Map update: Better than I hoped!!
I went to Vanderbilt today for a new map for my CI and was really anxious to see what could be done. At my last appointment the computer showed that two of my electrodes had shorted out, and the resulting map was disastrous...it sounded just awful. My brain slowly but surely adjusted, but I was really excited about going back and seeing if she could make it sound even better.
When I got there, she introduced me to her newest intern and then plugged me up to the computer. She was walking through the information on the screen and explaining to the intern what it all meant, and then she pointed to some little green dots at the top, and said, "These are the "impedences". When they're green they mean the electrodes are on and working." Well, that was the first I'd heard of that, so I took a look, and TA-DA....ALL the lights were green! So I asked her, "Does that mean that ALL the electrodes are working??" and she grinned and said yes. We decided that probably what happened is that when she hooked me up to the computer last time something happened that made it lose signal from those two electrodes (maybe something as simple as my scratching my head and bumping the magnet) and they showed as being out. I was a little annoyed...because I can't help but wonder if maybe a reboot of the computer or something could have fixed it and I wouldn't have had to struggle through this past month...but on the other hand, I was so relieved that they were working properly...that was all that really mattered :). When we turned the two back on, men's voices are suddenly deeper and stronger...so we had to make some adjustments to keep them from being overpowering. It changed the entire balance of things...so it will take several days to re-adjust all over again...but I'll manage ;). I had forgotten to bring a music CD with me to listen to in the car so I turned the radio on just to see how things sounded. I was impressed that I could understand almost everything the announcer and all the advertisers were saying, and I was able to hear the music well enough to not only enjoy the sound, but pick up words here and there....to songs I didn't know. I have never listened to the radio before...it was an exercise in futility, because I really just couldn't tell what was going on. At this moment music needs work...after all the electrode-shifting and frequency-adjusting in today's mapping, my brain is thoroughly confused, and that will take a few days to settle down. However, I had a MAJOR CI moment when I was listening to the radio today...I was listening to a song that I didn't know and thought, "Hm...that sounds like Josh Turner's voice" and a few seconds later the announcer said that it was a Josh Turner song...and a few minutes later I thought I recognized Martina McBride's voice and it was "Independence Day" (I haven't listened to the whole song in so long that I didn't recognize it from the music until we got to the chorus!). Now...I'm pretty impressed with that!!!!
I did get some annoying news today...the T-coil (telephone setting...it blocks out background noise) won't work with my BlackBerry....grrrrr. However, it works fine with land lines...I just need to practice using them. I am still big-time phone shy, and will only talk to certain people on my "approved" list (I think, so far, it's just been family and Melli!) I can hear great on the BlackBerry but can't cut out all the background noise. When I was first activated I actually heard better on the BlackBerry than on the regular phone, so I haven't even tried to use the regular phone. I will probably be able to hear much better on it now with the T-coil. Anyone know any numbers I can call to practice? I already have the Time & Temperature message memorized!
If you have a CI, could you do me a favor? One of my blog buddies, Shari, over at Literally Blindsided, just failed all her CI exams...which means that she's a candidate (you have to fail all the tests in order to qualify!). She is researching and trying to decide which brand to get...would you please go over and tell her why you chose your CI and what you like about it? I know she would love any help you could give her!!
I was off today, but was so tired from my mapping appointment (they really can be exhausting) that I came home and went to bed and got a nap. I have been listening to music tonight and trying to catch up with my blog-buddies :). Tomorrow I work until 1 (just five hours...weird) then we're taking Will out to dinner...he will be having a birthday soon (deserving of its own post!) so we will be celebrating!
More posting soon....love y'all! :)
When I got there, she introduced me to her newest intern and then plugged me up to the computer. She was walking through the information on the screen and explaining to the intern what it all meant, and then she pointed to some little green dots at the top, and said, "These are the "impedences". When they're green they mean the electrodes are on and working." Well, that was the first I'd heard of that, so I took a look, and TA-DA....ALL the lights were green! So I asked her, "Does that mean that ALL the electrodes are working??" and she grinned and said yes. We decided that probably what happened is that when she hooked me up to the computer last time something happened that made it lose signal from those two electrodes (maybe something as simple as my scratching my head and bumping the magnet) and they showed as being out. I was a little annoyed...because I can't help but wonder if maybe a reboot of the computer or something could have fixed it and I wouldn't have had to struggle through this past month...but on the other hand, I was so relieved that they were working properly...that was all that really mattered :). When we turned the two back on, men's voices are suddenly deeper and stronger...so we had to make some adjustments to keep them from being overpowering. It changed the entire balance of things...so it will take several days to re-adjust all over again...but I'll manage ;). I had forgotten to bring a music CD with me to listen to in the car so I turned the radio on just to see how things sounded. I was impressed that I could understand almost everything the announcer and all the advertisers were saying, and I was able to hear the music well enough to not only enjoy the sound, but pick up words here and there....to songs I didn't know. I have never listened to the radio before...it was an exercise in futility, because I really just couldn't tell what was going on. At this moment music needs work...after all the electrode-shifting and frequency-adjusting in today's mapping, my brain is thoroughly confused, and that will take a few days to settle down. However, I had a MAJOR CI moment when I was listening to the radio today...I was listening to a song that I didn't know and thought, "Hm...that sounds like Josh Turner's voice" and a few seconds later the announcer said that it was a Josh Turner song...and a few minutes later I thought I recognized Martina McBride's voice and it was "Independence Day" (I haven't listened to the whole song in so long that I didn't recognize it from the music until we got to the chorus!). Now...I'm pretty impressed with that!!!!
I did get some annoying news today...the T-coil (telephone setting...it blocks out background noise) won't work with my BlackBerry....grrrrr. However, it works fine with land lines...I just need to practice using them. I am still big-time phone shy, and will only talk to certain people on my "approved" list (I think, so far, it's just been family and Melli!) I can hear great on the BlackBerry but can't cut out all the background noise. When I was first activated I actually heard better on the BlackBerry than on the regular phone, so I haven't even tried to use the regular phone. I will probably be able to hear much better on it now with the T-coil. Anyone know any numbers I can call to practice? I already have the Time & Temperature message memorized!
If you have a CI, could you do me a favor? One of my blog buddies, Shari, over at Literally Blindsided, just failed all her CI exams...which means that she's a candidate (you have to fail all the tests in order to qualify!). She is researching and trying to decide which brand to get...would you please go over and tell her why you chose your CI and what you like about it? I know she would love any help you could give her!!
I was off today, but was so tired from my mapping appointment (they really can be exhausting) that I came home and went to bed and got a nap. I have been listening to music tonight and trying to catch up with my blog-buddies :). Tomorrow I work until 1 (just five hours...weird) then we're taking Will out to dinner...he will be having a birthday soon (deserving of its own post!) so we will be celebrating!
More posting soon....love y'all! :)
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