Audiograms

This morning I went to my appointment for mapping. Surprised the appointment was simple and easy. I had to take test for each CI. Darn, they didn't test with both like they did last January. It was alright because we can assume it's five dB above from CI. I have created the audiograms for you to see how much it has improved since January.

Last January Steve was not happy with the results what he saw, but this morning made him happy. I guess I'm happy as well. :D

Steve did not want to change since it was a good mapping so he only adjust one specific area for right CI and did not change anything on left CI. I left the office with very little change and I was surprised because I got used to big change every time I went for mapping. I hope my CIs will continue improving and hope will get some more good news in six months. My next appointment will be on December 14th.

Sound Quality

Last Tuesday morning, I went to see Steve, my audiology, for mapping. Steve gave me a hearing test then adjust mapping. I told him that I couldn't hear "SSS" or high frequency very well from last appointment he reduced high frequency. He fixed the problem and increased power for right C.I. while a little adjust on left C.I. I was hoping that the mapping will be good one because I will not see him until next six months which will be July.

Now today is Friday and are the mappings good? Funny--after left John Hopkins Hospital, I was thinking.. wow louder than we came in. Not much exciting yet because it always changes the next day after the mappings. The next day I noticed the sounds umm starting clear to me. Not very CLEAR but noticed there were more details in the sounds it made. I couldn't figure it out if the mappings are good or my listen skills has improved.

I remember two summers ago one deaf couples stop by our class to explain their cochlear implant experiences. I remember one man explained that it took him about a year get the picture clear. At first the picture was blur and couldn't figure what it was. Slowly the blur changes into a better quality of the picture. Finally after a year wearing cochlear implant, he can see the clear picture of US flag. His wife has one but it took her about a year and half to get the clear picture. It was very interesting to listen their experiences and how they made the process with their cochlear implants. (Both have only one cochlear implant.)

I couldn't understand fully how he felt about things became clear to him until now. I have noticed the sounds starting to get better quality. Still it's taking slow processing in my head to recognize the sounds from the environment around me. I'm hoping it will continue making the sounds clear. I started enjoy to listen the game effects, noticed movie people used emphasize words, uhh -- many things!

Annie got out of shower and dressed. I was in my bed and playing a game on my iPhone. I told Annie I can hear when she turned the shower on and got in. I can hear her walk away or under the water in the shower. Also I can hear when she was washing her hair or body whatever because where the water hits. The water made different when you're under or blah. Oh I don't have to explain in details.. BUT Annie was surprised how much I can hear and said..wow, that mapping must be very GOOD!

That surprised me--I think the mapping IS GOOD! I'm hoping that I will continue growing and able to get better before the next appointment this July. I really wanted to pull my dB up. Right now I'm on 35-40 dB. (Steve have been reduced LOT because of my left tingly problem.. Good news, I haven't had a tingly since last appointment.) Steve said my mind is still learning and hoping it will changes. One thing was interesting when Steve said having biliteral will take longer to process than unbil. INTERESTING! I should keep my mind about that!

Another Mapping

This afternoon I had an appointment with Steve. This appointment was umm interesting because something has happened. First Steve asked me to give him my cochlear implants. Allow me to explain a little so you will not get lost in this story. I'm wearing two cochlear implants, right.. I have two back-up processors. That means I have four processors, two for each right and left ears. When Steve finishes the maps, he puts them on my regular processors and my backup processors (different maps for right and left ear).

Steve hooked up my regular processors to a computer and adjusted the map for me. I explained that it was too quiet every time I left his office. Also I told him that my problem with tingly has stopped a few days ago. I had no idea how it stopped but it stopped somehow. We all were thrilled to know it has stopped; however, hoped it will continue that way from now.

I have coils on my head and the wires goes to the computer. When Steve finished adjust my mappings and started to talk with me to see if the volume was good for me. At that moment, he started to talk, it was too quiet. Steve turned to the computer to make it a bit more louder then try it again. Nope, it was still the same--quiet. Steve was puzzled and decided to try one more time. Third time it was the same! Quiet. Steve asked me if the quiet was just quiet or worse than I had before come in the office. I don't have to pause to think if it was different and gave him the answer right away--it was worse than I came in.

Steve got confused and did not know what happened. It drove us all crazy. He checked everything on the computer. He was curious enough to changed from regular processors to back-up processors. He does not change the maps on back-up processors. He asked me if I was able to hear the same as I came in. He tested me by talking to me. Yes, it was the same what I heard before I came in. MMMM..

Steve gave up and told me that he wanted to test my hearing with regular and back-up processors. He tested me all four processors but goodness he didn't test me a whole test or it will takes forever to do that. He made a quick test for all four processors, I mean individually test. He showed us the audiogram. WOW! It does show the big difference between regular and back-up processors. Regular processors were on 70 dB while back-up were on 40 dB. 30 dB is a big gap!

Steve decided to removed the map that he created for me and make it new. Actually he used the map that I had then adjust the map again. He was anxiety to see if it would make it different. Odd, it works that time! That drove Steve nuts because he cannot able to figure it out WHY it was not working. Poor Steve BUT I'm so glad it worked. Whew.

Now Steve increased volume, especially high frequency on right. Whew, that's what I hoped for when I came to the appointment. Right now I'm trying to handle the loudness. It's overwhelming for me. GRR I hate to go through this phase again and again and again!! I cannot wait to get both on stable and used to the sounds. I have no idea how long it will takes but hopefully soon. My next appointment will be on December 4th. Groans. And the good news, the tingly hasn't come back since the appointment. Fingers cross. (Only tiny tingly but not awful annoying.)

Oh no..

The problem is BACCCCCCCCK! I had to make another appointment with Steve to fix the problem again. That time I do not know if he is going to do the same thing he did with me last time or try another way to figure why it's causing me problems. Actually I think my ear have pick up more sounds and the sound has increased to that point might caused the problem. I'm not sure because it have been on and off often. I hope it will be solved SOON so I don't have to handle this! :S

Okay, Annie and I arrived at Johns Hopkins Hospital and entered the building. We waited for the elevator. I heard the beep behind me. I was a little relief that I was able to hear it because I was not able to hear it since I got my cochlear implant. (With my old hearing aid, I was able to hear the beep..) Anyway, we walked into the elevator that goes up. I need to go to sixth floor. There were three women with two strollers got on the same elevator with us. One woman get off on floor 2... Waiting... suddenly I heard number 5 before the elevator door opened. I was surprised and looked at Annie--did that elevator said number 5? She reply yes, it did. I never realized the elevator tell you which floor you are on! I was astonished it happened to me. Because it was random and I was not expected to understand around me (I mean people talking). Oh boy! Finally, the sixth floor arrived and we got off. That thing has stick to my mind--unbelievable.

Okay, Steve got us and walked inside of his office. We discussed about my problems and Steve had to adjust some frequency and tested with me if bothers me. And it didn't bothered me. He decided to lower the power but not volume. Then he tested me with Ling sounds. He tested me several times and adjust some of electrodes. It's alike try this..no no try this.. Oh that's worse.. need back to that.. try one more.. Well, try one more.. That's what we did for a few minutes.

Oh yeah when we arrived, Steve asked me if I'm teaching or taking class right now. I told him that I'm taking classes right now and tomorrow will be last day for this set of classes. He was wondering if I teach in summer because his neighbor will take ASL through Towson next summer. That was funny.

Anyway what's the complex is that two things.. He was so curious about the surgery this Monday. I was curious why he was curious about this. He explained that my right residual hearing will be removed. It might affect on my left hearing and my brain might got confused something...... Like my brain might looking for the sounds but couldn't find it. (Annie giggled because what's left in my right hearing..there's not much to lose.) Again, he mentioned that left sounds might lower volume. Basically he is very curious the results.

Another is that yesterday morning I woke up and felt the problem but I was not wearing my cochlear implant. I told Steve about that. He was eager to explain it. What I understand that my brain is learning how to listen. Simple answer. My brain finally realized the sounds that is understandable what hearing aid couldn't do make any sense. When I took my cochlear implant off or didn't put it on. Brain thought something was there and started to look for it, but there wasn't. Steve shows that it's a good sign that my brain is learning how to listen. Oh boy, every time I went to see Steve and come home struggling to put in the words what happened in the office. Every time the appointment gets weirder and complex. I wonder what's next?

Well, it seems my surgery has been confirmed this Monday. I bumped into a financial counselor. That's another topic but it seems the insurance approved for second cochlear implant! Well, we will see until I put my body on the cold metal bed as being naked with tight nylon on my legs.

Adventurous Appointment

I think this one will going to be difficult for me to explain what happened at my appointment with audiologist, Steve, last Friday. I will try my best.

You might wonder why I have gone Steve even it’s not time for my sixth mapping. Well, I’m going to refresh your mind. My fifth mapping—one of twelve (it’s number 10) electrode have caused a bit pain when Steve turned the volume up. He decided to turn 10 off. I have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 on active.

I went home and feel weird. Maybe that mapping electrode 10 caused it to be sore. Like you have a cut and then you touch it. I guess I waited to see how it goes in a few days. Over the weekend, I started to feel it was different that time. The feeling is very hard to describe and I tried to explain it to Steve. Imagine that. Let me try to explain it to you if you understand what I mean. It’s sort of like some cough drops, it makes your throat tingly/cool. That tingly/cool feeling is deep in my ear. I don’t think it’s related to a specific sound. The strange is that when I took my cochlear implant off, it was disappeared. Too weird! I had to email Steve. He suggested me to go see the doctor to see if I have an ear inflection and I don’t have it. He suggested me to turn the volume down and it didn’t work. We have been forth and back then finally decided that I should go back to see Steve and see why I’m having that feelings.

That was two weeks ago since I had an appointment with Steve for fifth mapping. The appointment was Friday at eight in the morning. I went and the appointment took longer than usually I had with mappings. This appointment was different. Steve said he have a theory and wanted to try it to see if it works. I went inside of his office and saw there was a machine and it was Middle Ear Analyzer. I thought it must be for other clients.

Steve: That machine, Middle Ear Analyzer, I’m going to use on you. I have a theory and I wanted to try and see if it works.

Me: (Confused: But it’s not the issue since ear drum was worthless to test because cochlear implant goes in different way..)

Steve: It will goes to your right ear.

Me: Uh huh? How it works?

Steve: What I will do is to put this in your right ear and check to see … too loud that would trigger the muscle. It will apply the same as your left ear.

Me: (Curious) Okay.

I guess that’s what he did to me. He pulled the Middle Ear Analyzer close to him so he can work on his computer and Middle Ear Analyzer same time. What he do with the computer? The coil wire goes to the machine that connected to the computer. He turn the volume up to my individual frequency to see when it would trigger. He started with quiet until loud. He will asked me if the loud is okay with me. I had to answer it’s okay, not too loud. Nothing exciting with electrode 1. He tested electrode 4. Suddenly Steve was so happy and proud of himself. I have no idea why he was so happy but realized that he was happy that his theory probably right. So he continued with other frequency. Nothing wrong with some frequency until 10.. Of course, the number 10 is the problem. He had to start with quiet until where it hurts me. Bingo, that hurts. He turned the volume down and it hurts a little. He again lower the loudness and that time no pain.

At that moment, I asked him why it was causing pain? Because when it hurts, I can feel hurt goes down to my throat. It’s almost like throbbing. Steve was diligent to give me the answers why it has happened to me. He started to give me the example—doctor taps your knee and you kick. It's a reflex. Same idea with ear. When the sounds are loud, it triggers the muscle to pull your eardrum. (Later Annie told me: When you yawn, you couldn’t hear the noise because while you yawn, the muscle pulls the eardrum tight.)

He said that number 10 is sensitive to the electrical stimulation from the implant.

So the question is can he fix the problem? Yes, he can by change the mapping a bit. Now my newest mapping does not change a lot except number 9, 10, and 11. He made the number 9, 10, and 11 stimulation lower than other stimulation and try again on me to see if the problem have solved. The first try, it hurts; therefore, he had to lower once again. Finally no more pain on that mapping.

Before Steve was confirmed the new mapping is good for me, he had to test me by saying Ling sounds with a black cloth to cover his mouth. He asked me to raise my arm if I hear him say something. He started to say one of Ling and I had no problem raise my arm for awhile as he said the sounds quieter and quieter. One time I was not sure if I heard it. I said umm I’ll go ahead raise my arm and not sure because I think it’s extremely quiet. Am I imagine? Steve was thrilled that I was able to hear the quiet and said it’s good mapping for you now. You do not have two programs now. You have accomplished that area.

Steve asked me what I wanted to do with second program so I decided to go for music. He set up a program for music. I wonder what’s the different but Steve mentioned that the music he set will be broader than program 1. Program 1 is narrow to focus on the speech frequencies.

The result is that I haven’t had weird feeling since last Friday. After the appointment, I felt everything was quiet. I recalled that I noticed nothing much after the mapping until NEXT day. True enough, the next day it was a bit louder than Friday, but not too loud as before. It’s different somehow. Things tend bothers me was not important to me now. Yes, it’s loud but not enough to drive me nuts. Such as plastic bag or flush the toilet. I sometimes ran away from the toilet when I flush it. Sometimes I forced myself to stay to wash my hands while flush the toilet. That sounds was unpleasant to me. Now I can get used to that noise because the high frequency is not overpower other frequencies.

Well the first day was quiet. The second day was better. The third day was a lot better. Now I feel the bathroom is loud and starting annoying again, but not awful. I guess I am picking up the sound even though Steve turn down the stimulation.

Now I feel I have to learn everything over, because the high frequency is not overpower other frequencies. I have to do listening therapy to see if it sounds the same or different. I guess I will find out soon. I guess that's it for now.

Fifth Mapping

Oh boy! This mapping brought a lot of emotions for me. I do not know how to describe it. No, it's not exciting nor sad. It's just different experience. I haven't seen my audiologist, Steven for two months. It's my cochlear implant two months follow-up last Friday at 12:30pm.

I was looking forward to see my audiogram where I am right now. I felt I had improved so much since our last appointment two months ago. Steven came and bought us (Annie was with me to interpreter for me) to the room where he will test my hearing. He asked me how it went over two months. I explained to him what I have experienced for example high frequency, overcame while packing, two weeks later it came back, blah blah, even what I have learned over two months. I didn't took his time for this. I had to explain brief to give him an idea.

It's time for me to take a hearing test. I felt the same as usually as I took before. After the test, he didn't show it to me until we went to his office. He gave me my audiogram. I was surprised that my high frequency was still strongest than low frequency. My low frequency has not improved yet.

You can compare my another audiogram from earlier date on this blog. Steve decided to renew my mapping. That means he started all over again to remove the old mapping to make the new one. He asked me to listen the beep (gosh, that beeps are very annoying noise) and try to compare 1 and 2, and if the beeps sound the same? I had to do this again and again until all are equal and comfortable. I have done 1, 2, 3, until 10. Suddenly it sting me! I told him it hurts! But it was not painful, it's just hurts. His facial expression surprised and make it go quieter. Again it made the same sting! You might get confused about 1, 2, 3...12. I'm going to post one picture to give you an example.

That picture my dad took when I had my first activation last February 13th. You can see there are twelve. First one is low frequency until last are high frequency. My fifth mapping looks different from this screen now. But I'm showing this to help you understand better.. So he removed 10 to avoid sting me.

So he established a new mapping and push me a bit to pull up the low frequency and lower the high frequency without 10. (10 is one of 12 different frequency) I asked him why that number 10 sting me. He was thinking and said it might be too much electric and that specific area cannot handle it at that moment. (Seriously, that was not so fun to feel that sting. It scared me a bit). So he finally finished with mapping and tested me if it's good enough but it was quiet so he pull up again twice to get it loud enough for me. Now I'm stuck with this new mapping for several months. He said he will not adjust my mapping or make an appointment.

You must wondering why.. Steve said that he does not want to push me more UNTIL my right catch up with left. Yes, that means my left will have to wait for right to catch up (audiogram), so both can work together to improve. My surgery will be on July 13th and activation will be third week of August after my trip to Austria visit Omi, my grandma, Michi, my mother's brother, and other things like FUN FUN FUN and CHOCOLATE! Anyway, poor my left ear will have to wait for several months for another mapping.

Interesting--I asked Steve if I have to take my left cochlear implant off to focus on my right cochlear implant. Because one of my friends told me that she had to take her right off, so her mind will not depend on her right while left on. Sorry if it's confusing but hope it makes sense. Steve said I don't have to because my left cochlear implant is still new. Yay! Same time scary because it might be too loud. Haha. My friend had right cochlear implant for a year and half before get second one. My situation is different than hers.

Okay, add some more emotions--when I saw that audiogram--I admitted I was a little disappointed because I thought I have improved so much. But same time, I remembered Steve warned me that lot of patients felt they have improved so much but the audiograms didn't show that. It didn't mean they didn't improved their hearing skills. It made sense to me now.

I left the office and felt quieter. I thought oh no, did Steve make it quieter? I thought he made it louder to push me a bit? I got confused and decided to ignored it. Got home. Everything still sound quieter. It bothered me a bit. I decided to test program 2 to see if there was anything different from program 1 which I was on. Yeah, it was different--a bit louder. I decided to keep program 2 for awhile. AND I still feel the sore that 10 hits. Oh man, I hope it won't bother me that much. I started to get worried.

Before I went bed, I forgot what has bothered me but I changed my mind and put it on program 1. Silly, I know. The next day, I was still on program 1. I noticed the sounds around me get louder than yesterday. My memories flash--I remembered every time I went for mapping--most of time the changes didn't response until next day. I do not know why but it does. Finally, it's normal but different...different.. That one I cannot able to describe. The sore was not half bad.

Oh no, plastic bags or other things bothered me. In my mind, NO NO NO NO! I overcome that sound! Not again! I hate that sounds. Of course, I did not want to go through again and I cried for no reasons. I know--silly.. I guess it's just overwhelming for me. I talked with Annie and she was curious which frequency was bothering me. She tested me with different sounds to see which it bothered me so much. She even tested me with piano. She found some information from the internet. We found out that middle frequency bothered me, not the high frequency! We both assumed that Steve pulled low frequency and it was new to my brain. I guess I have to get used to it AGAIN. After talking with Annie, I feel much better and increase more courage to continue that stupid noise. I hope I'll able to overcome this annoy noise quickly.

Today is Sunday and I'm all better now (of course, still annoy noise). No more sore, but still feel little weird feeling. At least it's not hurt or anything. I'm relief that I'm okay. Haha. No more drama for me. I'm back normal. Two days with drama can be exhausting. Whew!

Fourth Mapping

I KNEW IT!!! Yesterday I had my fourth mapping. We arrived at hospital and waited for Steve to get us. Steve said I’ll need to take a hearing test again to see how I have progressed since one month. Before he started to do that, he asked me hot it went for me. I told him that plastic bag, water running, and umm that kind things were very annoying. I felt the high frequency was louder than low frequency. (It’s not normal because my low frequency is best area for me.) Steve was wondering about that and started to do tests. During the test, all I have to do is push the button when I hear the beeps.

After the test, Steve asked me the audiogram (above) and showed me the high frequency was BEST than low frequency! I knew it. In my mind, I feel that high frequency was louder and take over low frequency. Well, that was odd--because high frequency jumped to 20 dB while low frequency improved a little. So we went back to Steve’s office to try fix that problem for me.


Steve tried to adjust my processor to pull the low frequency and try to make it balance with high frequency. But he does not want to pull all to twenty because it might be too much for me to handle the loudness. So he only increase 5 dB and (I think) he decrease a little high frequency. He test me with the noise what he has in the office. I think it’s a bit better but not lot.

He sets two programs for me again, same idea as usually. That’s it for now. I admit nothing exciting about that appointment. However I knew he knows what he is doing with me and he is careful with me. He does not want overwhelm me with loudness. I don’t mind that, but I thought he would adjust the sounds.. I guess I’ll have to wait for that part until I accomplish that goal what he wanted from me. Remember he hoped that I would move up to 20-30 dB. Well, my high frequency did, but not for low frequency. Annie and Steve agreed that if high frequency did jumped to 20 dB as Steve wanted it to be then low frequency can go to 20 dB. It will takes awhile to accomplish this goal. We have no idea how long it would takes to be happen.

My next appointment will be in two months. Steve said I’ll have one appointment in two months, then three months. After that, it will become every six months after that for follow up.

We left the hospital and nothing exciting to listen anything new but just a bit loud than usually. I’m okay. Until next day, everything was ANNOYING! That high frequency still take over. I guess I’m hoping that my mind will realized that Steve has push low frequency up and trying to balance all equal. Well, low frequency did but need to get high frequency join together.

Of course, next day it gets better and still having problem with high frequency. :S

An Explanation for Nicole

I wanted to put something on that page. I remember I did have some picture of Nicole. I know you will kill me for this. But it brought many good memories!! Oh gosh, I never forgot that day when we left for overnight hiking.. OH MY, it was FREEZING day even it’s in JULY! I couldn’t remember who but told us that we can sleep in after we got back from hiking. Thank you for being my wonderful friend, Nicole. :D I need to get Amy to read this so I can put another embarrassing picture of her. :D

Anyway, Nicole has some questions about mapping and programs and how it works. I’m going to explain some more for her since family have advantage while Nicole don’t have that, because I haven’t talked to her face to face.

I asked Annie to type... It’s complicated, so I will sign and Annie will type.

It’s kind of confusing with programs and mapping. Mapping means I have to go to the audiologist to set the stimulation of each channel of the cochlear implant. The way he sets it up becomes a map, which is also called a program. My cochlear implant processor (on my ear) can hold four programs. The first time I went for mapping, he asked me to tell him when sounds were comfortable, and he set that as my first program. He made programs 2, 3, and 4 exactly the same, except each a little louder. So I started on program 1 and worked my way up through the programs, one each day.

When I went for the second mapping, he asked me to try to balance the channels (each channel is a frequency band, some low, some mid, some high), so that they were all the same loudness. That became program 1. Again, programs 2, 3, and 4 were each a little louder. This time, I changed programs every two days.

At the third mapping, he just made it a little louder than the old program 4, and that became the new program 1. Then he set program 2 a little louder. He didn’t put anything on programs 3 and 4... Maybe I will reach the goal of 25-35 dB with program 2. Because I was almost there with program 4 from the second mapping (that’s the audiogram on my other post).

I hope that helps.

Third Mapping

Well, you know it’s obviously that I went for third mapping this morning, right? This appointment was supposed to be 90 minutes with Steve. I ended up finished after 40 minutes with Steve. Yup, that was FAST when he did three things. I guessed right that he would do three things for this mapping. 1. Audiogram 2. Test my odd electrodes 3. Fix some programs on my cochlear implant

Steve was lazy to do audiogram. Well, I mean he did quickly than normal it should be. Then Steve didn’t do ALL odd to test my electrodes. He did only 1, 7, 9, and 11. He skipped 3 and 5. I don’t know why he did that. Finally he started to explain about FSP and HDCIS. Don’t ask me what it is but it means FSP=Fine Structure Processing and HDCIS=High Definition Continuous Interleaved Sampling. He wanted to know if I can tell the difference between FSP and HDCIS. He warned me that I might not able to recognize the difference. And I was not able to tell the difference. He said that we will do that again when I come for another appointment which is one month away from today.

He also explained that he have established only TWO programs, not four. It’s almost too sad to hear about that. Because I’m stuck with only two programs. Because I’m almost reach the goal to 25-35 dB. Basically he only set two programs that goes louder. I’ll be on program 1 for two weeks then change to program 2 until to the next appointment.
That’s it! All three have been done in 40 minutes! He said I’m FAST than others because they have tons of questions or other things. Like problems, need to fix, etc.... I’m just perfect person without complain about loud or anything like that. Yes, I’m saint girl.
Yeah, I almost forgot to add one tiny thing about the audiogram. You noticed there are yellow highlight on the audiogram. He said I’ll continue to improve after increase stimulation. So it’s our goal to reach 25-35 dB. Well, it’s not bad for wearing cochlear implant at one week old. Annie said it’s funny because my old hearing aid already accomplished at 250 Hz but of course much worse at 2,000 Hz. After that, I heard nothing. I think cochlear implant heard more than hearing aid. Different sounds and louder. I think also different uhhh sensitive to the sounds. Hearing aid does not make any sense, well some of environmental sounds make sense with hearing aid. Such as aware of voices, door knock, dog barking, blah blah. One neat thing about cochlear implant that I can hear far than hearing aid can.

Oh another amazing has happened when I left Steve’s office. I had to go to the restroom. There are two small restroom which are next to each other. Annie and I had to go before hit the road.

I went to the bathroom and nothing exciting than first mapping. I knew the flush will scared out of my mind PLUS my heart will jump out of my chest! So I didn’t flush until I’m ready to leave the room. I push and ran out of the restroom! But before that, I was sitting on the toilet and suddenly heard the flush from another restroom!! And I heard Annie’s shoes walking after left the restroom. WOW!! Of course, I can’t tell which shoes but that one was obviously because Annie was next to me.

So that’s it for now. All of exciting is gone for awhile. Hope will have another exciting happen so I can post more fun things on this blog.

Second Mapping

Before I start blah blah, I want to answer Nicole’s questions. Steve, my audiology, said that I have wear C.I. all the time. I shouldn’t take it off except go bed or have a shower etc. He also said if I gets sick of sounds or too much I can always turn the program down or go to somewhere quiet to calm down. If it’s really necessary to take off, but I shouldn’t leave it off no more than twenty minutes. My brain need to get used to it. If I keep taking it off, then I will not get used to it or let my brain develop to recognize sounds around me. Make sense? It’s tough for a few days. Now it’s getting a bit better. I guess I need to build up more patience for leaving it there all day. So far I did, I have not take it off not even one for calm down. :D

Back to my story, this morning I went to see Steve, my audiology. He did a bit different than last visit. He test me two things. I did nothing with it. He just test my nerve. He had to test me even electrode to see how it works with my nerve. I have twelve of each electrode. He told us that he’ll do even today and do odd next visit. He started with number 2. The result caused Steve surprised and said, “That’s gorgeous! You couldn’t ask for any better.” He continued with number 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. He was amazing how my nerve response. He said I have possibly potential to understand the speech. That surprised us. But it’s still too early to say because my new ear still learning and still need to adjust my cochlear implant to used to it.

The next test was almost the same as I had first visit. But it’s a bit different that time. He asked me to make all sound even loudness for 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. And it must be medium (loud). So we did get it even with my best guess listen. That was fast. Steve wanted to test me if I can hear the ooo, ah, sh, sssss, eeee etc. Realized that I respond to sh and sss better than others. So he turned low frequency up for me.

Now remember I have a remote that has four programs. He said I must on the same one program for about two days then step to 2 for two days etc. It’s different program than I had before. I had no idea what the different it would be. I guess it might go louder.