Welcome to "LITTLE TAKES ON LIFE"
I will be talking about being a mom and wife, my journey through a Cochlear Implant, to my environmental and sustainability passion, anything that I feel could bring living in this world a little easier for my audience!
A little of this and a little of that! Simple, easy, and hopefully someplace you will find as part of your day.
For the first time in years I heard the sound of cellphones ringing on TV. :D
Let's see what else is new? Hmmm oh... the cling of the light pull on the bedroom end table lamp against the light. I never knew what those sounded like.
The clicking of my laptop mouse... It's not silent after all.
The Scene: In a salon, a woman sits down in a
chair and removes the towel from her wet hair. She puts her hearing
aids back in and looks at herself in the mirror, chatting to the
stylist.
Tell me honestly, do my hearing aids show? I mean, like a lot?
I know I’ve always worn my hair long to cover my big ones – my big hearing aids, I mean. They felt like two huge satellite dishes on the sides of my head, and people would stare, you know? Well, it felt like they were staring; I guess sometimes it was just me being insecure – but other times they were definitely staring.
Even with these new smaller ones, some people aren’t too subtle – and I’m not talking children. I mean adults. Children are more honest. They stare, but then they’ll point and say ‘what’s that?’ But adults – they stare and then pretend they’re not looking.
Then I have to pretend I don’t see them looking and let me tell you,
all that pretending gets exhausting – and embarrassing.
I don’t know why I get embarrassed; I just do. Or I end up embarrassing Jake, my son.
OK, I get that all his friends were in McDonald’s and no one likes to
be singled out at that age – but it was just so noisy and I couldn’t
understand the cashier. She got tired of repeating herself, I guess, but
did she have to bellow like a bull, “Your COFFEE, ma’am! What do you WANT IN IT!?”
That was not my fault. And in church yesterday…I mean, how was I supposed to know my battery was going to die? That’s what batteries do,
they die – that’s what keeps the battery companies in business. So I
take out my hearing aid and once I’ve got the new battery in, the little
sucker drops to the floor and rolls under the pew! I had to get on my
knees to reach for it. As I fumbled to get it back in, the feedback
was screaming blue murder and I thought I’d die of embarrassment. There
was not a lot of ‘love thy neighbor’ going on, I’ll tell you
that. Some of those church people weren’t giving me their Sunday-best
look.
I always seem to be feeling embarrassed – or left out or ignored. I
hate that too. You’d think that friends you’ve had for years would
understand that you can’t follow conversations in noisy restaurants. But
oh no, they just keep yapping away without me. And you’d think a certain husband could watch the hockey game with the closed captioning on. It does not cover up the puck and even if it did, it’s only for one second out of a season that lasts nine months. Well, not this year, I guess…
You know, I’m just so damn tired of all of that….and I’ve made a decision.
I am just not going to put up with it anymore. I am not
going to turn into that old hard of hearing woman who sits in the corner
at family events, the one smiling dimly, nodding, saying the wrong
things at the wrong time, or just “Eh, what’s that, eh?”
That is not going to be me! I need and want to understand, to be involved in what’s going on. So, I’m gonna start changing how I do things, you know?
Yeah, I’m gonna start wearing my hearing aids – all the time. And if people stare – I’ll just stare right back at ‘em!
And if people don’t face me when we’re talking, I’m gonna spin them around.
I’m going to tell them when I can’t hear them – and they darn well better speak up and not even dare to say, “Oh, never mind, it was nothing.” If they said it once, it must be worth repeating. If not, don’t say it, period.
And from now on when I’m in the TV room, that captioning is ON!
I’m gonna tell people what I need and if someone snaps at me, it’s
they who should be embarrassed, not me. I’m not being difficult, I just
want to understand – that’s fair, isn’t it?
I’m gonna tell the bank people to look at me, not the computer! I’ll show you the money – you show me the lips!
I’m gonna tell movie theatres that if they want my business, then give me captioning! And if they keep it up with these loud movies, pretty soon everybody’s going to need the captioning!
I’m gonna tell the church that if they
want me to hear the Word, they better say it louder. How about
installing a loop? I mean, let’s loop everything!
I’m gonna tell the flight attendant that I
don’t have a clue what the pilot is saying over the PA, so she’ll have
to come tell me. Otherwise, I may assume the worst and become
hysterical.
I’m gonna tell my boss that if he wants a job well done, I need a phone well amplified!
I’m gonna tell the doctor that I would feel a whole lot better if I could understand what he was saying.
And I’m gonna tell my family – I love you to the moon and back, but that trip would be a whole lot sweeter if you wouldn’t talk to me from another room, or roll your eyes when I say the wrong thing. We’re in this together.
I am NEVER going to sit in that corner. My ’ears’ are in and I am looking into the face of the world and I am saying: Bring it on, world, because I’m LISTENING!
Oh my, wow- I really did get going there, didn’t
I, dear? But I meant what I said - this starts today, now, here. So
cut my hair, darling, and this time cut it short around the ears –
because I’ve got nothing to hide.
The End
(Picture courtesy of Shanna Groves, “Show Me Your Ears”)
Dr Ranit De explains how cochlear implant surgery will allow a Toowoomba mother to hear her children’s voices this Christmas.
AFTER a decade of silence, Toowoomba mother Sandy Trinham has been given the gift of hearing just in time for Christmas.
Toowoomba Hospital ear, nose and throat surgeon Dr Ranit De performed a successful cochlear implant surgery on Ms Trinham yesterday.
The $25,000 device is due to be switched on in a fortnight to allow Ms Trinham to hear her children's voices and the sound of Christmas carols.
It was the first time the groundbreaking surgery has been performed at Toowoomba Hospital, as it is near-impossible for adult patients to receive without private health cover.
The internal component of one of two $25,000 cochlear implants donated to the Toowoomba Hospital.Kevin Farmer
"Sandy will be able to manage both home and work life much more easily," Dr De said.
"The sound heard through a cochlear implant is very different to that of natural hearing but with time and rehabilitation the hearing will become second nature to her."
Dr De has performed six of the procedures in Toowoomba since he moved from the United Kingdom in March, but all had been under the private health system.
The surgery is commonplace in the UK, but is still in its infancy in the Garden City.
A handheld device that will allow Sandy Trinham to control the volume and frequency of her cochlear implant.Kevin Farmer
"The public health system in Queensland funds cochlear implants for children however there is a long wait for adults," Dr De said.
"There are two parts to the cochlear implant device - the external device which has a microphone, processor and power source and the internal device which contains fine electrodes that direct current to the nerves of hearing."
He called yesterday's operation "a milestone" made possible by a donation of two implants from Cochlear Australia and funding for the $3000 rehabilitation program by the Rotary Club of Toowoomba.
"In August this year I went to Kazakhstan to conduct charity work (implant surgery) and the Rotary Club of Toowoomba asked me to speak about my experiences," Dr De said.
"When they heard about the ongoing costs for patients following cochlear implant surgery, they offered to help."
The Neurosensory Unit Toowoomba has also donated the time and resources so Ms Trinham has the support she needs in the coming years.
"After our patient has the surgery she will have two weeks for the surgery site to heal and then the implants are switched on," Dr De said.
"This will be just in time for her to hear at Christmas and a wonderful Christmas present for her and her family."
12/7 - adjustment #4. Over the past 2 weeks, I took that last programming increased it 2 programs and added two more volume increases to that. This is the setting that was the basis for Friday's adjustment.
When I first came home I was overwhelmed with the new program.
On Friday and Saturday I took it back to the old setting plus some. As of this morning I took it back up to the newest setting. This morning I heard:
water under car tires going by as I was walking into work
the security badge scanner beep in the lobby
the squeak of the one bathroom doors at work
I wonder what else will pop up!!
Group/noisy settings are still a challenge for me... I'm not sure if that will ever change.
This past weekends shopping was an interesting experience. As we were waking around I'd ask what this noise was and that noise. I came upon one particular noise that I heard but curiously Lily didn't. I waited and waited... didn't hear it again so I gave it up. Then all of a sudden it hit me as I was walking into a store. My CI was picking up the store detectors/sensor. I hear them 5 feet before and about 5 feet after. If you see me running in and out of those kinds of stores you will know why!! Crazy!!!!
Here is a snippet of an article on CI expectations. My reality - things got much worse at the beginning -so overwhelming. It is slowly getting better and I can feel the improvements, but I'm still not to a "good" stage yet. It's only day 40. I have a long way to go!
http://www.acenta.com/otology.cochlearimplants.asp Realistic Expectations for Cochlear Implant Recipients Although an implant will enable better hearing and should improve the ability to communicate, realistic expectations are a must. Implant recipients progress at their own individual pace and should never compare their progress to another recipient's progress. Developing the ability to use and hear with an implant is not an immediate or overnight process. The implant is not an immediate cure preventing patients from ever having trouble communicating again.
It is highly possible that in the beginning patients will have significant difficulty hearing or understanding with the implant. Some patients are able to immediately enjoy and understand what they hear during their initial mapping session, however many patients with implants describe the initial sound quality as robotic, mechanical or similar to a cartoon character (Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck). Other patients find their initial exposure to sound overwhelming, strange and perhaps annoying. With time every patient experiences significant improvement, step by step.
Over Time, Three Factors Will Combine To Improve the Sound Quality of the Initial Listening Experience: • The nerve pathways and the brain adjust to the new auditory input • Repeated mapping sessions fine tune the auditory signal provided by the implant • Listening experience and listening exercises enable patients to adapt and become familiar with the new input so it is perceived as increasingly natural and pleasant
Improvement depends upon the amount of time and effort invested in the rehabilitation process. This is why the support of family members or friends is extremely important. It is important to have other people available who can help practice listening. The process can be likened to learning to hear all over again, and can sometimes be compared to learning a new language. Sometimes the support of a psychologist or counselor is needed to assist with the coping process associated with adjusting to the implant. Factors Affecting the Degree of Benefit from an Implant Although the amount of benefit an individual receives cannot be predicted with absolute certainty, the audiologist and speech language pathologist can help implant candidates determine realistic expectations and likely outcomes. Individual achievement/success in terms of speech and language understanding and the ability to speak clearly (for patients who were born deaf and have limited or no speech production) is often based upon the following factors: • Age at which deafness occurred • Amount of hearing experience prior to deafness • Length of time auditory information was provided while hearing impaired (i.e. use of hearing aids) • Age at implantation (i.e. a greater outcome can be expected for a child deafened at birth who is implanted at 12 months than a similar child who is implanted at age five) • Speech and language ability levels * Structural and functional status of the cochlea or cochlear nerve • Degree of recipient and family commitment to the rehabilitation process • Commitment to use the implant full-time in order to access auditory cues and develop listening skills • Commitment to maximizing aural-oral abilities • Commitment to working with the rehabilitation team including keeping appointments, practicing listening exercises and following audiologists' and speech-language pathologists' advice on how to maximize benefit • Commitment to troubleshooting, maintaining equipment and learning to use provided accessories for various listening situations
In a pretty horrific week, where Hurricane Sandy took at least 50 lives and wreaked havoc on pretty much anything that crossed it’s path – there was at least a silver lining in the middle one of the most terrifying Hurricanes in recent memory: That proverbial Ray of sunlight was Lydia Callas. A few days ago I just happened to watch Mayor Bloomberg’s Press conference where he addressed the subject of the Hurricane as it pertained to his city, I must have been between switching channels at the time, when his sign language interpreter happened to catch my attention. It didn’t take me but a few moments to figure out why, it was the mere expression in which she exhibited her craft: The exaggerated expressions on her face, the extra seasoning on her hand movements, the way in which she put her entire body into every word that she signed – the mere flavor she exhibited made me want to befriend a hearing impaired person just so I could get the motivation to learn sign language. It was a thing of beauty. It was as if she was talking to her homegirl and not translating for the Mayor of New York City during a crisis. I want to hang out with Lydia Callas. I want her to be my sign language hype-woman if I ever decide to grab the Mic and terrorize lesser wordsmiths. I want her to translate the marriage proposal that I deliver to my lady even though I’m sure there won’t be a hearing impaired individual within a square mile. Not for nothing, but I’m going to start putting Michael Bloomberg speeches on my DVR.
Oh, before I forget, peep the part where the Mayor starts speaking Spanish. Ms. Callas shuts down her sign language on some “Yeah, that’s a bridge too far” shit. Absolutely hilarious.
Sound is coming along slowly. I'm becoming impatient a bit more for Lily then myself. The hopes for better verbal communication isn't happening as quickly as she had expected. We are working on this.
The suggestion has been made to take up ASL tutoring. When we took classes two years ago was the best time for communication we've experienced in a long time.
·A cochlear implant does not bring back per se’ normal hearing.
It is just like a hearing aid, except it is implanted. The sounds are very digital - but the brain should kick in at some point and make sense of it all.
·It does work wonders for some people, and not so well for
others, just like hearing aids. To find
out whether you are a good candidate, you need to consult with your cochlear
implant specialist. Typically normal
audiologist just won’t cut it – they just don’t know the real facts and
figures.
·Even with an implant, you will always be deaf, and something
like 20 per cent of the time you will not be using it (i.e. swimming, shower,
in bed, when playing messy sports), so it does benefit to learn some sign
language and lip-reading to use with your family and friends.
Security card reader for office entrance - I had no idea that it beeped!
The sound on the freezer if the door has been open too long.
Elevator floor to floor signals.
I'm finding that getting up in the morning and putting on my glasses and not putting on my CI is not the best practice Tomorrow will begin a new trend into both at the same time. Of course that won't be the case on work days because I wake up and go directly into the shower.
I've heard new:
the tags on our dogs collars
the incoming message on my messenger sounded very different. So is my typing on the laptop keyboard right now.
I'll post more as the days progress, as I work from home today and sitting within general quiet.
Amazon has quietly started to add closed captioning services to its Instant Video library, following a September 30 deadline from the Federal Communications Commission that required online media companies to begin incorporating these subtitles for the hard of hearing into their video content.
This regulation — an implementation of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2011 – has been long in the making, with companies like Amazon and YouTube but also Apple arguing that they willneed extensions to fully comply, and those arguing on behalf of people with hearing disabilities saying that digital content needs to be just as accessible as what people can see in analog. The September 30 deadline is the first in a series for closed caption compliance.
But in the meantime, Amazon has, it seems, started to take some baby steps. A reader, Linda, passed us an email from Amazon explaining what is going on, and how to get to the closed captioned content.
Hello,
Closed captions are now available for select Amazon Instant Video titles streamed on the Amazon.com website. Support for additional devices is coming soon.
Customer feedback like yours is very important in helping us continue to improve the experience of using our digital video service. If you’re interested in support for a particular device, please let us know!
…
While browsing or searching the Amazon Instant Video store in your web browser, you can filter your view so that only those videos that include closed captions appear. You can also see the “CC” symbol on the video detail pages for supported videos.
To browse for videos with closed captioning:
1. From your web browser, go to the Amazon Instant Video store.
2. Go to the Movies or TV Shows storefronts.
3. Set the “Subtitles & Closed Captioning” filter in the left-hand column, and then browse the results.
To search for videos with closed captioning:
1. From your web browser, go to the Amazon Instant Video store.
2. Search for a video title or keyword, and then set the “Subtitles & Closed Captioning” filter to display only those videos that both match your search term and include closed captions.
Some foreign language videos are available in both dubbed and subtitled versions. You can find these by searching on “subtitle” in the Amazon Instant Video store.
We look forward to seeing you again soon.
It is not clear whether the regulations will apply retroactively to all content, or whether it will be only new content that is added after September 30. We are reaching out to Amazon to ask. For now it seems like only a handful of titles come up in closed caption searches.
Netflix has been making updates for a while on its closed captioning situation, as has Hulu.
Today was day number 2 for adjusting my 12 channels. It went smoothly. I was amazed at the difference between 2 weeks ago and now in regards to my tolerance and what channels I went louder on.
My audiologist said I'm doing fabulous and progressing so nicely.
After the reprogramming, she took me to the booth to test the processor and my implanted ear. The test on the processor was to give a good base on which to test sounds, understanding going forward.
When she said she was going to test my implanted ear, I immediately stated why - it's dead. To my complete and utter surprise - I have some residual hearing left. It's not what it was, but there is some - it's crazy!
The use of a cochlear
implant can also provide a number of benefits.Adults;
for example, many times receive an immediate hearing benefit and continue to
improve over a period of around three months after their initial tuning
sessions. After this period of time, their performance continues to improve,
although at a slower rate. The performances of people who use cochlear implants
can continue to improve over a period of several years.Other benefits can include the
following.
Most people are able
to perceive soft, medium, and loud sounds: People who use cochlear
implants have reported the ability to perceive a variety of different sounds,
such as ringing telephones, slamming doors, barking dogs, the sounds of
engines, the sound of a light switch turning on or off, rustling leaves, a
whistling tea kettle and more.
Many people can
understand speech without lip-reading: Even when this is not possible, using a cochlear
implant helps people with lip-reading.
Many people can make
phone calls: A
number of people find they can make phone calls and understand familiar voices
over the phone. Some people can make phone calls and understand others they are
not familiar with.
Watching Television: A number of
people can watch television more easily, particularly when they are able to see
a person's face.
Enjoying Music: Some people with cochlear implants enjoy the sounds
of certain instruments, such as guitar or piano, as well as certain voices.
People who are deaf
and are pondering whether or not to pursue surgery to receive a cochlear
implant have a number of different things to think about before they receive
one. There are risks involved, as well as benefits. It is important to research
cochlear implants, speak with a doctor, as well as an audiologist before making
the decision.
Please note this table is to be used as a guide and not a full translation tool. Leet is ever-changing and not all replacements will, or can, be included.
There are so many reasons why I selected Med-El over the other two companies (Cochlear and AB). What is important in your search is that you are comfortable with the company, equipment and options available. There isn't one that fit my every want/need - I picked the one that was best for me at this moment.
My procedure lasted 4 hours, my recovery lasted a bit longer. My former no issues with anesthesia didn't quite work out this time. Noted!
The devise in the picture (device sounds better than cup) :) was a pressure bandage and also provided much needed protection. It was kept on for 2 days and afterwards as I needed it.
After the two days I was permitted to removed it. There was quite a bit of swelling, actually A LOT of swelling on that side for a couple days. Cheek, under eye.. of course I had a lovely black eye for a while.
Because everyone heals differently I wasn't sure how to judge time off from work. I tried going back a week from my surgery. For me, it was too soon.
My surgeon did a fabulous job on the incision - very clean and the stitches precise.
These are the words that I heard from my wife last night. Our Little One was having a bit of a melt down (those without kids=crying a lot). So we put her in her crib and proceeded to spend time around her but essentially ignoring her. So we sorted clothes on the floor and spent time spot treating them. We were just talking and having a bit of fun, mean while LO was still crying, snot coming out of every. Of course she kept wanting us to pay attention to her.
me: I'm actually considering removing my ear right now. (with a grin on my face)
w: Oh no you don't - you aren't allowed to just take that off - you have to hear everything just like the rest of us now. (also a smile on her face)
3 minutes later - teasing of course - I reached up and detached my coil and of course I was caught!!
Does she hear 100%
normal like I do? These
are questions I hear from people. It is very difficult to explain
that while I can "hear" now (I'm on day 6 at current) I do not hear as you do. It is
actually very hard to say exactly. Beep, clicks, etc...
I came across an excellent set of Cochlear Implant Simulation Demos that
do a great job of explaining. The demos
give examples of what CI users hear on 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 Channel Implants.
Click below to navigate to the site: http://www.hei.org/research/shannon/simulations/ Decrease_Channels contains the original sentence first and then
progressively degrades the spectral resolution. The order is: original, 32
channels, 16, 8, 4, 2, and 1 channel. Since the content of the sentence is
known, it is possible to understand the sentences down to 4 and even 2 spectral
channels. Most cochlear implant listeners are in the 4 to 8 channel range.
Increase_Channels presents the demonstration in the reverse order - starting
from poor quality, so that the content of the sentence is not understood at
first. As the number of channels is increased from 1 to 2 to 4 you will start
to understand the words in the sentence at 4 channels. From 4 to 8 to 32
channels the words are clearer and the sound has better quality. Finally, the
original sentence is played.
Music1 presents a clip of a very familiar popular song, with
a single male singer. First you will hear the song with 4 channels, then 8, 16,
and 32 channels. Finally you will hear the original music clip. Notice that you
may understand the words of the song at 4 or 8 channels, even though you may
not recognize the melody. Even at 16 and 32 channels the melody is not very
good quality.
Music2presents the opening lines of a very popular and
familiar piece of instrumental music. As with previous demo, the number of
channels increases from 4 to 8 to 16 to 32. The original music clip is played
at the end. Note that you will probably not recognize it even with 32 channels.
However if you listen to the sequence repeatedly you will notice that some
melodic information is available with 16 and 32 channels, although the quality is
still poor compared to the original.
The first time in ages I was able to "hear" the sound of the fire alarm at work. Of course this was a new sound to me and I didn't know at first what it was-YAY I do now!
While driving to an appointment tonight I did a little experimenting with what music would actually sound like with my new attachment. I could actually hear the note ranges come through. This is a first and makes me very hopeful with each passing day!
Cochlear Implant: It's not like glasses that you put on and you see. You can't put on implants and hear. So much rehabilitation, communication, speech, and so much more are involved.
Chick here for the video! http://vimeo.com/41789627 What does the world sound like to people with cochlear implants? Michael Dorman, an ASU professor of Speech and Hearing Science, shares the sounds of implants and talks about his research into making them work better. Cochlear implants help people who are deaf or hearing impaired who cannot benefit from a standard hearing aid. This video was produced and edited by Alexander D. Chapin and the cochlear implant illustration was rendered by Mai-Li Le, Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development. Note: video contains open captions for the hearing impaired.
Shared from: http://vimeo.com/channels/chel177
Part one of my equipment - This is a little dehumidifier that combines heat and circulating air to remove harmful moisture from my CI unit. At the end of each night, I put my CI in there (minus the rechargeable battery). Close the lid, push the button and walk away until morning!
Zephyr Hearing Aid Dehumidifier
Detailed Description of Dehumidifier
by Dry and Store
Travel friendly, no power convertor required (electrical plug adapter not included)
Powerful dehumidifier combines heat and circulating air to remove harmful moisture from hearing aids and BTE cochlear implant processors
The Zephyr does not have the sanitizing ultraviolet bulb of the Dry and Store Global and Professional models (see Related Products below)
8 hour drying cycle
Weight: 1.5 lbs Size: 3.6" wide x 5.9" deep x 2.8" high
Replacement Dry Brik II available
Detailed Description of Bricks
3 replacement dessicant bricks for the Dry and Store Global, Professional, and Zephyr hearing aid dehumidifier
Each brick contains a more aggressive sorbent with much greater moisture-absorbing capacity
Each brick features a Timestrip® which visually shows when the desiccant brick should be replaced (usually around every 2 months)
But I got through my first day in the office. The in a bubble feeling lasted all day. But tonight I started hearing new sounds. Not sure what sounds they were but something is registering. Hmmm very good indeed.
I am beginning to realize the full extent of my hearing loss. Now that I am using a CI, my left ear sounds are very skewed. I'm actually hearing if possible worse at the point.
After reading many posts about CI - I've read numerous times that most people hate the CI at the beginning. We will see how things progress!
After a four hour late morning nap. I got up and put my CI on. It became very apparent that for some reason my hearing in my left ear is feeling worse. Not sure About this just yet.
Avery and I took a very long walk around the neighborhood and part way up the hill I actually had to check my CI to seeing if it was on. It was. I would take that as I'm getting used to it a bit already.
My hearing loss all started when I was 25 and had Pneumonia. I came out of it and noticed a marked difference in what I was hearing (or otherwise - no hearing) I immediately went to an audiologist. The hearing test outcomes were as if I were in a war - both sides had a significant change and were oddly even in the loss. Over the past 21 years it has progressively gotten worse (I was told this would happen) to where I've had to shift the types of jobs I've had. I was so very gradual and through that time I became very adapt to lip reading. So much so that many people did not know that I was hard of hearing.
I have normal to profound Progressive Sensorineural Hearing Loss - most of my mid and all of my high tones gone. My bass sounds are fabulous. My right ear is now fitted with the CI, my left has 12% and is also eligible for CI.
