Activation Day...

P

ptcallaghan

New Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2010
Messages
132
Reaction score
0
Hi All

As most of you know today was my activation day...

Everything went great...

Started with a hearing test (unaided) on the implanted ear only and the audi confirmed what I already knew....there is still some residual hearing in my implanted ear, although it has dropped some but I also have a bit of a cold so my eardrum test showed a bit of resistance as well...We will see what next time brings.

After that the audi tested the electrode to make sure it was responding and even after telling me I wouldnt likely hear anything, I clearly heard each electrode beep at the different frequencies.

The test coil wasnt strong enough to stick to my head so I had to hold it there, but she swapped my coil magnet to the strongest and it is holding pretty good for now.

She ran through each electrode bringing the beeps up to a comfortable hearing level for me and then we proceded to chat for a while after which the levels had dropped so they were quiet so she upped the volume (this is completely normal and what they expect to happen as I get used to stimulation).

We did some vowel and consonant sounds to make sure I could hear them. Then moved to the "baseball, hotdog" list first with lipreading, then without...I nailed 100% on those, then she switched to the days of the week without any visual cues...100% on those and then she tried to trip me up with January at the end but I got that too....she was genuinely excited for me..

There is still alot not turned on yet but I go back next week once I have mastered through the two programs I have currently

We upped the volumes I think 2 more times throughout the appt and she sent me on my way with my swag briefcase....Ill post about that later...

In the car on the way back my fiance had the radio on and every once in a while I would catch a few words when the DJ was talking. Then we had it on music but I wasnt getting much until Fight for you Right by the Beastie Boys came on....I could make out some of the lyrics (very faint though) and could sing along with the song...And to top it off, that was with the fan full blast and the sunroof wide open....That was my first CI moment I think...

The other is....man paper is loud....by far the loudest noise I hear at the moment...just a light crinkle results in a deafening noise..lol...that will get better im sure.
 
People keep talking about noisy paper lately. That is hard for me to imagine...

But I am glad for you that your results made you happy. :)
 
Thanks Bottesini

Not only paper....keys jingling, ice cubes in a glass...many of these "simple" sounds are crazy loud atm.....but yet cant hear the clackin of the keyboard yet....weird...

I know over time all these sounds will come and my brain will make sense of them....
 
it sounds like once you step outside the building, you have stepped into a very noisy world for the first time.
 
caaraa said:
People keep talking about noisy paper lately.
12.lona.gif
44553433@N00.jpg
Click to expand...

I already said that. Are you a bot?
 
That's a great account. Do keep writing; you definitely have a way with words that makes your experience so clear.
 
ptcallaghan said:
Thanks Bottesini

Not only paper....keys jingling, ice cubes in a glass...many of these "simple" sounds are crazy loud atm.....but yet cant hear the clackin of the keyboard yet....weird...

I know over time all these sounds will come and my brain will make sense of them....
Click to expand...

For me my first weeks with my CI.. WATER was the worst.. It did not matter if it was comming out of a faucet or the toilet flushing it was so intense. But after awhile it just somehow becomes normal and is no longer loud like that. I am extremely pleased to read that your (A)day was a success. Please keep on posting about your progress. It's great to read what others are experiencing with their new "EAR"!
 
ptcallaghan said:
Thanks Bottesini

Not only paper....keys jingling, ice cubes in a glass...many of these "simple" sounds are crazy loud atm.....but yet cant hear the clackin of the keyboard yet....weird...

I know over time all these sounds will come and my brain will make sense of them....
Click to expand...
Some of those noises can also be adjusted in future mappings. You can make a note of them to the audiologist saying "So and so sound a little loud" and so forth.
 
Deaffy said:
For me my first weeks with my CI.. WATER was the worst.. It did not matter if it was comming out of a faucet or the toilet flushing it was so intense. But after awhile it just somehow becomes normal and is no longer loud like that. I am extremely pleased to read that your (A)day was a success. Please keep on posting about your progress. It's great to read what others are experiencing with their new "EAR"!
Click to expand...
Yeah, the toilet flushing is the one I remember with my new HAs, but you get used to it.
 
JClarke said:
it sounds like once you step outside the building, you have stepped into a very noisy world for the first time.
Click to expand...

First time in about 3 years....goes to show how much you get used to sounds and then once they are gone and come back they are loud once again
 
Beach girl said:
That's a great account. Do keep writing; you definitely have a way with words that makes your experience so clear.
Click to expand...

Thanks Beach girl...I guess thats what I get for having an English teacher for a mother haha....

I just found specific experience stories lacking on here when I was looking for information and hope that others can use my experiences to help them make an informed decision.

I plan to keep posting my experiences....maybe I should start a blog....hmm
 
Deaffy said:
For me my first weeks with my CI.. WATER was the worst.. It did not matter if it was comming out of a faucet or the toilet flushing it was so intense. But after awhile it just somehow becomes normal and is no longer loud like that. I am extremely pleased to read that your (A)day was a success. Please keep on posting about your progress. It's great to read what others are experiencing with their new "EAR"!
Click to expand...

Actually water was the first "noise" I heard as we left the audiology dept at the hospital I could here a sort of splashing noise and looking around I saw a worker cleaning a rock in a pond down on the level below us...it wasnt too bad because it was far away....but then later I was in a washroom and the urinal was running constantly and that was pretty loud...paper is still louder though
 
After activation so much is now being heard which wasn't before. The thing I remember the most-was the single dance 3 days later. a quantum leap is sound-seemingly" off key". Lucky mapping session scheduled-next day fixed that problem.
Does take time to get use to all sounds that you have been missing-for some time. My experience for the last 4 years.
Big hurdles already passed-you survived!

Implanted Sunnybrook A B Harmony activated Aug/07
 
Hi!

I´m a new member here (since today actually) and really enjoy reading your experiences. Thank you for sharing! I´ve just decided to have ci implant this fall and feel really excited! Before I made the decision I was really worried and couldn´t make up my mind but now it feels so right. Here in Sweden the rules a bit different compare to the US or Canada I think. They offered me surgery two months after my decision but it was too soon for me, mostley because of my work.

How soon did you go back to your work after surgery? I have a really challenging work and I´m worried it would be to much for me after the surgery and activation with all new sounds and a total new situation.
 
noomie said:
Hi!

I´m a new member here (since today actually) and really enjoy reading your experiences. Thank you for sharing! I´ve just decided to have ci implant this fall and feel really excited! Before I made the decision I was really worried and couldn´t make up my mind but now it feels so right. Here in Sweden the rules a bit different compare to the US or Canada I think. They offered me surgery two months after my decision but it was too soon for me, mostley because of my work.

How soon did you go back to your work after surgery? I have a really challenging work and I´m worried it would be to much for me after the surgery and activation with all new sounds and a total new situation.
Click to expand...

Hi noomie welcome to alldeaf.

I assume you stumbled on this site much as i did...looking for some answers to the 100s of questions you likely have about the CI process.

I am glad you have enjoyed reading my experiences...hopefully these are just the beginning of an exciting journey for me...at least the painful part is complete now haha

Personally, I took basically two weeks off work for the surgery portion...it worked out well with the Easter long weekend in there so I didnt actually miss as many paid days...by that point I was pretty good physically except Im not supposed to lift anything over 10 lbs for like 4 to 6 weeks. I did miss one more day because i slept on the implanted side and woke up in pain but other than that it wasnt too bad.

As for the activation four weeks later, I basically took two days off plus the weekend and go back to work tomorrow. I think I am ready...I may have to turn down the implant a bit if it gets noisy, although i was out to the mall today and didnt feel the need to turn it down. I am a little worried of the comments some folks will make....eg Oh you mean you cant hear yet haha...and have to explain it will be a learning process that might take a few months

Are you late deafened or from birth??

feel free to drop me a pm if you dont want to talk on the main forum
 
ptcallaghan said:
Hi noomie welcome to alldeaf.

I assume you stumbled on this site much as i did...looking for some answers to the 100s of questions you likely have about the CI process.

I am glad you have enjoyed reading my experiences...hopefully these are just the beginning of an exciting journey for me...at least the painful part is complete now haha

Personally, I took basically two weeks off work for the surgery portion...it worked out well with the Easter long weekend in there so I didnt actually miss as many paid days...by that point I was pretty good physically except Im not supposed to lift anything over 10 lbs for like 4 to 6 weeks. I did miss one more day because i slept on the implanted side and woke up in pain but other than that it wasnt too bad.

As for the activation four weeks later, I basically took two days off plus the weekend and go back to work tomorrow. I think I am ready...I may have to turn down the implant a bit if it gets noisy, although i was out to the mall today and didnt feel the need to turn it down. I am a little worried of the comments some folks will make....eg Oh you mean you cant hear yet haha...and have to explain it will be a learning process that might take a few months

Are you late deafened or from birth??

feel free to drop me a pm if you dont want to talk on the main forum
Click to expand...

Thanks for your answer!

I guess it depends how you are feeling after surgery if you can go back to work early or not. Im glad to hear you were able to go back pretty soon. Would you´ve prefered to wait if it was possible?

I got my first HA when I was 7. My mom suspected I wasn´t hearing well when I was about 4. I guess I had a moderate hearing loss during my childhood. But since may teen years it has become worse. Today I´m severely/ profoundly deaf. The reason I wasn´t sure about Ci, I can still use my phone. I can manage conversations with a small group of people. So it was more about me knowing what I have and not knowing what will happen if I have an implant. But when I made my decision it feelt as huge relief!
When did you decide to go for an implant? And how do you feel now when you have a conversation with people? Maybe its to early to ask you?

Don´t worry about comments from people. You have already made an amazing journey and if people can´t see that, its their problem! But I understand your concern. Actually, Ive already told my family and my friends that it will probably take a while before I experience the full potential of my ci.
 
noomie said:
Thanks for your answer!

I guess it depends how you are feeling after surgery if you can go back to work early or not. Im glad to hear you were able to go back pretty soon. Would you´ve prefered to wait if it was possible?

I got my first HA when I was 7. My mom suspected I wasn´t hearing well when I was about 4. I guess I had a moderate hearing loss during my childhood. But since may teen years it has become worse. Today I´m severely/ profoundly deaf. The reason I wasn´t sure about Ci, I can still use my phone. I can manage conversations with a small group of people. So it was more about me knowing what I have and not knowing what will happen if I have an implant. But when I made my decision it feelt as huge relief!
When did you decide to go for an implant? And how do you feel now when you have a conversation with people? Maybe its to early to ask you?

Don´t worry about comments from people. You have already made an amazing journey and if people can´t see that, its their problem! But I understand your concern. Actually, Ive already told my family and my friends that it will probably take a while before I experience the full potential of my ci.
Click to expand...

Yah it is very much individual as to when you will feel up to going back to work. And if your job is more demanding than say an office job, you might need to wait a bit longer. I found my biggest problem was tiring quickly, likely due to not sleeping very well as every time I rolled over I would get a twinge of pain and wake up...that is gone now finally though only took about 5 weeks.

I decided to get an implant after much research. I havent been able to really use the phone for probably the past year. I am trying with the CI and the volume is great but I just need the clarity to improve, which it does day by day. I was basically limited to one on one conversations relying on lip-reading most of the time. Captions of course on TV, music and radio were out of the question.

I find that now I am much more likely to just strike up a conversation both with people I know eg co-workers, or even strangers eg salespeople. I catch parts of conversations on the other side of the office (cubicle city so no walls) and can go over and join in....before I didnt even know these conversations were taking place. My co-workers have also noticed a big improvement and end up saying stuff like...."I can't believe you can hear me from over there". It's not perfect yet, but like I said before it gets better every day.
 
How do voices sound to you? Is there a "Donald Duck" sort of factor to it, or do they sound natural?

How is your experience of music and radio now?
 
Beach girl said:
How do voices sound to you? Is there a "Donald Duck" sort of factor to it, or do they sound natural?

How is your experience of music and radio now?
Click to expand...

Believe it or not but the first week after being reimplanted and turned on, i was having the donald duck voice!
 
Back
Top