Why I chose Med El. Finally a candidate!

[Enegra]

49 minutes ago, SarahDunlap said:

No amount of reading could have prepared me for the experience of being "activated!" This is totally out of this world! Just wanted to let y'all know that everything is working as it should. No rockstar activation or anything. I guess it's good to keep your expectations nice and low for the first few weeks/months. This makes sense to me now. Happy I'm getting started! 

I got massive overstimulation on my activation day and everything sounded like wailing police / ambulance sirens. Didn't take very long to get better though.

[Jimit]

Thanks @SarahDunlap, I was awaiting words from you. 😊 Good to hear it's all working as expected. Best wishes for the new journey. 

I am still recovering, just discharged from hospital yesterday. Here, they kept us in hospital for 4 days post surgery to help with healing and pain. 

They took some X-rays and CT scan to make sure things are in place before discharge. Looking forward for activation day now.

[Mary Beth]

@Jimit

When is your activation?

[Jimit]

@Mary Beth

Doctor said it will be after a month most probably. Hasn't fixed any date yet.

[SarahDunlap]

20 hours ago, Mary Beth said:

@SarahDunlap

My activations were  static and beeps and marimba.  😂 

 

How long did it take for you to start making sense of the sounds around you? Until the static and beeps were more sounds rather than warbly garbly goobly gook? (that's a copyright term for CI activate day, I'm claiming it. jk)

Was it days/weeks/months?

[SarahDunlap]

10 hours ago, Jimit said:

Thanks @SarahDunlap, I was awaiting words from you. 😊 Good to hear it's all working as expected. Best wishes for the new journey. 

I am still recovering, just discharged from hospital yesterday. Here, they kept us in hospital for 4 days post surgery to help with healing and pain. 

They took some X-rays and CT scan to make sure things are in place before discharge. Looking forward for activation day now.

Sounds like everything went well for you too! It's great you have the support from friends and family and a hospital system that isn't kicking you out the second you wake up from surgery. I'm sure we'll be anxious to hear how your activation goes. Rest up but get some exercise!

 

[Mary Beth]

@SarahDunlap

lol. Love your copyrighted term for activation!  A sense of humor helps a lot on this journey.

This captioned video describes when those right sided beeps and static started to emerge into words for me.

One thing we can do to help our brain learn to use the CI input is aural rehab.  Repeated success with aural rehab paves the way forward.  The free app Word Success is a great place to start after activation.  Do not take the placement test.  Just start on step 1.  We do not have to understand words for step 1.  Just recognize the number of syllables.

Then over time they actually do turn into words!

 

 

[SarahDunlap]

Okay so this is my third day at work after activation. All is well and I'm already on program 3!

However, I have to ask y'all a question. I realize they suggest to wear the CI all day, and I am doing that, it's just that I am alone in a store and will have to answer the phone, do business over the phone, etc. To to that right now, I have to pop the processor off because otherwise I'm lost and I am just making more noise and it's distracting and I can't hear the caller. If I go to just my right hearing aid, I still struggle but in my mind it's the only chance of hearing. 

I notice after I am done doing whatever it is I had to do and I put the processor back on, I feel like I'm starting all over again. Like if I take it off for a minute, two minutes, five minutes (not usually longer than that) and I revert to all the sounds I hear in the morning or on day one. 

Q- Is the feeling like "starting over" common to new CI users after putting the processor on again? No matter if you've already worn it all day or not?

 

[Mary Beth]

@SarahDunlap

My audiologist’s rule was CI on all waking hours so I followed that guidance. At first it was a step back as it was noise but I stuck with the guidance.

[SarahDunlap]

4 minutes ago, Mary Beth said:

@SarahDunlap

My audiologist’s rule was CI on all waking hours so I followed that guidance. At first it was a step back as it was noise but I stuck with the guidance.

All waking hours of course! But five minutes here or there can seriously hinder progress??

[Mary Beth]

@SarahDunlap

I didn’t mean to imply that.  Sorry.  Just that because I followed the CI on all waking hours I have no personal experience with what happens in the early weeks when it is removed for short periods of time. Sorry for any confusion.

[Jimit]

Hi @SarahDunlap, What did you mean by starting over? I think you are saying after you take it off for few minutes, you can't understand the words you used to understand earlier like in program 1 and 2.

If that is the case, I think it might be normal in early days when the mind is still getting used to with the new sound. That is my assumption but I would like to hear it from someone who used to take the breaks in early days. 

Have you checked with your Audiologist?

[SarahDunlap]

I sent an email to see what she says because I kind of have to brush my hair at some point and obviously change the batteries out during the day. I got the impression that taking it off is inevitable at some point. Thanks for your replies, all. 

[SarahDunlap]

13 hours ago, Mary Beth said:

@SarahDunlap

I didn’t mean to imply that.  Sorry.  Just that because I followed the CI on all waking hours I have no personal experience with what happens in the early weeks when it is removed for short periods of time. Sorry for any confusion.

I didn't mean to sound or be sharp with you. I'm just trying to figure this stuff out. 🙏 

[Mary Beth]

@SarahDunlap

No problem at all.  There is a lot to figure out at first.  For all of us.

I wonder if what you experienced was your brain shifting focus onto your HA ear while the CI was off and then needing to readjust when you put the CI back on?

One of the things that surprised me early on my CI journey were the sensations in my brain.  Like….  brain fatigue- I had not actually experienced brain fatigue like that before.  Makes sense since it was working overtime to sort out the CI input.  And also the relationship between ears as the journey continued.  Like dance partners.  At first my HA ear was dominant and the CI ear was happy to follow along.  Then at a point there was a physical tug of war in my brain with each side trying to be dominant.  Next my CI ear became clearly dominant and my HA ear was happy to follow along.  After that my CI ear was clearly able to go solo and my HA ear became a noise maker.  That’s when I stopped using the HA.  I heard better without it and we scheduled my second side.  Listening with two balanced CI ears has been amazing.

 

That’s just how my personal journey went.  Others remain bimodal and do very well that way.

 

What kinds of sounds are you recognizing with your CI now?

[Mary Beth]

@SarahDunlap

just a thought

any chance your link monitoring is on for your DL-coil and when you removed it, the coil did its auto off?  If yes, you would need to pull down the battery cover and push it back up to restart everything.

I have that feature turned off.  It’s a setting our audiologists can enable/disable for us.

[Enegra]

A bit of butting in, but I actually like the timeout function, because sometimes I end up having my processor in the pocket and the battery cover can close on its own in there. But yeah, it depends on the user what they need.b

About wearing the processor; short breaks are fine and they shouldn't affect at all the hearing/learning. Back when I was newly activated I would often get very tired from listening and needed some naps there and there. That downtime can actually be beneficial because brain can rest a little and figure things out.

[Dianna]

On 8/3/2022 at 9:10 AM, SarahDunlap said:

How long did it take for you to start making sense of the sounds around you? Until the static and beeps were more sounds rather than warbly garbly goobly gook? (that's a copyright term for CI activate day, I'm claiming it. jk)

Was it days/weeks/months?

Hi sarah. I heard the electride each time they were activated. One i felt, not heard, it was turned off. My audi said monday tuesday wednesday etc and i repeated every word. They were so electronic! I could hear the radio music better but it was electric. I listened and talked very excited and animated to my live in sister, nephew and his bf. All adults. I could not understand one very soft spoken guy,  but my 55 yr old nephew and 77 yr old sister were so familiar i could hear them but the electrical helium voices made me laugh. This is all day one!

I sat outside that evening and listened to birds, especially humming birds!!! All the sounds were electric but i could understand a lot. The little chirps humming birds make is hilarious.

I made myself try streaming music, i did guitar solos, drums, scales, old songs i love! dance music surprised me and led to better music of other kinds.

day 2 I fiddled with stuff, streamed music for about 30 seconds and turned off! Flushing was loud. Plastic bag rustling hurt! Glass clink was so loud. So i started on low volume and turned up almost daily.

Oh and turn signals was like deedink deeedink.

i really played around alot because i am retired dont work. I spent 2 to 4 hours rehabbing every day. I switched up rehab apps because i repeated them so much i would start guessing at the answer.

Lauren helped me cable my audiolink to my tv so i watched tv a lot with no cc. This helped a ton.

I hope day 2 has been better for you!!!

Di

 

[Dianna]

Oh, and i would say by the time of my 2nd mapping, 4 weeks, i could hear 80 percent of words in quiet.

Not all words spoken by different people and sentences, some voices are much clearer than others. But the rehab programs for words i used so often.

It took longer to feel improvement on that, but its funny, sometimes i still say what but i did actually get the sentence. I am 11 months post implant.

Let us know how your hearing is going, i love stories ❤ 

[SarahDunlap]

On 8/5/2022 at 9:03 AM, Mary Beth said:

@SarahDunlap

No problem at all.  There is a lot to figure out at first.  For all of us.

I wonder if what you experienced was your brain shifting focus onto your HA ear while the CI was off and then needing to readjust when you put the CI back on?

I think you're spot on with this. Now that I've worn it a couple days, I definitely need to make sure I don't take the processor off AT ALL. I'm using disposable batteries so I don't have to switch them out halfway through the day. I think I adapt back so quickly that it'll be imperative that I keep this on at all times.

On 8/5/2022 at 9:03 AM, Mary Beth said:

One of the things that surprised me early on my CI journey were the sensations in my brain.  Like….  brain fatigue- I had not actually experienced brain fatigue like that before.  Makes sense since it was working overtime to sort out the CI input.

 

 And also the relationship between ears as the journey continued.  Like dance partners.  At first my HA ear was dominant and the CI ear was happy to follow along.  Then at a point there was a physical tug of war in my brain with each side trying to be dominant.  Next my CI ear became clearly dominant and my HA ear was happy to follow along.  After that my CI ear was clearly able to go solo and my HA ear became a noise maker.  That’s when I stopped using the HA.  I heard better without it and we scheduled my second side.  Listening with two balanced CI ears has been amazing.

 

That’s just how my personal journey went.  Others remain bimodal and do very well that way.

 

What kinds of sounds are you recognizing with your CI now?

I am noticing feeling like I've been working out all day after I take off the processor and lay down to sleep at night. My brain isn't tired necessarily, but my body feels like I've worked out muscles that haven't been worked in a long time! Strange that I get that sensation in my body more than my brain. 

 

What sounds am I hearing?

I'm actually able to pick up some words and sounds, it's just everything is very deep. Like a male voice distortion machine for all spoken words, but I can actually stream and understand what they are saying! I can even pick up the beeps when the battery is low or the volume is changing, so I think huge progress in a couple days. I'm glad I found out that I can't be taking this off to deal with anything, because now, it is my new normal. I just gotta hang in there. 

 

Thank you all!

[Mary Beth]

You are off to a great start @SarahDunlap!

[SarahDunlap]

On 8/5/2022 at 5:11 PM, Enegra said:

A bit of butting in, but I actually like the timeout function, because sometimes I end up having my processor in the pocket and the battery cover can close on its own in there. But yeah, it depends on the user what they need.b

You aren't butting in! I appreciate all the helpful feedback!

On 8/5/2022 at 5:11 PM, Enegra said:

About wearing the processor; short breaks are fine and they shouldn't affect at all the hearing/learning. Back when I was newly activated I would often get very tired from listening and needed some naps there and there. That downtime can actually be beneficial because brain can rest a little and figure things out.

I'm actually taking naps with the processor on, but volume very low. The feeling of starting the day over because I've unplugged for five minutes just won't work for me. I'm sure this will just take some time. My first mapping is a week and two days from now. I'm sure lots will change by then. I can tell you I have never slept better at night! I can't wait to try the Rondo 3. My hair is kind of in the way. Do you have long hair?

[SarahDunlap]

22 hours ago, Dianna said:

Oh, and i would say by the time of my 2nd mapping, 4 weeks, i could hear 80 percent of words in quiet.

Not all words spoken by different people and sentences, some voices are much clearer than others. But the rehab programs for words i used so often.

It took longer to feel improvement on that, but its funny, sometimes i still say what but i did actually get the sentence. I am 11 months post implant.

Let us know how your hearing is going, i love stories ❤ 

I love stories too! This is all new to me but the turn signal sounds are so loud and like a high pitch guitar plucking or however you said it! I get it!

I actually went to my personal training session yesterday morning. Walked out of the house, went through my entire training session (wondered why I couldn't hear my client at all) and finished, went on with my day and noticed I never put my right HA in!! However, usually, he would wear my Roger Pen and I could hear him during the session. I could hear his breathing and his voice in my head almost like the pen, even though I couldn't really understand the words, I had his voice right there where I'm used to it, except on my deaf side! That was so cool! I freaked when I realized I didn't have my HA in though. Panicked, ran home and it was sitting there in my charger! That was kinda scary but awesome at the same time. I'm looking forward to when the CI side is dominant. That will be cool.

[Enegra]

24 minutes ago, SarahDunlap said:

 My hair is kind of in the way. Do you have long hair?

I do, right now a bit shorter than usual, but it still reaches my shoulders. No issues with the Sonnet 2 other than slight hair noise sometimes in quiet, but it takes a bit of getting used to. The coil cable liked to get stuck in my hair until I wrapped it in the decorative cable cover.

[Jimit]

Looks like we have a productive weekend here. 😊 Glad to hear about the progress @SarahDunlap.