Episode Four is now available.
I’ve had the operation, I’ve had “switch on”. Here I am talking about the first few days of being back home with a new “thing” on the side of my head. Getting used to it, arguing with it……and suddenly hearing a wide variety of environmental sounds I hadn’t heard for so long.
One of the original blog posts covering this period was In which I stir a mug of tea and that event (stirring the tea!) is something I still vividly remember. It can still make me tear up. As I explain in the post, the loss of environmental sounds had never been something that upset me very much. I remembered (vaguely) what birdsong sounded like but it didn’t particularly bother me that I hadn’t heard it for decades. I was desperate to understand speech again and gave virtually no thought to anything else.
And then, immediately after switch on, back those sounds came. I was shocked. And I loved it.
Here’s the link to the film. Hope you enjoy it.
More than a bit deaf 
So happy to have you in HearPeers! I tagged you. Welcome!
Hi Vera – I’m loving your videos – really wonderful and informative about what to expect and the emotional side too – so important! Thanks for doing them.
I’ve found the CI support group you signposted mr to very helpful too! I’ve been for my first assessment and narrowly failed it – due to my upside down hearing loss – like Monica – but they’ve said as soon as the criteria change (10 Dec we heard?) I should make the grade and am likely to be a good candidate. I’m booked for a CT and MRI so they’re definitely lining me up to proceed at some point!
Really exciting – though I was despondent when I failed initially. I’ll get there in due course!
More exciting news for me- I’ll be a first time granny next June!!!! – if I can get my CI in time to properly hear the baby as it gets talking that’ll be a dream come true!
I’m interested to see more – how many videos are there in total?
Best wishes, and thanks Teresa x
Thanks Teresa, and it’s sounding like they definitely think the criteria will change and make you eligible, which would be fantastic. Hospitals don’t book people in for CT scans and MRIs if they think it’s going to be pointless.
And wonderful news about the impending grandparenthood.
There are going to be six videos altogether. Episode Five is “Three Months On”. It still makes me go wet-eyed sometimes in parts, when I see it, because of how wonderfully well things had turned out. Episode 6 will be “A Year On” and is only partly filmed. Some of the filming was done a couple of weeks ago and the rest will be in January, so that final chapter won’t be released until February or maybe March.
All fingers crossed for 10 December.
Vera
Vera and Nigel,
Thank you so much for sharing your journey so openly with us. Vera, I understand exactly what you are describing with our brain’s response to the CI input. Well done!
Mary Beth
Hello Mary Beth. I recognise your name from the Med-El website I think? It’s been such fun helping Henrique and the other guys from Med-El make the film, and I’m really hoping that it helps reassure other people who are considering having an implant. So any way you know to share it……please do!
A while ago I enjoyed reading your piece about listening to music 🎶. I’m not a musical person and have decided so far not to put much effort into that (why practice hard to learn something you didn’t really do even when you could hear perfectly normally?) but the music I DO have (a few favourite CDs in the car) I can now really enjoy again, purely through just having them playing regularly. Truly the brain is a remarkable thing. Best wishes and thanks for getting in touch. Vera.
Hi Vera!
I have been sharing your video links! Awesome job.
Come and join in on the HearPeers International forum. Great group of people. We would love to have you join in.
Wishing you the very best!
Mary Beth
I’ve found them! And have just joined HearPeers. Thanks Mary Beth.