Hey all,
wondering where i've been, and not posted or a while? Well, here I am and have alot to tell you all.
I'm telling you now that almost 4 months ago i had the operation and it wasn't to bad at all, but to be switched on and it's now 3 months since I've been activated. I can't belive how quick it has gone. It feels like I have been hibernated for sometime and to wake up with this wonderful weather, but with all these crazy sounds.
I'm soooooo loving this implant journey with world full of sounds, it can be annoying but what more could I ask for.
I'd my 3 months mapping the other day and it went great. I walked into the door at the implant centre with a big grin on my face because I was so looking forward to having my implant turn up. As I arrived at the centre I had 2 appointments. 12-noon was the hearing therispt and 1:45pm - audioligst. I had to wait almost 1 hour and 45 mintues just t get tun up.
So, here I was in the hearing therispt room. As I sat down, Charlotte the hearing therispt asked me tons of question. It felt like I was being for some sort of job.
Since we discuss how the implant getting on, and happy with my all my feeback. It was time to get my thinking cap switched on and do all these test.
firstly, we did some sentence test, which charlotte had to read one sentences out of the four choices that were on the page. Without lip-reading and only listening, I had to pick out what she said. The test got harder as we go along and at the end of the test., I realised how much I've improved sinced the last time I had this test done. Last time I only got 6/35 and now it turn out to be 24/35. Which was great. After that she read out a story frm this sheet and given me a copy. I had to follow (pointing) to the word she reads out, same again without lipreading. Last time I had to look at her a few time because i was lost. This time i didn't look at all and managed to follow her without looking what she was saying.
Finally the test was done and she discuss how well I have improved and when i'll be seening her next time and what i'll be doing next time. So, now my next appointment is in Oct!
Since, that appointment only took about half an hour.we had a while yet before it was time for the mapping appointment. So, myself, richard and my interpreter took a walk down the shopping centre near by and had something to eat and had a good chat. The time soon went by wuick and i was getting excited to have my mapping.
As I walk back into the centre again, my audiogist was already out in the waiting room and just about to call my name and untill she saw me and said "this way katie" I got into the room and sat down. Same again, she came out with loads of question just like charlotte did and also asked me even moorre question on how Greece went! I had no choice but telling her how i got on.
I was hoping she would connect me up right away just so i can shoot off out thoses doors and try out the new sounds, but what happened - I had more tests!
same as usual we did a hearing test by pressing the button every time i hear a sound. Did well but still got alot of work on high frequency sounds. Obviously I didn't hear them at all before I'd the implant done.
Next, I did this test which involves a grump old man on the screen saying a loads of sentense again. I did much better than last time - before I had the implant i couldn't event pick up a full sentences, then after week 1. manage to get 5 or 6 right. This time I got 17 out of 20.
finally I was finished. She had turn the implant up a quite alot which she thought it was enough for now and now my next mapping is not untill october (6-month)
So, now it will be short while untill i next visit. As, i left the implant place. Already I notices that I was hearing more things and seems to hear more things that was a bit of the distance away. When Richard and my parents spoke to me it sounds all echoy again. I felt like I was back in disney land again.
few hours later, i connected my ipod and it was on the same volume as before when I pressed play I was shocked on how loud it was, so I turn it down a bit. It seems like the music starting to sounds much better than it was before.
3 days later, the diseny voices started to faded a bit, and now I'm hearing much better but I keeping hearing this sort of "hmmmmmmmmmmm" which I still haven't go a clue what it is. It feels like the sound is traveling through head which make some sort of hmmmmmm. I tried taking the headpeice to check if it was tinitus and it wasn't.
I jst seem to think its making that sound because my brain doesn't know what it is and still working it out to make i into a real sound. " don't ask where I got that idea from but that what i think" It wasn't some sort of wind and now i'm still working it out. oh, well it will fade eventually.
Anyway that's it for me now, by the way we won the bronze medal while we were taking part int the world cup in Greece. We did well, even though it was pretty tough in the heat.
I'll try and pop up some photo's sometimes this weekend for you all to see. Also, i'll post up a photo that I had done in my photoshoots too, which was for the implant centre.
anyway, i'm speechless now. I've ran out of words.
so, i'll send you all the gossip soon.
take care for now x
k x
