Week 2
Last week, Monday, I had arranged to meet my two brothers, Joe and Leo, with my Dad for a coupla drinks and a few games of pool. It was my first time I've seen Joe and also the first time I've played pool since the switch-on. I was surprised in several ways as to what playing pool at the 'Pool Pit' was really like...with sound.
Firstly, I discovered that the jukebox plays random tracks, and most of them are utterly shite, nearly prompting me to switch off.
Secondly, in nature of playing doubles at pool, I never realised how much Joe tells Dad, his doubles partner, what to do: 'Ere, Dad - go for this one into this pocket and try do some backspin to set yourself up for that one, and then after that you'd be able to do THIS one and, hey presto, we can win this game'. To which my Dad quite rightly said, 'No pressure then(!)', but adding, 'Want me to pot this one first, y'say?'. God help me...
Thirdly, I was generally surprised at how the voices of everybody seem to be heard fairly loudly over the music (and over almost anything else, so far) even if that person was standing at the other end of the table. I was constantly reminded how I would never have expected this ease, giving me more confidence to interrupt conversations and say my bit, ask questions, etc - something of which I've not done for 7 or 8 years. Even Joe said, 'Blimey! Russ is joining in here...!' It felt good. Really good. Finally, I have that connection back with my own family.
Not a lot has happened this week. But I can comment on the fact that I was listening to some more Prodigy in my bedroom, upstairs. The Hi-Fi's setting was only set at 20% of it's full volume. I decided to go downstairs to get some water. As I was climbing down the stairs I was still hearing the music fairly 'loudly'. At the bottom of the stairs, I was still following the music. Through the living room, the music was still being heard! I thought I was dreaming. I checked my ears just make sure God hasn't put on a pair of headphones on my head, or that I'm suddenly an owner of an i-Pod. Nothing. I felt like I was dreaming. I finally couldn't hear the music when I got into the kitchen...but...I then switched program to it's highest setting, turned the volume dial up to it's full and then..."TSSH! BOOM! BOOM! TSSH! BOOM! TSSH! BOOM! BOOM! TSSH! BOOM...!" - I couldn't believe my...um...ear. It was a joy.
I did some refurbishment work at my Dad's house on Thursday and one of the tasks needed doing was the sand down the inside doors. Dad has a motorised, plug-in, electrical sander. I switched it on: 'BRRRRAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!' Man, switch it off! Silence....my thumb hovered over the 'On' button...I pressed it, again: 'BRRRRAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!' - OFFF!! This time; my ear piece off. There was no way I was gonna waste battery just for a load of 'BRRRRAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!'. Forget that... ;/
Oh. This weekend Hallowe'en/Guy Fawkes' time. So, lots of fireworks. It seems I hear a firework that's been set off 50 miles down the road. Not really. But there're so many different sounds from fireworks that it's almost as though it's...crap music?
This week, TV has become noticably clearer, and there are more and more words from a variety of people whom I'm beginning to rely less of the subtitles with. Conversations with the closest people in my family; Mum, Fred, Dad, is becoming easier. There are moments when I'm looking away from them, and as they speak I'm beginning to understanding them little by little. I have not tried the phone or radio this week, although I am very intrigued to see how it would work when the time comes.
This week, I went back to the C.I Centre in London for a 'mapping' session. After a few questions and a few fiddles of program settings, I was then tested in the audiology room. It was very strange listening to the sounds of the test. So strange that I sometimes wasn't sure if certain 'sounds' was actually part of the test. Maybe it's my tinnitus again - it has the tendancy to 'copy' sounds if I'm 'listening' hard. But I was told that I was hearing sounds that my hearing aids never picked up before so it could be why I wasn't sure. I was surprised to see my level of decibels was improved to as high as 25 to 45. Next time, we will do another test with the same program to see if my tolerance require a higher setting. I think Melissa/Jennifer would like to see me able to receive sounds in the 20 decibels range. Can't be entirely sure, but that would be nice!
This is it for now. Have a good week! Til next time... ;)
Firstly, I discovered that the jukebox plays random tracks, and most of them are utterly shite, nearly prompting me to switch off.
Secondly, in nature of playing doubles at pool, I never realised how much Joe tells Dad, his doubles partner, what to do: 'Ere, Dad - go for this one into this pocket and try do some backspin to set yourself up for that one, and then after that you'd be able to do THIS one and, hey presto, we can win this game'. To which my Dad quite rightly said, 'No pressure then(!)', but adding, 'Want me to pot this one first, y'say?'. God help me...
Thirdly, I was generally surprised at how the voices of everybody seem to be heard fairly loudly over the music (and over almost anything else, so far) even if that person was standing at the other end of the table. I was constantly reminded how I would never have expected this ease, giving me more confidence to interrupt conversations and say my bit, ask questions, etc - something of which I've not done for 7 or 8 years. Even Joe said, 'Blimey! Russ is joining in here...!' It felt good. Really good. Finally, I have that connection back with my own family.
Not a lot has happened this week. But I can comment on the fact that I was listening to some more Prodigy in my bedroom, upstairs. The Hi-Fi's setting was only set at 20% of it's full volume. I decided to go downstairs to get some water. As I was climbing down the stairs I was still hearing the music fairly 'loudly'. At the bottom of the stairs, I was still following the music. Through the living room, the music was still being heard! I thought I was dreaming. I checked my ears just make sure God hasn't put on a pair of headphones on my head, or that I'm suddenly an owner of an i-Pod. Nothing. I felt like I was dreaming. I finally couldn't hear the music when I got into the kitchen...but...I then switched program to it's highest setting, turned the volume dial up to it's full and then..."TSSH! BOOM! BOOM! TSSH! BOOM! TSSH! BOOM! BOOM! TSSH! BOOM...!" - I couldn't believe my...um...ear. It was a joy.
I did some refurbishment work at my Dad's house on Thursday and one of the tasks needed doing was the sand down the inside doors. Dad has a motorised, plug-in, electrical sander. I switched it on: 'BRRRRAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!' Man, switch it off! Silence....my thumb hovered over the 'On' button...I pressed it, again: 'BRRRRAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!' - OFFF!! This time; my ear piece off. There was no way I was gonna waste battery just for a load of 'BRRRRAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!'. Forget that... ;/
Oh. This weekend Hallowe'en/Guy Fawkes' time. So, lots of fireworks. It seems I hear a firework that's been set off 50 miles down the road. Not really. But there're so many different sounds from fireworks that it's almost as though it's...crap music?
This week, TV has become noticably clearer, and there are more and more words from a variety of people whom I'm beginning to rely less of the subtitles with. Conversations with the closest people in my family; Mum, Fred, Dad, is becoming easier. There are moments when I'm looking away from them, and as they speak I'm beginning to understanding them little by little. I have not tried the phone or radio this week, although I am very intrigued to see how it would work when the time comes.
This week, I went back to the C.I Centre in London for a 'mapping' session. After a few questions and a few fiddles of program settings, I was then tested in the audiology room. It was very strange listening to the sounds of the test. So strange that I sometimes wasn't sure if certain 'sounds' was actually part of the test. Maybe it's my tinnitus again - it has the tendancy to 'copy' sounds if I'm 'listening' hard. But I was told that I was hearing sounds that my hearing aids never picked up before so it could be why I wasn't sure. I was surprised to see my level of decibels was improved to as high as 25 to 45. Next time, we will do another test with the same program to see if my tolerance require a higher setting. I think Melissa/Jennifer would like to see me able to receive sounds in the 20 decibels range. Can't be entirely sure, but that would be nice!
This is it for now. Have a good week! Til next time... ;)
posted by nopplish at
7:19 pm
3 Comments:
Yo Russ! I am really intrigued by how your hearing will turn out in the 'end'. You make me feel like getting one, but I don't know if it can ever work out for me. There are lot of 'what if' at play.
Thanks for sharing your experience with the implant thus far!
By
Anonymous, at 9:16 am
Hi Russ! It was amazing reading your blog. I'm adding a link in my blog to yours as I'm sure more people would be interested in reading about you!
I can actually feel the excitement in you, that feeling I had just a few weeks ago. Some things are becoming slightly jaded now because I'm getting used to not being 'deaf' anymore, or rather, being able to hear again.
I couldn't but help look at the comment Hulk wrote. Hulk - if we had to go for what if's only, we'd still be living in caves eating raw meat. Go for it, at least get evaluated and see if you can actually go for it. Good luck!
By
IvanC, at 1:02 pm
Aye, Ivan, it's certainly been an exciting couple of weeks!
I can't imagine what the potential outcome must be like if people say the CI keeps improving! There must be a limit?
Hulk, for you to gain a C.I would entirely depend on how old you are, how well you understand everyday sounds and your desire to hear again. It is obvious the desire to hear again will be a huge factor toward a C.I being a success for you.
I have a friend, who I asked permission to post this comment, who claims to say he understood around about 20-30% of speech with his hearing aids, all throughout his childhood. General sounds for him, such as birds singing, wind, rain, cars, buses, tannoys/announcements; everything, weren't very clear, if at all noticable.
At the age of 17, he was granted a CI. 8 years on, he now claims to understand around 40-50% of speech, despite picking up sounds in the 10-20 decibel range. Although this is probably considered not a huge improvement in terms of quality, it's an improvement for him, nonetheless.
My friend is glad to have been granted the CI as it has improved his perception of everyday sounds. Most importantly, he feels safer having whatever sounds approach him, whether it be a car or bus, knowing he is part of the environment.
Having said that, the quality of his life has improved. So, for you to gain a CI, you'd have to think about whether the improvement of quality of sounds, or not, would benefit you in the long term.
Like Ivan says, if the human species' decisions of life was entirely based on 'What if's then we'd still be cavemen. I agree with Ivan that you should go ahead with the CI assessments and see where you stand. But at the end of the day, it boils down to your desire to hear again.
Good luck, mate!
Russ.
By
nopplish, at 2:27 pm
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