November 28, 2005

Realizing why its a hard change from HA to CI

Every now and then I like to experiment with my hearing aid and Cochlear Implant by listening with my hearing aid only for a few minutes, then I switch to my cochlear implant for a few minutes and then I switch to both. And you know sometimes I get the wierdest results. Sometimes I can hear better with just the implant and sometimes I can hear better with both. But the hearing aid never win. Its either both or just the implant.
But anyways, I went to the movies the other day and I was experimenting with them to see which one makes the movie sound best. So I turned off my hearing aid and listened for a few minutes to the movie. And that was the wierdest feeling! It sounds like I don't have sound on the other side. Like all the sound comes in on one side. And that makes me very uncomfortable!! I had to keep looking over to see if someone was talking to me. Its really freaky not having sound come in on the other side. I guess its more of a security thing.
So it makes you think if Bilateral is really a good thing or not and if it really makes a difference. But only someone brave enough would get one. I don't think I would ever want to get another implant....Don't get me wrong, because I love my implant but I think I'm too attached to my hearing aid to let it go. You know? And then you know another great thing about having a hearing aid in one ear is when the battery dies, which is always in the middle of my last class, I can still hear a little bit of what the teacher is saying while I'm changing the battery on my implant. So the hearing aid is like my backup.
And since I'm on this topic.....I have never had someone ask me what that thing was on my ear! People have always said something about my hearing aid but not my implant. I thought people would be asking what that was because its bigger and filled with colors. haha. But that's almost a relief. Because I like it when people think of me as a normal person...And not a disability.
But anyways, I thought I'd share that with you.

November 19, 2005

Progress

Hey!
Yesterday I had a mapping session. That went ok. We tried to change the program but I didn't like it at all. It sounded too high pitch and mechanical. So instead, we decided to just keep the other program, the one that I walked in with. But since I was wearing it at about 8 o'clock, we moved it to the 12 o'clock spot.
So now I've been wearing just my implant as much as I can. Yesterday I watched a whole movie with just my implant....That may not sound like a lot but for me it is. And whats shocking is that I actually got everything they said! But you know, its really weird wearing just an implant because its like you don't get any sound from the other side. All the sound comes in my right side, so I keep feeling like I forgot to turn on my hearing aid on my left side. And the urge to turn it on is so frustrating! But it really helps to just put the hearing aid in my pocket. So that way, I can't just reach up to turn it on quickly.
But anyways, another thing that we did at my appointment was that we changed the extra magnet to a "half strength" which helps hold my implant on better. Before I had to hold my magnet on with another magnet on the outside. Which got really annoying because it magnetized to EVERYTHING!! I tried to put the magnet on the inside but after 20 or 30 minutes of wearing it, I would get a really bad headache. But now after getting this new magnet, I haven't had a headache and it holds my implant on ALOT better! So I'm really excited about not having to have the outside magnet on. YAY!!
Well I guess this is it for now.

November 10, 2005

Back into Therapy...

Hey everyone!
Well I don't have much to say at this point. But I had a therapy session not to long ago....and its about time too! My last therapy session was before school started (beginning of August). Once school started I just got to busy and had no time to do it. But I finally put my foot down and got back into therapy.
So last week I had a therapy session and it went great! I think my therapist and my mom was amazed and shocked at how well I was doing with just the implant. And I was too! I was soo nervous about therapy that I was actually dreading it. I haven't been going just with my implant so I wasn't sure how I was going to do. But I actually did well!
Since I'm in school and I have homework and club meetings, we decided to have therapy about once a month or every couple of weeks. So at each session, she would give me alot of homework to do. And whenever we had time, my mom and I would do a little bit. So I'm really excited about how things are going with me and the implant. I've been listening to my music too, so hopefully my goal will be reached before Christmas......I'm hoping!!! (keep your fingers crossed!)
Well I guess this is it for now, I just wanted to let you know what I've been doing lately. Later!