About three weeks ago while having lunch with a friend I looked in my purse for my CI remote and couldn't find it. I figured I had left it at home in the charger. (I don't use it often.) Occasionally, during the next couple of weeks, I thought about it and glanced superficially around, wondering where it was. Then I got more serious about it. Where could it be?
I searched in every pocketbook I'd used over the last several months, in every coat pocket and pants pocket, in all the drawers I ever would have thought to put it in, even in my husband's suit pockets and I could not find it. So today I went to five restaurants and coffee shops I'd been in since I had noticed it "missing"--to no avail. I stopped at a temple where I had attended a Bar Mitzvah recently and was shown through their lost-and-found--to no avail. I emailed four people who had stayed with us recently, asking if they had possibly taken it home by mistake--to no avail.
I was beginning to panic.
But tonight as I was changing stuff from one pocketbook to another just before we went out "all dressed up" I pulled it out of a hidden pocket in my everyday purse. It had been covered over by something and I didn't realize there was a pocket there, so I missed it the first time. What a relief!
I will be more careful from here on out.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
A CI Moment at the Museum
Last week a friend and I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the Van Gogh exhibit. I donned an audio tour, wondering whether I'd be able to hear more of the commentary than I had with only my hearing aids. I could!
Putting the earphones in my ears, like hearing people do, did not work. I had to hold the right earphone and move it around until I located the "sweet spot"--near my CI microphones. Then I had to hold it in place there whenever I hit the play button to hear the commentary about a new painting. I could have handled it a bit more easily if I had been an octopus, but I managed with my two hands. It was a pleasure!
Other than that, things are pretty much the same. The spot behind my ear still hurts, especially when I remove the processor, but not as much as it did before. Acquaintances I bump into are still surprised to learn how little I heard before my CI and how much more I can hear now. I am still doing very well, but I don't hear everything and I do need to ask for repeats sometimes. And I am still counting my blessings.
Putting the earphones in my ears, like hearing people do, did not work. I had to hold the right earphone and move it around until I located the "sweet spot"--near my CI microphones. Then I had to hold it in place there whenever I hit the play button to hear the commentary about a new painting. I could have handled it a bit more easily if I had been an octopus, but I managed with my two hands. It was a pleasure!
Other than that, things are pretty much the same. The spot behind my ear still hurts, especially when I remove the processor, but not as much as it did before. Acquaintances I bump into are still surprised to learn how little I heard before my CI and how much more I can hear now. I am still doing very well, but I don't hear everything and I do need to ask for repeats sometimes. And I am still counting my blessings.
Friday, March 16, 2012
A New Marker
It's been a while since I've posted but today's activity seems an appropriate marker to report. We went to our first orchestra concert since my implant, this one featuring a violin soloist in Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1. Let me confess that I do not have much expertise in classical music, so I do not know exactly what to expect when I listen to the orchestra's selections. I would not know if they skipped a few segments or if they played "too fast" or anything. I just enjoy what I hear, usually.
Tonight we were sitting in the Conductor's Circle at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. That means that we were sitting behind and above the orchestra, watching the conductor's face and arms and looking down on the musicians. That also means that the violin soloist had her back to us and was playing toward the audience.
I believe I heard everything they played, with the exception of the first notes of the violin concerto before the soloist began. I heard her, just not what must have gone on during a brief silence (to me) before she began to play. I even heard her playing high notes in second and third positions on her high E string. That is amazing! Prior to my implant I would not have heard that. In fact, one incident that showed me how "deaf" I was was when we were at a chamber music concert and the violinist was playing solo, wildly moving his bow across the strings, and I heard nothing. He was a pantomime.
Once again, I realize how very lucky I am.
I find that in general I am doing quite well, hearing maybe 80% of what comes my way. I do ask for repeats sometimes but people interacting with me for the first time since my implant are shocked at the difference.
I can use both my cell phone and my regular phone, usually having the best results when I hold the receiver against my ear like people without hearing problems do. I think I do slightly better on my cell phone but I can succeed on either one. When I am sitting at my desk and answer my CapTel phone and see the captions come up, it is difficult for me to just listen and not look at them. Then I often get confused because I am hearing one thing and reading another. I'm better off not to look at the captions.
I no longer hesitate to answer the phone when it is ringing, no matter which phone I am near. And I make appointments with much less trepidation and work my way through some of those "if you want..., press..." messages successfully. I feel myself coming out of my shell.
I hear birds chirping when I am outside and now wish I had paid more attention to what different kinds sound like so I could identify what I am hearing. Maybe I'll work on that this summer.
I still have not figured out how to use my Kindle Touch to have books read to me while I have the text available on the screen. The first book I ordered didn't have any text, so I just listened to it. The second book I ordered didn't have the Text to Speech capability (that's up to the publisher, I now understand) so I am just reading it. When I finish reading this one (my Book Club is going to discuss it soon), I'll have to contact Kindle or Amazon and find out how I can tell what to expect before I order a book. I still believe it should work and should be a good way to practice listening.
Once again, I'll be silent here for a while until I feel there's something worth reporting. Be well.
Tonight we were sitting in the Conductor's Circle at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. That means that we were sitting behind and above the orchestra, watching the conductor's face and arms and looking down on the musicians. That also means that the violin soloist had her back to us and was playing toward the audience.
I believe I heard everything they played, with the exception of the first notes of the violin concerto before the soloist began. I heard her, just not what must have gone on during a brief silence (to me) before she began to play. I even heard her playing high notes in second and third positions on her high E string. That is amazing! Prior to my implant I would not have heard that. In fact, one incident that showed me how "deaf" I was was when we were at a chamber music concert and the violinist was playing solo, wildly moving his bow across the strings, and I heard nothing. He was a pantomime.
Once again, I realize how very lucky I am.
I find that in general I am doing quite well, hearing maybe 80% of what comes my way. I do ask for repeats sometimes but people interacting with me for the first time since my implant are shocked at the difference.
I can use both my cell phone and my regular phone, usually having the best results when I hold the receiver against my ear like people without hearing problems do. I think I do slightly better on my cell phone but I can succeed on either one. When I am sitting at my desk and answer my CapTel phone and see the captions come up, it is difficult for me to just listen and not look at them. Then I often get confused because I am hearing one thing and reading another. I'm better off not to look at the captions.
I no longer hesitate to answer the phone when it is ringing, no matter which phone I am near. And I make appointments with much less trepidation and work my way through some of those "if you want..., press..." messages successfully. I feel myself coming out of my shell.
I hear birds chirping when I am outside and now wish I had paid more attention to what different kinds sound like so I could identify what I am hearing. Maybe I'll work on that this summer.
I still have not figured out how to use my Kindle Touch to have books read to me while I have the text available on the screen. The first book I ordered didn't have any text, so I just listened to it. The second book I ordered didn't have the Text to Speech capability (that's up to the publisher, I now understand) so I am just reading it. When I finish reading this one (my Book Club is going to discuss it soon), I'll have to contact Kindle or Amazon and find out how I can tell what to expect before I order a book. I still believe it should work and should be a good way to practice listening.
Once again, I'll be silent here for a while until I feel there's something worth reporting. Be well.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Remote problem again
My Remote froze on Saturday evening, for the second time. When I reached Cochlear America customer service today, the technician walked me through the process of restarting it. So it is functioning again at this point. He said that if this happens a third time, they will send me a new remote.
I did not panic this time because I realized that my CI was still able to work, although I did not know how to switch its programs without the remote. That did not seem to be a major problem. I believe my CI stayed in the Noise Program from Saturday evening until this afternoon, but I heard well and was not bothered by the difference.
I finally figured out how to us my Kindle the way I had originally intended to: listening to the book while having the pages open in front of me so that I can look if I need to. I need to buy regular books (with words and pages), not Audible books (without words or pages). Then I need to use the Text to Voice mechanism on the Kindle to have the book read to me. I'll try that out as soon as I finish listening to The Help and understanding as much as I can without seeing any of the words. I am nowhere near 100% in that endeavor. In fact, I am struggling to follow the story.
I still find the telephone a challenge. I can hear, and I have had successful conversations on my cell phone, but when I am seated at my desk I still tend to look at the captions. I think they have become a kind of crutch for me and I need to wean myself off of them and try to focus on what I am hearing, not what I am seeing. I'm working on that.
I did not panic this time because I realized that my CI was still able to work, although I did not know how to switch its programs without the remote. That did not seem to be a major problem. I believe my CI stayed in the Noise Program from Saturday evening until this afternoon, but I heard well and was not bothered by the difference.
I finally figured out how to us my Kindle the way I had originally intended to: listening to the book while having the pages open in front of me so that I can look if I need to. I need to buy regular books (with words and pages), not Audible books (without words or pages). Then I need to use the Text to Voice mechanism on the Kindle to have the book read to me. I'll try that out as soon as I finish listening to The Help and understanding as much as I can without seeing any of the words. I am nowhere near 100% in that endeavor. In fact, I am struggling to follow the story.
I still find the telephone a challenge. I can hear, and I have had successful conversations on my cell phone, but when I am seated at my desk I still tend to look at the captions. I think they have become a kind of crutch for me and I need to wean myself off of them and try to focus on what I am hearing, not what I am seeing. I'm working on that.
Friday, February 17, 2012
On to a new stage
Today I met with my audiologist again. She tested my comprehension (soundfield testing). Her comment to me when it was all over was that I am doing amazingly well. To have my scores at this stage (2 months after implant) is terrific. For those who will know what the percentage scores mean, I reached 91% in quiet, 59% in some noise, and 34% in lots of noise. For the monosyllables, I was at 72% for words, and 85% for phonemes. The bottom line is that I am supposed to continue doing what I have been doing, practicing everything I've been practicing, and not see her again until May, unless a problem arises. She believes I will continue to have improvement.
So I think I will do much less frequent posting to my blog. I don't think there will be that much to say.
To bring you a bit more up to date, though, I have been listening to music with my music program and with my regular program, and I have come to the conclusion that I do better with my regular program. My audiologist said that makes sense to her. To add more particulars, I have listened to Tom Paxton, Gordon Lightfoot, Joan Baez, and Judy Collins (from the sixties folk music scene) and enjoyed all their songs. I was familiar with all those I listened to. I also listened to Hadda Brooks and to the songs Jodie Picoult wrote to go with her new book, Sing You Home. I was somewhat familiar with those. I also listened to the sound track from The English Patient. For all those I must say I was very successful. The music sounded very much like it did when I had normal hearing. However, when I tried Chris Botti, I found the trumpet sounds very tinny and weird. Furthermore, when I listened to a classical CD featuring Midori (the violinist), I did not succeed. I could not find the high notes and so it was sort of like a mishmosh. When I was watching my hearing disappear earlier in my life, it was a violinist's high notes that made that change clearest to me. During one chamber music concert, for example, when the violinist took the solo part, it was totally like a pantomime to me. I heard nothing, but I could see her gesturing wildly.
I was also able to understand an interview my daughter had had before my CI was activated, that I couldn't understand when it was live. I played the taped version last night and could understand everything that was said: Brian Lehrer speaking directly from the studio, my daughter on the phone from a hotel in Chicago to the studio in NYC, and listeners on a variety of other phones. I was very happy.
In fact, in general I am very happy. I can barely believe how well I can understand at this point and I am extremely thankful for all those who helped me get here.
So I think I will do much less frequent posting to my blog. I don't think there will be that much to say.
To bring you a bit more up to date, though, I have been listening to music with my music program and with my regular program, and I have come to the conclusion that I do better with my regular program. My audiologist said that makes sense to her. To add more particulars, I have listened to Tom Paxton, Gordon Lightfoot, Joan Baez, and Judy Collins (from the sixties folk music scene) and enjoyed all their songs. I was familiar with all those I listened to. I also listened to Hadda Brooks and to the songs Jodie Picoult wrote to go with her new book, Sing You Home. I was somewhat familiar with those. I also listened to the sound track from The English Patient. For all those I must say I was very successful. The music sounded very much like it did when I had normal hearing. However, when I tried Chris Botti, I found the trumpet sounds very tinny and weird. Furthermore, when I listened to a classical CD featuring Midori (the violinist), I did not succeed. I could not find the high notes and so it was sort of like a mishmosh. When I was watching my hearing disappear earlier in my life, it was a violinist's high notes that made that change clearest to me. During one chamber music concert, for example, when the violinist took the solo part, it was totally like a pantomime to me. I heard nothing, but I could see her gesturing wildly.
I was also able to understand an interview my daughter had had before my CI was activated, that I couldn't understand when it was live. I played the taped version last night and could understand everything that was said: Brian Lehrer speaking directly from the studio, my daughter on the phone from a hotel in Chicago to the studio in NYC, and listeners on a variety of other phones. I was very happy.
In fact, in general I am very happy. I can barely believe how well I can understand at this point and I am extremely thankful for all those who helped me get here.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
A shift in gears
Today I shifted gears with my listening practice. I decided that I am wasting my time listening to the ESL stories because I can understand more than 98% of what they say. So I brought back my Kindle with The Help as an audio book and started listening--without any words in front of me. The narrator speaks with a Southern Black dialect and I cannot understand every word but I am able to follow much of what she says. (I did read the book about nine months ago so I know the basic story.) I believe that if I continue to listen to this story without reading any of it I will improve my comprehension. So that's my plan.
Last night I attended a board meeting for an organization I am active in. There are usually between 10 and 15 people at these meetings. For the last year or so I have spent much of my time at these meetings frantically looking around the table to see who is speaking. I have had no chance at understanding much of what was being said and so I have volunteered little on my own. Well, last night I understood almost everything that was said, even from a man whose face was full of beard. That was a major improvement.
I'm working on using my land line with my CI. I find I can hear some of what's said when I hold the receiver slightly above my CI. Doing that and looking at my captions means that I can just carry on a conversation, not very smoothly, but I can just about do it--with a few requests for repeats. I do find that the quality of my conversations on my cell phone vary, too. Sometimes I just need to turn around a bit to make the contact better but sometimes it is just not as easy as at other times and I don't know why. Perhaps I'll figure it out over time. Meanwhile I am practicing using the phone a lot.
Last night I attended a board meeting for an organization I am active in. There are usually between 10 and 15 people at these meetings. For the last year or so I have spent much of my time at these meetings frantically looking around the table to see who is speaking. I have had no chance at understanding much of what was being said and so I have volunteered little on my own. Well, last night I understood almost everything that was said, even from a man whose face was full of beard. That was a major improvement.
I'm working on using my land line with my CI. I find I can hear some of what's said when I hold the receiver slightly above my CI. Doing that and looking at my captions means that I can just carry on a conversation, not very smoothly, but I can just about do it--with a few requests for repeats. I do find that the quality of my conversations on my cell phone vary, too. Sometimes I just need to turn around a bit to make the contact better but sometimes it is just not as easy as at other times and I don't know why. Perhaps I'll figure it out over time. Meanwhile I am practicing using the phone a lot.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles
Last night I tried talking on a regular cell phone. It worked!!! With my CI side, I understood what my fast-talking daughter on the other coast was saying to me! Then I called at least another dozen people and understood them all. Yes, each one sounded like Minnie Mouse, but I could comprehend almost all of what each one said. I could not believe it. I am thrilled beyond belief! I feel a new-found freedom.
I was pressed to try the cell phone because my computer system was down, and with it my captioned phones. So I felt I couldn't talk on the phone and I couldn't get the emails I thought were trying to reach me, several of them very important. I also couldn't practice listening. Then I remembered that my audi had said on Friday that for phone use, cell phones would probably work best. So I used my husband's to call him here in the house and could hear him. Then I went on to the greater world. I had trouble stopping!
I had a couple of other newsworthy events yesterday. I walked to the dentist's and I think I heard birds chirping as I was walking. When I was there my dentist donned his mask, of course, and I was able to understand everything he said anyway. I am making amazing progress.
I was pressed to try the cell phone because my computer system was down, and with it my captioned phones. So I felt I couldn't talk on the phone and I couldn't get the emails I thought were trying to reach me, several of them very important. I also couldn't practice listening. Then I remembered that my audi had said on Friday that for phone use, cell phones would probably work best. So I used my husband's to call him here in the house and could hear him. Then I went on to the greater world. I had trouble stopping!
I had a couple of other newsworthy events yesterday. I walked to the dentist's and I think I heard birds chirping as I was walking. When I was there my dentist donned his mask, of course, and I was able to understand everything he said anyway. I am making amazing progress.
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