Bass is essential

Today I had my one year check up at Johns Hopkins.

Admittedly the last year has been very, very up and down for me. Let's put it this way, I've been on edge about so many things, especially with my job, my hearing, just life in general. I'm hoping 2010 holds good and better things. Every year has got to get better than the year before. Granted, I'm going to say, life for me, does indeed get better!

After all, I am engaged to get married to a great guy, which I've never thought would happen to me! More about that in another post.

Anyway-- I drove about 45 minutes. Traffic was cooperating. I hadn't been back for 6 months, but I still knew how to get there without hestiation.

I was about 15 minutes early, my kind of timing. Then my audiologist came out to get me. First thing we always do is go into the audio testing booth.  I hate these tests, it almost feels like a pass or a fail sort of thing.

First test was just sentences with just the CI. All sorts of voices. I didn't get a percentage on that, but i think i did fairly well.

Second test was sentences, and then she added about 8 db of speaking noise in the background. OHMYGOD, i thought the white noise test was difficult. This was way, way, way difficult. the way it worked was the background noise came on at the same time as the person speaking the sentences, and it was a different voice every time. I was completely blown by that. I think if the background voices were more constant, i would've been better at it.

with just the CI - i only got a 21%. UGH.

I also had told her I got new hearing aid in September. So she did the same test, with my hearing aid turned on. I got a 31%. Yeah, well it's good to know that my hearing aid is helping me, not dragging me down like it did in the July appointment.

Then the 3rd test with just the CI was just words. I got about 60%, and 80% phenomes. About the same as last time. But here's the kicker,  I hate, hate high frequencies. And i basically missed them all -
all the t's, p's, f's. UGH.

So she emphasized that we have to turn them back on. *blah* with some hestiation, she programmed the CI with the high frequencies back on. I will admit, it's not as bothersome this time around mostly because i have the hearing aid to keep the bass in check.

Get this -- with just the CI, i don't hear any bass at all. I think know this is what causes me to struggle. I like my bass. I think it plays a key part in my being able to deal with voices and noise. and it makes music that much enjoyable!

If it weren't for the new hearing aid, I would not be enjoying Glee, as I am now, just listening to the sound track. *sighs* it's quite awesome.

I also had to participate in a conference call. Get this, I didn't know who the guy was, never heard his voice before. I was just listening in on the conversation, I'm pretty sure I understood about 75% of his conversation. Women's voices are a whole 'nother ball game!

My next appointment isn't until next summer. So i've got some time. She really wants me to practice on the speakerphone. I'm so scared of the phone. I'll do video chats, but the phone. AGGGHHH it scares the crap out of me. The weird thing is, I used to be able to talk on the phone when i was a kid. But since college, I've refused to deal with the phone because i know I don't understand 50% of what the other person says. speakerphone first, then maybe the phone.

My dad will be elated! and he'll start calling me all the time. Oy. =P

1 Year Anniversary

Today marks my one year anniversary of getting the surgery for the Cochlear Implant.

What can I say?

Do I regret doing the surgery? No, I don't. I had to go through with it to satisfy my curiousity. Just sucks they had to cut into my head, and there's a bump (which the DR said would go away, it's still there)

Would I go through it again, making it bilateral? No WAY.

The only thing i think made this whole thing easier was the fact that I finally upgraded to a new hearing aid, which completely balances my hearing. Things sound so much more normal, or at least what is considered normal to me. And I'm not so much on edge anymore because of that.

The changes that have happened in my life because of the CI:
I've run 2 half marathons, and plan on doing more. Because music wasn't sounding as amazing as it used to, I had to set a goal, and doing races was the motivation for me to stay at the gym and keep at it.

my boyfriend, err.. fiancé and I communicate so much better because of it! I'm understanding things a lot more now, I'm not "FAKING" it so much anymore.

my attitude at work is so much different - i definitely find it easier to understand folks. But i almost always wait til 10 to put my CI and hearing aid on.

I've noticed that the last few days I've been "eavesdropping" on my co-workers. It's kinda weird and crazy for me to even fathom that i'll be understanding what other people are saying even when I'm not listening. It BLOWS my mind!

Now i'm still not that great in group conversations, but i'm pretty understanding of what people say when i'm talking to them one on one. I'm much more willing to attend community events - especially at my condo complex.

Though, it's not officially a year til December 31st which is when i was activated exactly a year ago.  so more to come on that update.

=)