Hearing Again - The First Week

I've been "activated" for a week now (my cochlear implant speech processor turned on) and have discovered sounds I didn't hear before, like the tumbling mechanism in doorknobs, the creak of the dinner table hinge, and the crunch of the carpet fibers.

Other sounds were a surprise to hear because I hadn't heard them in so long I'd forgotten they were there, like the ding of the car door and music in restaurants. Yesterday, after I'd ignored the phone ringing for fear of picking it up and being stuck not understanding whoever was on the other end, I noticed a regular, little buzz and asked my husband to look at the processor on my ear to see if any lights were flashing or something. He said no and then laughed as he realized what the pulsating buzz was...the message indicator on the answering machine in the office.

I did have a successful phone conversation with my mom, but not with some other people, so that was encouraging but also makes me want to keep working on hearing rehabilitation so that I can have complete functioning. We were involved in a busy 5-day missions conference this week, where I spoke several times in different "environments", and had to monitor our display table out in a busy lobby. The lobby time was a real challenge because of all the background noise and discussions going on around me. But I was pleased to be able to HAVE conversations! I felt like a butterfly coming out of her cocoon, being able to be ME again. I'm so thankful for this technology.

I was asked the other day, "What is your favorite sound?" I replied that it ISN'T loading and unloading the dishwasher...the clanking dishes and pots is so loud and annoying. I am really struggling to answer that question because nothing sounds as I know it should. My auditory memory tells me what I remember hearing from just 6 months ago and the bird calls and music coming in don't sound right yet. Don't get me wrong; I'm so glad to hear my husband's voice again, even though he sounds like Alvin of the Chipmunks. I guess my favorite sound is my sons' voices when they look me in the eye with something very important to tell me, and they're little chipmunk voices are so cute. I wish I could "bottle" them for later when they're all grown up and my speech processor has adjusted to sounding "right". I'll long to remember those little chipmunks in my house.

Just a side note: I had my third mapping (processor re-programming) at the audiologist's on Wednesday, and she was so pleased with my progress, she asked if I was planning on getting the other ear implanted. She had talked to my surgeon about my progress and felt that the processor was meeting my expectations and that I was adjusting well to my new "toy". She advised that if I thought I would ever do the other ear, I should do it sooner than later, since the more time that passes means a longer rehabilitation on the other end from lack of stimulation. And since I'm pushing to return to Africa next June, I should try to get it scheduled before the end of this year so I have enough time to do mappings with both ears. So, now we've gotten the go-ahead from our medical coverage to schedule the second surgery and are awaiting word from the audiologist about the next date.