One week later experience

[John F]

I had my surgery last Thursday.  Besides issues with the scheduler nearly making me miss my surgery, not responding, etc… everything has been hunky dory!  I have my post surgical appointment in a couple of days (which was a whole other ordeal to get scheduled).  Hopefully others who go through MEEI in Boston do not have this stress and can rest and relax for their surgeries.  
 

- Pre-Operation.  Honestly, I think I was and still am cautiously optimistic. There are moments I was amazed about the technology and what it could potentially do.  But in general, was pretty neutral.  I think those who know me showed much more excitement.  Staff at the hospital were really nice I think, just need to remind them I have no clues what they were saying.  Surgeons team should be wearing the see through masks least during that introduction period before they roll you into the OR.  Would be logical.  

- Post operation.  This will depend on the individuals.  I was generally fine minus some balance issues and a very scratchy throat from being intubated.  Even walked 5 blocks to and from the pharmacy to try getting my Rx, which the hospital had already sent to the wrong place.  Got the antibiotics, but painkillers weren’t able to happen until the following day.  Fun first night after surgery…nopes!  
I did sorta get in a pickle the Saturday after surgery and went to Dunkin’ a block away to get an ice coffee to see if that helps with irritated throat.  Kept veering into a fence until a neighbor passed me and helped me get my bearings.  

- Sleep schedule gets off.  Highly advise sitting up or at a slight incline.  I’ve always slept on the bad ear.  But I only sleep a few hours at a time now.  It’ll get back to normal while body reacclimatizes like any surgery eventually. 

- Tinnitus is real.  Dang annoying!  For the record, I never had issues with tinnitus in the past thankfully.  Now, it’s there quite a lot.  I’ve yet to figure the best way of dealing with it since I haven’t attempted to put headphones or anything near the operated ear!  Hopefully it’s just temporary.  Who knows.  

- Pain…honestly, it’s mainly super achy and that was and still is tough to control as neither Tylenol nor Advil has helped.  Today the inner ear is aching.  It also doesn’t help I’ve had a headache since day 1!  The weather has been rainy or overcast save one day and I always feel pressure whenever there’s bad weather.  Plus allergies galore are unbearable.  Part of the recovery process I think.

Many have never experienced it but my surgeon put a sports cup stolen from a jockstrap (only description I have!) over that ear.  If you have one after surgery, adjust the straps around the head often.  The bump we all have on back of our heads…yeah, mines been painful to touch because of that strap or put padding back there!  The flip side, when I did take it off exactly 48 hours after the surgery as directed, I realized it provides quite a safety net and miss it…sometimes.   

Also, the first time your ear pops… be prepared!  Coughing from throat irritation, non issue.  Blowing nose, gets better quick.  But ear popping, ouch.  I’m not convinced the electrode wires aren’t going to fly out of my ear canal if I try attempting it again.

-It’s amazing how much pressure the ears take on for every day tasks one never thinks about until this kind of surgery.  Simple acts like bending down, sitting, moving head, etc you definitely feel pressure!  I don’t know if that pressure goes away but probably.
 

- Hospital instructions vs reality!  I cheated.  I took a shower the moment I got home the day of surgery.  Had to get that hospital feeling off especially during covid times.  I do have an advantage.  Adjustable handheld shower attachment part of our shower system so was fine from neck down.  Highly advisable!  My cup came off and was told to keep incision dry.  Tons of tape back there so I got those oversize waterproof band aids and have been sticking them on before showers.  Much easier to deal with than the washcloth route it suggested which would get quite wet anyways.  
 

Anyways, that’s that thus far.  Will see what surgeon says Monday and hopefully the tape mess comes off and he can tell me where exactly the magnet is.  Thought about running a magnet over head to see but that doesn’t sound enticing at all.  Cheers!

[Mary Beth]

@John F

congratulations on your CI!  I am sorry there were several stressful experiences.  I was very fortunate at New York Eye & Ear.  They made the entire process from qualifying to insurance approval to pre-surgery to surgery so easy.  I was very thankful.

Now that the surgery is behind you, activation is coming up!  That is when the real fun begins.

 

When is your activation?  Remind me again, which processor did you choose?

I hope your recovery goes well.

[John F]

15 minutes ago, Mary Beth said:

@John F

congratulations on your CI!  I am sorry there were several stressful experiences.  I was very fortunate at New York Eye & Ear.  They made the entire process from qualifying to insurance approval to pre-surgery to surgery so easy.  I was very thankful.

Now that the surgery is behind you, activation is coming up!  That is when the real fun begins.

 

When is your activation?  Remind me again, which processor did you choose?

I hope your recovery goes well.

It’s the dang scheduler there.  As I told my Audiologist, whom I had to actually enlist help getting my post op appt fixed since I couldn’t get through via email or phone, I’m positive they have it out for me. Lol.  There was originally a post op appt set…the day AFTER my activation on the 21st which was and would be useless beyond useless that I purposely canceled myself online.  I’ve been a surgical coordinator in the past and this whole thing blows my mind.  Up until the day of surgery it’s been very seamless.  

Nothing like getting a call from the surgeon while waiting for the train asking if I was heading in and being told I was supposed to be there two hours prior.  He did take responsibility for nobody following up prior to surgery day (I’d emailed and left voicemails for the nurse) or telling me the correct time the one time I was told a week before.  Luckily he told me to simply head in and they’ll take care of things and did not cancel or reschedule due to the scheduler not giving  me the correct info. >.<

 

I am set to receive a Rondo 3 and a Sonnet 2.  Apparently I also have that Artone neck loop and TVB streamer arriving Sunday which I did not order personally so will see who paid for that!

[Mary Beth]

@John F

You have an Artone neckloop and TVB coming to your house and you did not order them?  Very interesting.

wishing you the best at activation.

[Jared Charney]

@John FI also had my surgery done at MEEI and the only thing that was bumpy was sending me home w/outdated notes which I found strange. I suffered from tinnitus before surgery and it def. rattled the cage and made it worse but within a couple of weeks it settled down and when I wear the processor I don't hear it at all. I too had a very scratchy throat and some pain for a couple of days but even the day of surgery was amazed that when I got home I was able to cook myself lunch. I found the Princess Leia ear piece amusing and then insanely itchy. I was in Concord, MA the other day and met another person who had her surgery done there about six years ago and it has really changed her life. Good luck w/activation keep us updated!

[John F]

8 minutes ago, Jared Charney said:

@John FI also had my surgery done at MEEI and the only thing that was bumpy was sending me home w/outdated notes which I found strange. I suffered from tinnitus before surgery and it def. rattled the cage and made it worse but within a couple of weeks it settled down and when I wear the processor I don't hear it at all. I too had a very scratchy throat and some pain for a couple of days but even the day of surgery was amazed that when I got home I was able to cook myself lunch. I found the Princess Leia ear piece amusing and then insanely itchy. I was in Concord, MA the other day and met another person who had her surgery done there about six years ago and it has really changed her life. Good luck w/activation keep us updated!

Yeah.  Guess it’s commonplace to intubated for a CI surgery.  I even warned partner they would do it and he had to ask two nurses if that was true lol.  And yeah I was surprised how alert I was.  Had read all the horror stories from peoples post op experiences and was prepared for the absolute worse outcome (cause that’d be my luck!). 
 

Post op appt today so I’ll never have to deal with that office again for the foreseeable future and will stick with the Audiology office down the hall cause those folks are uber. Still head swelling, need to ask where that magnet is exactly and inquire about a very localized headache above ear that feels like an ice pick.

 

Thanks!  Two more weeks to go!
 

 

[Jared Charney]

@John Fwho was your surgeon? 

[John F]

15 minutes ago, Jared Charney said:

@John Fwho was your surgeon? 

Santos.  Good guy.  

[Jared Charney]

@John F Yes, I had a meeting with him initially and he referred me to Dr. Jung, I think Santos was too busy at the time.

[John F]

24 hours until activation finally.  MedEl is out of the Sonnet 2s in Anthracite as I picked originally, so for the time being the plan to to begin with the Rondo 3 then in a week or so will get the other processor in and all that.  Guess we’ll see if there is indeed any residual hearing since I don’t believe there is and get things set up.  Tempted to get a toolbox to hold all the gadgets and doodads but need to see just how much there is!

[Mary Beth]

@John F

The countdown is getting closer!!

I use this storage case.  Works great.  Holds all my extra pieces.

https://www.containerstore.com/s/storage/storage-drawers/3-case-storage-chest/12d?productId=10022603

[John F]

Yep.  We were looking at something similar as well.  But waiting until we have everything in hand to see just what all is there.  

[Jared Charney]

@John FGood luck today at MEEI w/activation. I will actually be there myself for a mapping session, who know maybe we'll meet in the waiting room!

[John F]

Got activated with the Rondo 3.  Hopefully the Sonnet 2 comes in real soon.  She did check the residual hearing and as I suspected, it was pmuch gone.  The surprising part was the decrease in hearing in the other ear, enough so that the Audiologist got in contact with the surgeon who just called this morning and putting me on some steroidal regiment for the next three weeks to be on the same side.  Dunno what that does but we’ll see!

 

Far as the time with Rondo 3 aka/ the egg.  Mostly just clanging at every sound but it is slowly becoming less annoying.  I do agree with a lot of folks, even at 5 strength magnet, it sorta feels not altogether secure.  Haven’t yet connect the artone stuff and the audiolink device I guess is in with the Sonnet 2 stuff so am missing that ability to stream from the phone.

 

 

[Mary Beth]

@John F

Congratulations on the start of your journey to hear with a CI!

 

[John F]

5 hours ago, Mary Beth said:

@John F

Congratulations on the start of your journey to hear with a CI!

 

Thanks!  Finally deciphered the Artone neck loop and TVB streamer.  Know how to tone down the background humming while streaming?

[Mary Beth]

@John F

Here is a link to my Artone TVB guide/review.

http://handsonhearing.com/resources/ArtoneTVBReview.pdf

There should not be a background humming while streaming.

Listen on T or MT when the TVB is not on to determine if you are experiencing EMI (electromagnetic interference) from something in your home which sounds like buzzing/humming.  If not, try connecting the Artone TVB to your TV a different way.

[Dianna]

Hey thanks for the surg and healing info. I was implanted friday night, and its sunday early morning and i wish i could take off the helmet! It feels like its pulling on surg site but waiting the 48 hours. I feel like i can still hear in that ear, hope so. Religiously taking the pred. So im sorry to hear you had to walk to your pharm. Univ of iowa has a drive through and i was actually wheeled to it by nursing, then wheeled to my car. I was so glad the waiting was over. Yeah trying to get comfortable is an issue as far as the areas that dont want pressure lol. Plus went "comfort food " shopping the day before. So had supplies to take with meds. So today, no tinnitus, feels like incision and magnet pad soreness, feeling like "i have few issues whats gonna drop" fears lol.  Anyways, thanks for this,

Di