New Hearing Aid- Unitron Max 6

I got my new hearing aid on Friday.

First impressions:

• My audiologist Beth Muller is just plain awesome for more reasons that I can post here. She is great.
• The sound is louder than what I had before and I don’t feel like I am straining to hear something.
• The balance with the cochlear implant is much better. My CI doesn’t overpower the aid like it did before.
• There is a harmonica sound when there are loud sounds. I am not sure the reason for this yet. When I whistle, for example, it sounds like a chord instead of a pure whistle. I do not like this.
• Overall, I am hearing better and I am not sending out feedback whistling from my hearing aid all the time.
• Very Satisfied! (I am sure we can fix the harmonica sound with an adjustment)

Still Training my Ear

A few months ago, I had my speech processer remapped. The last one I had gotten before leaving Brazil was not a good one for me, the impulses were too strong and it was uncomfortable to wear the CI even after trying for weeks. I’d given up wearing it for a few months, as my natural hearing had strengthened to the point that I could get by.

Now I am wearing it, but not turning it on all the time. I sometimes turn it off to hear from my right ear better, and forget to turn it on. The mapping is much better, but I took a few steps back from not wearing it for a few months. I am just getting back to hearing speech with great concentration using my CI.

I am trying to balance my hearing and use both the hearing aid and CI, but the CI usually overpowers the hearing aid.

I will also get a new hearing aid in a few weeks, a unitron max 6. It is a very, very strong hearing aid. I am pretty much at the upper limit of sound amplification, but at least I won’t have to wear my aid on full power all the time. This will reduce the feedback and squealing I get from my current aid.

Sorry for the long delay between updates.

I need a Mapping

Long time with no update. Basically, since about 2 weeks after moving to the US, I have not been wearing my CI. The last mapping was just way too loud. Even the softest of sounds sound like loud collisions.

The good news is that my hearing in my right ear, assisted by a hearing aid, has been sufficient for me to work and get by. My hearing has gotten stronger and much clearer since going deaf for the 4th time nearly a year ago. (you can read about that on this blog)

Still, I have almost no distance with my hearing, and my CI was fantastic for that. Still need to train my brain to hear more clearly with the CI, but I haven't been wearing it. Sad.

I found a clinic in Baton Rouge that might be able to map my Opus 2. If not, I will look for one in New Orleans.

That is all for now.

Another Big Change

We are moving from Brazil to the USA in just a couple of weeks. This is the reason I have not been updating regularly. We are in a whirlwind of change.

My hearing with the cochlear implant is still improving, to the point that I am feeling more like I hear and less like I am deaf. I did have another mapping done and, to be honest, I am not sure it was the best.

On the other hand. I left my remote control in the USA during my last trip and I can’t adjust anything. That may be part of the problem. Everything is just too loud right now.

My natural hearing is getting a little stronger as well, to the point that if I put on my hearing aid and you speak pretty close to my ear, I can understand. I need the cochlear implant to hear far away, however.

I will write another post soon to talk about our move and why. I got a job that has a pretty strong hearing requirement. That is worth a post in itself. Until then…

Bible Storying for the Deaf

Deaf with a capital D. That is, those who were born deaf and have committed to using non verbal means of communication, like sign language.

I only learned a little sign language at my church when I was a young teenager, and refreshed a bit in college. Both times it was out of a desire to communicate with Deaf friends. Though I have been deaf on 4 distinct occasions in my life, I have always relied on speech for communication. (I was suddenly and unexpectedly deafened when I was 11, again at 21, another time at 32, and yet again at 36.)

That being said, I am a missionary and a Bible storyer. This video, from one of my latest facebook groups, is just beautiful to me. I hope it encourages someone who stops by my blog here.

 

Ran into a Deaf Friend

Yesterday as my wife and son and I were walking down Rio Branco Avenue, here in Juiz de Fora, I saw a young girl smile at me. I kept thinking, where do I know her, then I remembered. I called my wife to stop walking and we all turned around. The girl and her family turned around too.

We had met several years back. She was unable to hear much and her speech was extremely limited with a strong deaf accent. She was about 8 years old at the time.

Now, she is fourteen. She looked at me and saw my cochlear implant. Then I saw hers. She smiled and spoke in a very clear perfect sounding Portuguese. Her hearing seem effortless. (My hearing comes with great concentration, frustration and repetition). After our families caught up, I asked her how long she had been wearing a CI. Turns out it’s been 2 years since her activation.

She said the first year was a big struggle, but now she hears very well and dominates nearly every social situation. Wow. I am so pleased for her.

I am still in the first year. I’ve made amazing advances, but I also have a long way to go. I do hope to be hearing as well as she is soon.

Both of us have MED-EL Opus 2 processors and were operated by the same doctor. Neat.

Listen and Read

Listen and Read is a website intended for elementary school children learning to read. It features a picture and a text, with a button you can press to hear the text read aloud.

This is exactly the kind of resource I was looking for a few months ago to train my listening skills. I have graduated beyond this to not needing the words right in front of me for comprehension, but I wanted to put this up for others who might need training resources while learning to hear again.

Related Posts:

Another Step towards Speech Recognition 

A Social Network for Cochlear Implant Users

20 out of 30 correct hearing responses

I am on program three of map five.

In yesterday’s visit to the audiologist, I was given a list of 30 sentences. I read them aloud one by one, then returned the list. My audiologist covered her face with a screen, so I couldn’t read her lips. She then randomly read the sentences. I was able to hear and repeat correctly 20 sentences on the first try.

Of the 10 that I couldn’t do immediately, I needed one word repeated one time for three of the sentences. I needed the sentence repeated one time for 5 sentences. I needed two sentences repeated more than once.

Recovery is ever so slow, but perfectly consistent.

More Phone Calls

In the last couple of weeks I’ve made more phone calls using skype and either a usb phone receiver or headphones and a microphone. I’ve been able to have several conversations. I struggle and do not understand without a good bit of repeating, but I do it.

It makes me happy to talk on the phone.

A Social Network for Cochlear Implant Users

Med-El has just launched a great site that is a kind of Facebook for people who use or work with cochlear implants and their interested friends and family. It’s called HearPeers.

 I just set up my own profile.

 

Here is a video about the site.

Three Weeks of Improvement

This is late being posted, but I had two hearing tests three weeks apart. The audiograms below are of my right ear.

May 21, 2012

June 11, 2012

As you can see there was a nice jump there in that three week period. My hope and expectation is that it will continue to improve until it gets into that purple area. That would be good enough to, with a hearing aid, hear well enough to function normally.

Bonus:Cochlear Implant Hearing Test

Getting better!

I get a phone call, right?

Happy Father’s Day

Yesterday was Father’s day for many countries. Here in Brazil, Father’s day is in mid August. My wife, Loaise, help me set up our notebook computer with some borrowed headphones and I used Skype to call my dad on Father’s day.

Surround Sound!

I set both my CI processor and my hearing aid on telecoil. For me, hearing with the implant is much louder, but with the hearing aid it is a little clearer. Both are changing each week, each one getting better. I am back to the point of experiencing bi-lateral hearing! This is new for me, as I had always been dependent on one ear to hear.

Yes, I can hear you.

My mother answered the phone and my cochlear implant hearing was dominating. I understood her, but did not know who it was until she said it was mom. After a moment, I took off my processor and used just the hearing aid. I was able to understand her without too much repeating.

This is the first phone call I have made since January. Major milestone. I know it was headphones and Skype, and not a traditional phone, but what an experience to talk to someone over the phone again.

My dad got on the phone and I had trouble understanding him with my hearing aid, so I switched my CI processor on again. It was too loud. I asked him to count to 10 while I adjusted the volume on the headphone. Once I got it to a good level, I realized I could understand him better with the CI than the HA.

Alas, the battery on my cochlear implant went dead, so I had to make do with the hearing aid again. My sister was over for a Father’s day visit, so I was able to talk to her for a moment as well, also just with the hearing aid.

Observations

• I understood my mother and my sister better with the hearing aid, but I understood my father better with the implant.
• Because of the perceived volume difference, my cochlear implant dominates when I use both my CI and HA.
• As my hearing gets stronger in my aided ear, and as I progress in the rehab with my implant, I think these levels will get closer together and my ears will work together a bit more.
• I wish I had some headphones with independent volume adjustment for each side.
• I almost gave up before I tried to call. I did not know if I would be able to hear enough and I was scared to try. My wife insisted and I am glad she did.

Progress

In the past two weeks, even with my hearing impairment, I have been able to:

1. Participate in three small-group Bible studies
2. Lead a workshop on Bible storying.
3. Perform a wedding.
4. Moderate a church business meeting.
5. Preach in pulpit supply for a local pastor (four times).
6. Watch a movie at the movie theater and understand it.
7. Take my son and his friend out to eat for my wife to get some down time.
8. Identify several of the songs playing on the car radio.
9. Listen to 5 chapters of the book of John dramatized and understand all of it.
10. Attend the Med-El cochlear implant conference and participate fully.

Cochlear implant hearing is not as simple as on and off.

Every day I hear something a little clearer. I feel myself sliding into comprehension. I can catch things here and there, that I couldn’t before. The background noises have more life.

That said. It is so slow coming. I’ve been wearing a cochlear implant since November of last year. This past month has been the best, yet, with respect to understanding and appreciating things. I just can’t pick a day and say, “that’s when I started hearing well again.” That day hasn’t come yet, but I don’t think it ever will. One day, I will just notice I am hearing and functioning. It won’t be a milestone, it will just be another day.

Strange.

In other news, my deafened ear hearing is now stronger than it was when I was redeafened in April. Still improving daily.

God works in amazing and strange ways. He does wonderful things.

Installed the Car Stereo

Last year, my wife gave me a car stereo for Father's day. After a few months, there was a short in the wire and it burnt a fuse. When I went deaf, I just didn't worry about fixing it anymore.

My hearing has improved a great deal since my last mapping and since losing my hearing again in April. It has improved so much that I realized it was time to get the stereo installed. It doesn't play CDs, but it does play mp3s from a memory card.

• I can hear and enjoy some songs that I know well.
• I can follow some songs, but not really appreciate them.
• I can't understand some songs at all, especially new ones.
• I can hear and understand speaking if it is loud and the environment is quiet. (If the car is parked in a quiet place, but not if I am driving.)
• All of this makes me very happy.

New Mapping

Yesterday I went in for a new mapping on my cochlear implant. I did not get a copy of my hearing tests, so I will post them later.

The new mapping seemed very loud yesterday. I did not notice any immediate improvement in clarity or comprehension of sound right away. I did notice, however, that when I got home I could hear the television. I couldn’t understand it, but I could certainly hear it. My wife, Loaise, was watching American Idol. I could hear when people were talking or singing and when the audience was clapping.

Today, I am noticing more sound input from the world around me. Stuff that was just too quiet for me to pick up is coming it. I am looking forward to letting my brain register and categorize these sounds, so that they will become clear and meaningful.

Happy.

Deafened Ear Update

In January I went suddenly deaf in my only functioning ear. My cochlear implant had just been activated in my other ear. Since I have always been deaf on that side, the implant has taken time to become useful. I am nearly to the point of understanding speech, but not yet. So, these past 4 months have been deaf months for me.

Over the last several weeks, my hearing had been  improving in my deafened ear to the point where I could listen to something played loudly over headphones and understand well. But, two weeks ago, I went deaf again. Again, suddenly.

Now, I can hear whistling again in the deafened ear. It looks like it is going to try to come back again. I really, really hope it does, successfully.

My next cochlear implant mapping is next week, and I will post an update on this blog.

I can hear! No I can't! Wait, maybe I can.

My computer hit the floor a few weeks ago and we have been without since. I am waiting for it to be repaired. In the meantime life has been busy and I missed posting several good things. Now I need to post a compilation.

Clarity

I have reached the point where I can direct-connect my cochlear implant to my cell phone and listen to mp3 audio bible chapters and understand them. I can listen for 20 minutes and miss only a sentence or two here or there.

I had reached the point where I could talk on the phone for a sentence or two with my hearing aid in my deafened ear. I spoke to my sister-in-law in portuguese for a moment.

Bimodal Hearing

For the first time in my life, I found my self looking left to find a sound I heard. I never knew what it was like to hear direction, but my head instinctively turned one way or the other.

The sound qualities of my cochlear implant hearing , which is still in training, and my natural hearing, which is still in recovery, are different. They occasionaly worked together to help me understand more.

Nearly Declared not Deaf but Hard of Hearing

I had decided that in May I would start calling myself hard of hearing again, instead of deaf. But, on Saturday, I was playing soccer and in a tumble hit my head on another player´s knee. I hit right behind my right ear. Two days later, on the last day of April, I woke up with no sound in my right ear. I lost my hearing again.

Cochlear Implant Only

I am relying only on my cochlear implant now. I hear well enough to understand the person with whom I am speaking directly. I can identify some songs. I can hear environment noises. Most sound is very soft, but squeaks and bumps are very loud.

My next mapping is in 2 weeks.  I am taking medicine again to stimulate the return of my hearing in my right ear.

Progressing is Cyclical

Cochlear Implant

Every time I get to a new mapping or program, things seem loud.  Certain sounds are too loud and disproportionate. Over time they get softer. Each time I ramp up to too loud and let it settle back down, I realize that I am picking up some new softer sounds and hearing some things a little more clearly. This cycle takes two to three weeks, each time.

I am on the third program of my fourth mapping, so I have one more cycle before my next mapping. This cycle brought the first signs of speech comprehension. I am getting a word here and there from voices I hear, but don't see (by lip reading). This is happening more and more. The voices are scratchy, but identifyable. This is an exciting time.

Residual Hearing

In my non-implanted ear, I can now hear clearly enough to listen to a chapter of the Bible playing on the speaker of my cellphone, when it is pressed tightly up against my ear. I can also hear songs, but the melodies aren't quite there yet. The volume has to be loud enough that the sound pressure is uncomfortable, but my hearing is improving. It still sounds like I have a disposable plastic cup over my ear, though.

My hope is that this continues to the point that with my hearing aid, I can hear the people in the room with me. My hearing recovery seems to be on about the same schedule as last time I went deaf. It is hard to compare, as I am also working on gaining hearing via CI in the other ear. Once my hearing gets stronger and eventually gets to the point where it will no longer improve, I will need to get a new audiogram and reprogram my hearing aid, or get a new one better fitted for my hearing.

Bi-Modal Hearing

I am starting to notice the sounds I hear with the CI and the HA blend together. My implanted hearing is getting clear enough and my residual hearing is getting strong enough that they can start to work together. I am interested to see how this will be as time passes.

Program 3, Map 4

Cochlear Implant (Left Ear)

My mappings are progressive. I get one every so often and then I spend a few weeks on each program 1-4 then get a new mapping. Yesterday was the day to switch to program three. I am hearing more, and more far-away things. I am also starting to finally pick up a word or two spoken by a person I am not looking at.

Today when I put gas in the car, I paid with my card. The attendant gave me the little recipt to sign and I was looking down at it when I heard clearly the words "Por favor." (please).

I am sure he was just saying "sign this please." This was the first time I picked up on a word or two that I was not trying to hear. It felt good. It was a little mechanical and donald duck, which made me smile. So, after nearly half a year, I finally made it to donald duck. Hopefully I'll be hearing lots of talking ducks in the coming weeks.

Right Ear (Recently deafened, but returning slowly)

My hearing is faint and even with the hearing aid the cochlear implant hearing overpowers it. This was the case before I went deaf too. When my implant is off, and my hearing aid turned on full. I can understand some words spoken loudly to my ear. There is still some shakiness to the sound. To me my voice sounds just like Barack Obama, deep and full, no matter what I do. My wife said it sounds more like Mike Tyson when I try to hear the difference by speaking higher.

Loud Sounds Now Bearable.

My sensitivity to certain sounds has diminished a bit. Now those loud sounds are still loud, but not quite as loud and not nearly as irritating. For two days I had a terrible headache, probably related to hearing those sounds. My headache is gone and it seems my hearing clarity improved just a little bit. I still struggle to understand more than a word here or there, but I can tell the difference.

I also need to go back to wearing my hearing aid every other day. There is just too much stimulation and change going on for me to adjust daily. My aided hearing is improving as well, but slowly.

Keep me in your prayers. God bless.

Not Quite Right, Loud Sound

In the last couple of days a certain few sounds have become disproportionately loud to me. The clinking sound of dishes hitting together as I wash them is as loud as anything I hear. Dropping a coin on the ground too. Squeaky door creaks sound like trees breaking in half.

My next mapping isnt until late May, so I hope it doesn't get worse. In the mean time, speech recognition continues to improve. Still a ways to go.