Experiences with my daughter.

[deafdyke]

That is awesome, but on the other hand most hearing people tend to unconciously modify their voices when talking to dhh people. It's a cool sign, but I mean, that doesn't mean that kids and people with CI will be able to understand everyone 100% orally. I mean, with hearing aids, I can listen to a lot of my professors, but with other people, I'm like "WTF did you say?"

 

[highlands]

.... I mean, with hearing aids, I can listen to a lot of my professors, but with other people, I'm like "WTF did you say?"

Same here. I can only understand good enough speech of some people I know well .

 

[momtotoes]

Restroom conversation..
Yesterday, the kids and I went to the cinema. Lotte and I went to the bathroom before the film started. She went into the one next to me. Doors closed (both booths entirely closed as well), and we had a conversation!
Even though the accoustics were lousy, sound from far away and no eyecontact, she understood perfectly well what I was saying and would answer all my questions!

Mous, when I read the blog earlier today, I thought Cloggy took Lotte into the bathroom.

Now this makes more sense!

I thought maybe it was a girls and boys bathroom.

What movie did you see?

 

[Cloggy]

Mous, when I read the blog earlier today, I thought Cloggy took Lotte into the bathroom.

Now this makes more sense!

I thought maybe it was a girls and boys bathroom.

What movie did you see?

Heh, I take my girl to the bathroom as well.. just not this time... being 500km away from home (offshore, drilling a new well.)
They (Mous and our 3 kids) went to "Over the Hedge"... kids loved it.

 

[Cloggy]

Another picture of the BTE-bags..

A safetypin us used to secure it. Nowadays, I sewed the safetypin on the bag. On the picture the flap of the bag goes through it. (Flap secures with velcro.) The microphone is sticking out.​

 

[Cloggy]

Blog updated

 

[Victorias mom]

Ask away...always glad to help...there are no dumb questions when it comes to understanding CI issues.

I do pretty well in a crowded room (better said when everybody is gabbing). I do have to focus more but not like my HA days where I would get exhausted after a 1/2 hr of it. In fact, I probably could listen all day in that kind of environment with my CI. This is not so much a "problem" from a CI standpoint as it is from a brain standpoint. What I mean is that some people make better sense of "noisy" environments and can hear more than others who cannot. A CI can help but it all comes down to the ability of the person using the CI. The audiologist couldn't understand how I did so well in a "noisy" sound sentence test to the point it was nearly equal to a quiet sentence test. I told her I'm not sure myself except that I do patterns superbly and sentences are nothing but patterns. Having another CI (being bilateral) would help with this situation for sure. For me, it isn't really an issue as long as one remembers the better side...

To answer you other question, I can hear up/down floors from another person on a different floor. They don't have to "yell" either. It just depends on the ambeit noise level at the time. If it is quiet, they just have to say it normally or a little louder (project their voice a little) and I got the message. If there is some noise in the background (like the kids talking or whatever), then the person has to talk louder and/or I have to get closer. Nothing different than normal hearing people. This has been one of the nicest aspect for me using a CI and being able to do that.

One other thing, being bilateral gives some benefit "locating" sounds but nothing like normal hearing. I have been a "one ear bandit" forever (never used my left ear for hearing) that I have long learned to locate most sounds by logic instead. So, that doesn't tempt me in considering a second CI. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph neither does listening in a crowded or noisy environment as I can handle that on one CI as well.

So, it really comes down preference more than anything else.

I do want to say I believe the seriously visually impaired folks are most justified in getting two CIs. Everybody else it is a "luxury" in my opinion.

Thank you for all the information! I am learning so much from you guys.

Thanks

 

[momtotoes]

Actually, I believe she's a very old spirit, allowed to come back one more time to this world. She picked us, we're honoured.

Cloggy, this is how we feel about our Toes!

 

[Cloggy]

Blog updated

Having a bright you lady in the family that knows what she wants and is not afraid to demand it is wonderful.... It is helping her tremendously now and she will have great benefit of it later in life....
But obviously it has it's downsides.
She has a very good idea about what she wants to wear. And most of the times it is something not chosen by her mother. (allmost by default ?)
We allready made the concession that when clean clothes are to be chosen, she can pick from two sets. This will give her enough feeling that it is her choice that she will agree.
However, yesterday she was told to wear the same clothes today (poor child... ). However, she managed to dive into the closet and find a clean pair of pants. Since this would be the first hurdle of the day - we chose to look the other way. And as expected, the second hurdle was no problem. This is "how to wear her hair".
When hurdle one (cloths) has finally been taken (this can take some time, unlike today) hurdle two grows proportionally.

Today... it went smoothly. (see picture above)

Her stubburness can have something to do with her intelligence. Even though she hears a lot, there must still be a lot of moments that she realises that she doesn't understand what's going on. She knows she's missing something.
Her way to handle this is to have very fixed ways of behaving and any deviation from this can cause a demand in returning to HER way of things.

An example was today in the pre-school. Marieke brought her and instead of leaving the normal way, she left via another door. (She had to go to the admin to talk with the leader of the school) For Lotte, this was totally "out of the normal" and she reacted strongly to that. Refusing to let her mother go.
After calming her down, leaving through the "correct" door, Marieke entered the school through another door.

But it indicates Lottes strong sense to have everything in order.

Obviously, there could be another reason than a "feeling of missing something". But if this is the case, what when she had been deaf without CI.
Se would have had even more the feeling of missing something. She would be able to communicate fine with us - her parents - and her siblings. Also with the other children in the kindergarten that know sign. But she would have missed out in communication with her grandparents, with our friends, and with her siblings when the three of them watch television or a DVD.
Would she have reacted in the same way. Would she have been earlier with these kind of responses? We will never know.

What we do know is that we have a deaf girl that has no problem explaining to strangers what happened today, what she ate, the drawings she made ect. (For the strangers, understanding might have been a challenge..)
This happened yesterday as well, on the school where her siblings go. There was a celebration and Lotte chatted with everyone willing to listen.. She enjoyed herself the whole evening..

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

Lotte is really adorable and beautiful!

 

[momtotoes]

She knows she's missing something.
Her way to handle this is to have very fixed ways of behaving and any deviation from this can cause a demand in returning to HER way of things.

Oh, my goodness, Cloggy… this brought tears to my eyes. You just described Toes almost to a T.

She becomes very upset when anything is out of order, or if there is the slightest change to her schedule. If I leave a cupboard door or drawer open, she closes it. If it is a door that is out of her reach, she points and insists on it being closed until someone closes it.

If I hand her a comb or brush in the morning to occupy her while I get ready for work, she is not happy until she can put it into the *correct* drawer in the bathroom vanity. She will try to physically push me aside to get to the drawer.

If the normal AM daycare teacher is on vacation and the Mid-AM teacher is there in her place, she becomes very upset. Even though she actually prefers the Mid-AM teacher.

It never occurred to me that her almost obsessive tendency for schedule and order could have anything to do with her deafness. And this behavior started over the last 4 months or so – when her peers at daycare begin communicating verbally with each other and she began missing out on things.

 

[momtotoes]

Sorry for hijacking your thread……… I am just so amazed at how Erin’s experiences are mirroring Lotte’s. I can't help but comment.

I look at your little girl and see so much joy in her! She is a special girl.

 

[Cloggy]

Oh, my goodness, Cloggy… this brought tears to my eyes. You just described Toes almost to a T.

She becomes very upset when anything is out of order, or if there is the slightest change to her schedule. If I leave a cupboard door or drawer open, she closes it. If it is a door that is out of her reach, she points and insists on it being closed until someone closes it.

If I hand her a comb or brush in the morning to occupy her while I get ready for work, she is not happy until she can put it into the *correct* drawer in the bathroom vanity. She will try to physically push me aside to get to the drawer.

If the normal AM daycare teacher is on vacation and the Mid-AM teacher is there in her place, she becomes very upset. Even though she actually prefers the Mid-AM teacher.

It never occurred to me that her almost obsessive tendency for schedule and order could have anything to do with her deafness. And this behavior started over the last 4 months or so – when her peers at daycare begin communicating verbally with each other and she began missing out on things.

It's nice to hear that it's not just Lotte.
The "closing doors" brought a smile to my face.
My wife feels a lot better after your post

 

[Ephesians2_8]

What kind of camera do you have? She is a beautiful angel, and you are very blessed. The Lord knew what he was doing when he allow you to raise her.

 

[Ephesians2_8]

It's nice to hear that it's not just Lotte.
The "closing doors" brought a smile to my face.
My wife feels a lot better after your post

My 5 years old son is like that too, but he is hearing.

 

[Cloggy]

My 5 years old son is like that too, but he is hearing.

True, it happens with all children. Her deafness doesn't have to be the reason.
However, we have two older children that are not like that. Again, that means nothing, but it gives a good insite in how these little creatures operate

We do feel that her compulsive search for order has something to do with "missing out on communication".

And that is OK. It's up to us to make sure that our children are included in our lives, and that they are not standing on the side.
We see Lotte's signals and react accordingly..

 

[Cloggy]

What kind of camera do you have? She is a beautiful angel, and you are very blessed. The Lord knew what he was doing when he allow you to raise her.

It's an EOS "Rebel" (digital camera)

And The Lord...
I believe she's an old spirit that was allowed to get back to earth again... and she chose us.
We're honoured....

 

[Phillips]

Your girl is soo pretty! My friend s daughter is very happy with her CI.. She got Ci when she was 4 years old and now soon teenage.. She is thankful her mother for CI so I am sure when your girl grows up and thank to you ! She says She can hear my horse's neighs and other many but I don't? heh

 

[Ephesians2_8]

It's an EOS "Rebel" (digital camera)

And The Lord...
I believe she's an old spirit that was allowed to get back to earth again... and she chose us.
We're honoured....

Thanks

(I don't believe in old spirits, because If there are old spirits, they must have a beginning somewhere, and with the population growing, old spirits must be growing too. Anyway, thats just how I feel so don't respond to it. I don't want to start a debate on this thread)

 

[momtotoes]

It's an EOS "Rebel" (digital camera)

I have been wanting one of these very much! I have the non-digital version and haven't pulled it out of the closet in years.

I believe she's an old spirit that was allowed to get back to earth again... and she chose us.
We're honoured....

I've said this before, but this is very much how we feel about Toes.

These are very special creatures, our girls.