Today's the second mapping, I feel that I need more information on the new ear (left ear) which is good. I'm hoping Steve can make it better so I can be able to distinguish sounds that I need to hear.

I think I'm more excited about getting my new truck later today! Ive waited so long to get this since I am constantly adding oil and antifreeze everyday to the car. I am just afraid it will simply break down on its own without a warning.

Wish me luck!

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Today's activation went well... it was different from the first one.  I didn't get the sensation as bad like I got with the first one.  Steve programmed me with Fidelity 120 instead of 90K since he knew that I would improve faster since I am already using Fidelity 120 in my right ear.

He had an assistant in the room and was teaching her how to use the AB's sound wave software on his computers.. I believe thats she is a teaching student at Johns Hopkins. I didn't ask many questions since I was more focused on getting activated :)

I could hear the sounds this time rather than feeling the sounds but it did sound very different.  But since this is my 'bad' ear, it may not jump as high with my 'good' ear. We will see next week and the upcoming mappings!

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I know its been forever since my last post but will update my blog eventually.

I did a comparison of my audiograms so far to this point and thought it would be great to share with everyone.

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I went to programming without my family.... just me and my fiancée. Steve, my audie likes my progress so far... I told him that I heard that sound at AuBonPain that far away.....

He did mapping I think, where he finds the level of tolerance in each decibel. Then about 10 minutes later.. he turns it on... OH MY GOSH! It sounds SOOOO MUCH BETTER! But stronger than a hearing aid.

I was a happy camper! Steve also added a 1X magnet in the implant.. removed the dummy and added the extra magnet since my hair is heavy and still a little swollen. But it was my heavy hair that was knocking it down a lot.

As we left the hospital, it was raining out... I whipped on my rain coat.. and walked outside JHH. Hmm.. what am I hearing now? It was the raindrops on my raincoat... WOW.... My first sounds with the CI! It was so pleasant to hear something so nice like that. Thats a nice way to start my learning experience.

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The first week was rough. Everything I heard did not make any sense. I'm starting to wonder if I made the right decision here. I know it may be too soon. But I'm sorta lost here. I was all excited about activation and can I hear? Well yea but it don't sound right....just a bunch of freaking noise. Come on here.

Second. My implant keeps falling off when my hair is down. Grrrr...emailed my audie this week and he said that he can add another magnet. Whatever that means.

The day after I got activated, I went to Ocean City for the weekend. I heard a few things but they weren't clear. The ocean, the traffic and a loud bang. That's it! What a weekend.

Tomorrow is my 1st programming. I hope things sound better after I leave JHH tomorrow.

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Activation Time! 4 more days! This Friday at 9am. I am sorta nervous and excited at the same time. Can you believe it took me 6 months to get to this point from my very first appointment and now to the activation date? People don't realize that this is a LIFETIME commitment! Its just not going there for programming, it requires you to go back every 6 months to a year and in addition to that, you have listening therapy to practice every day.

The AB website has free lessons that you can download to your iPod, or what ever iSomething. I am already prepared. I downloaded stuff to the iPhone and have it all ready til my audie tells me so.

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Yeap! I am already posting my surgery date! I got a call this morning from Dr.Limb's office and its been 24 hours since my appointment with Steve...

Drumroll please!

August 4, 2009 at 730am. Means that I have to be at JHH at 530am!

Almost a month away!

I called my mom and she was like thats so soon! Uhhh... yea! Exactly what I wanted. I wanted the surgery before September so I don't miss classes.

I am hoping to get my activation date , 2nd day follow up, 1 week follow up and the 1 month follow up dates within two weeks. I already got in touch with Shawntell, this lovely lady that makes my appointments via e-mail.

I will post an advice list that I gotten from my friend Denise Portis, a fellow blogger and CI'er. Had some great tips that you wouldn't even thought of...

This is not my first sugery, the last one was in August of 2007 for a bone spur in my shoulder. Painful as heck during recovery. Every time I laughed, coughed, sneezed, hic-cupped, or whatever, hurt like heck! I kinda of know what to expect post-operatively since this one was almost sorta of recent.

Keep an eye out for the next post with the activation date!

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Yup. You heard it loud and clear! Last appointment was with Steve Bowditch. He did an aided auditory testing also speech perception test. The aided part, the right ear (which will be the implanted side) shows a drop around 2000Hz from 60-80db.

The speech perception....well I felt that I did terrible cuz I really didn't recognize the words. Only a few of them. CID was at 14% and HINT score was at 18%.

Hopefully within 2 weeks, I'll have my surgery date. Tee-hee! I can't wait!!!

While I was there, I also picked out my processor, color choice and cap color choice. All of ya probably already know by now that I picked Advanced Bionics. Signed and dated my device selection papers. Ordered 2 Silver Processors with Sophista Color caps.

See ya all later! Will post again with surgery date!!!

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Yup, 6 more days til that LAST appointment before surgery! This appointment is with my audiologist, Steve for a new hearing test. This will let me know if my hearing is stable or has declined more since March.

Wish me luck!

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Sorry for not posting... I finally had my appointment with Dr. Limb. Quite a remarkable guy with a great academic background from Harvard and Yale. My parents were pretty impressed with him. He asked a bunch of questions about how I grew up, how I became deaf, etc.

I was almost 3 months premature baby which gave me a few health problems. My hearing loss and diabetes. The doctors (back in 1977) believes that I have a nerve damage (Nerve Deafness).

On the other hand, today...I am trying to find out the real cause of my deafness. I am so curious but there isn't any answers now. Maybe in the sometime future, I will know. The technology and the science is so much better today than 32 years ago.

Back to Dr. Limb; he answered my parents questions and mine too. He said that JHH has never damaged anyone's facial nerve up to this point. He also said that he will shave hair on the implanted side, not much... but he will shave a tiny amount on the non implanted side that way they can keep in track of my facial nerves and make sure they aren't damaged thru the surgery. At the end, he feels comfortable doing my surgery and will see me next time in the operating room....

Surgery date? He said that it can be end of July or sometime in August... I was like REALLY??? I am looking forward to getting this done and hear the trick and treaters for halloween.. one of my favorite holidays. But... it all depends on my last appointment at the end of the month with my audiologist, Steve Bowditch for the auditory testing.

So far, its been going well and smoothly.

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Today was the day for initial consultation. My parents and fiancée went with me this morning.

Meeting Steve Bowditch was a pleasure. I think he reassured my family by answering their questions. My dad had a lot which surprised me cuz I didn't think he would be interested in the process of me getting a CI.

Two more appointments, one with Steve and the other with the surgeon. Then the surgery date will be scheduled.

Reality is coming! I am very eager to get the process moving forward. And today was the first step! Woo hoo!

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