Monday 28th April 2008 - Tuning and Go karting

Another tuning session this morning. I also got my silver speech processor back too. Sounds were louder and the spectrum was extended as I had some more bass.

We went Go Karting tonight, it was difficult to put the helmet on without the magnet falling off, one of my friends helped me put the helmet on and then it was ok, but as I was still on a weak magnet, it kept falling off inside my helmet on the last lap of each Go kart race I did which was so annoying as then I couldn't hear anything.

Thursday 24th April 2008 - the first thunderstorm

Better than yesterday, but the CI got me down again as I still struggle to understand speech in a normal everyday environment. We had a thunderstorm this morning and I could not hear the thunder with the implant. Don’t know why. We even had hail and when my CI microphone was next to the window, I could hear the hail on the window.

Wednesday 23rd April 2008 - A better day.

Much much better day. Everything back to normal again. But the CI was still getting me down as I cannot understand speech nor join in group conversation…that really annoys me and I don't know how to deal with this. Two of my colleagues who are good friends were extremely supportive and mentioned to me that its ok, and that it’s normal to feel down sometimes with the CI as it is a new experience and a very very steep learning curve. They also reminded me that learning to understand speech in everyday environments and following group conversations will still be difficult as I have never heard, but reminded me that I am doing really well with the CI so far and that I should be proud. We did listening exercises and speech practice again tonight.

Tuesday 22nd April 2008 - A VERY frustrating day!

What a FRUSTRATING day!!! What is the problem? I STILL can’t follow what people say between two or more people. I don’t know whether it’s me or them? Is it cos I am aware of more chat going on (that I was aware of before) and therefore more stuff to be frustrated about because I still can't follow / pick up what they are saying? Or are other people expecting me to hear and hence making less of an effort for example in an evening group get together I went to last night? Also I am picking up some sounds that I have not got a clue about. My computer at work keeps interfering with my CI and nobody knows anything about it and neither do I. Some environmental sounds I can make sense of, only few, but alot of it I just can’t. I just feel so tired and down. I feel so much more frustrated than before as I am trying to integrate and I am stuck in the middle. To make matters worst, when I got home, typetalk (the telephone relay system for Deaf people) REFUSED to work tonight so therefore was totally unable to speak to my Mum and my friends when I needed them most!! I just cried tonight. I felt communication just had barriers all day and I really felt I wish I wasn’t deaf. A frustrating day not to be repeated!!

Sunday 20th April 2008 - Swinging thru the trees at Go Ape

Today I did Go Ape with three friends today. For those who don't know what Go Ape is, it is a high wire rope assault course consisting of rope ladders, different rope bridges, tarzan swings and zip wires in the tree tops. During the briefing the instructor wore the transmitter and one of my friends interpreted for me into BSL to make sure I got all the information and another friend had to make sure that I was watching a few times. Then once we had completed Site 1 (there are 5 altogether and get more hard and challenging - site 5 is the hardest and most challenging), one of my friends then went and collected the transmitter from the instructor and then he put it on. Up on the rope bridges across the other sites, at least this friend can get my attention to tell me things like if I have hooked myself on the safety system the wrong way round etc. It really made communication easier even though he always remained next to me. It even worked when I had landed safely from the zip wire and I was able to hear him from 120m away and up in the tree tops. There was one sentence that he said “Can you hear me?” I just about managed to pick that up without lip-reading from 120 metres and I tried to give a visual indication to say “yes”.

I was worried about my processor falling off whilst I was up in the tree tops as below you on the forest floor is undergrowth and it would be impossible to find your processor if it fell. I secured the processor onto my ear using a huggie and then I wore one of those Austrailan Buff head bands to secure the magnet and also to protect the area where the internal part of the implant is from knocking on the pulley and safety wire. I also used one of those Phonak kiddie clips to extra secure my processor to my clothing. Therefore there was no problem.

Wednesday 9th April 2008 - Breakthrough!

Advancement made today!! Had speech and listening session with a colleague after work this evening. Since last week, I had been plugging the cochlear implant processor into the radio aid system that I was already using with my hearing aid in my left ear. My colleague had the FM Genie transmitter and I had the CI plugged into the receiver. We did the syllable exercises with the CI through the FM system and it was far too easy!! So my colleague came up with a few simple sentences that were not written down and I GOT part of the sentences!! Some I got straight away and others I had to ask for repetition before I got it and took some guesswork, and some I didn’t get at all. That was achievement which I found quite amazing. And that was cos we used the transmitter and they were very very simple sentences with a few simple words. Anyway we shall see how this speech discrimination gets on. Was completely stunned as I drove home tonight.

But I don’t always hear the trolley bell!!!

Saturday 5th April - Sunday 6th April 2008

Went for a walk in the High Peaks somewhere and I still can't follow family conversation. I still couldn’t hear things in the countryside like sheep and planes.

Wednesday 2nd April 2008 - Outside my back door!!

Today got another shock as I left the house this morning via my back door. As I was locking my back door I became aware of some other sounds “chchchch” “tweet tweet tweet” “chirp chirp chirp” all at different levels and different times. Then I looked around and realised that it was birds that I was hearing. I was so shocked, I never knew that it was so noisy out there!! And I have been living in this house for 4 years now too!!