forward to seeing you for the January chat!

Well I lost my hearing back in May 2019. It was due to the mumps which was sudden and very painful, I got high fever and ran to the hospital. The day I went to the hospital, I only had fever but no symptoms of hearing loss but the following day I found out I was hearing significantly less than the day before. I told that to my family and they said it may be temporary and you will be fine in a day or two but the other day my hearing was zero in my both ears. It was such a sudden thing. Then we visited sooooo many clinics,hospitas, doctors but there was no sign of getting my hearing back! 

Then after 3-4 months of research, we found out hearing aid. I wore the hearing aid for 2-3 months . After 6 months we finally found the thing called Cochlear Implant which was totally a new thing for us. I had no knowledge about it . There were no distributors inside the country,we had to bring it from foreign which took 2-3 weeks. After the implant arrived, we did the surgery immediately. (Implants: Synchronory Flex 28)

After that my recovery took  again 2-3 weeks. Then it was finally the time to get activated and get my hearing back! I am only implaned in one side but also 'better than nothing' 🙂

And also I use the Rondo 2 processor which I chose because of it's bulit in rechargable battery and it's physical body . It is very good in terms of it's body,it is very lightweight and comfortable and also good in terms of sound but found out from you guys that other processors sound better than this but no worries :)

Since then the journey has been magical!! 

Very happy sharing with you!😁

(Sorry for the late reply. Was busy with my exam!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Nischal Koirala

I hope your exams went well.

Thank you for sharing your hearing story.  That must’ve been such a difficult time for you and your family.  I am glad you received a cochlear implant!

There are many many happy Rondo 2 users here.  Most of how things sound to us is due to the internal CI components.  Synchrony and Flex 28 is exactly what I have on my left side.

The processors change all of the time.  Rondo 3 is out now.  In a few years there will probably be a newer version yet.  Over our lifetime we will use different processors and I’m sure will have different favorite processors.

Thanks again for sharing.  I am looking forward to seeing you at the January chat.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Mary Beth said:

@Nischal Koirala

I hope your exams went well.

Thank you for sharing your hearing story.  That must’ve been such a difficult time for you and your family.  I am glad you received a cochlear implant!

There are many many happy Rondo 2 users here.  Most of how things sound to us is due to the internal CI components.  Synchrony and Flex 28 is exactly what I have on my left side.

The processors change all of the time.  Rondo 3 is out now.  In a few years there will probably be a newer version yet.  Over our lifetime we will use different processors and I’m sure will have different favorite processors.

Thanks again for sharing.  I am looking forward to seeing you at the January chat.

You are most welcome @Mary Beth! :) 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, @Nischal Koirala!

That is some journey you have gone through, so far. Thank you so much, for sharing that! It is always interesting to listen to the different experiences that people have gone through, that led to their hearing loss. 

We are all in this together! 😊

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...