Thanks to Jennifer at Surround Stereo, I plagiarized the title for this post…
Yea…I haven’t done a post in a while. Blame it on summer; there is just too much going on to fit/fill up a 24 hour day.
I had a mapping today or rather, a checkup. Based on the results of the sound booth, there is a subtle improvement since my last mapping in April. The lows and mid-range have improved the most and to a point where I can hear as low as 20 dbs. This would be considered average for a “normal” hearing person. The highs continue to be the weakest area at around 30 dbs. Both Michelle and I were happy with the results and we decided to leave things alone for fear of upsetting the delicate balance between the right and left ears. We did make program #3 of my left side a softer version of my everyday program (#2) with hopes that I’ll be able to hear over the phone.
We did spend a considerable amount of time discussing strategy with emphasis towards become more dependent on sound and less on lip-reading. We also talked about how much improvement there has been and how far that can go. In reality, the improvements are all dependent on how much my brain wants to absorb and at what pace. Its almost like “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” but the real trick is to work as hard as possible to overcome a lifetime “footprint”.
That lifetime “footprint” is my exceptional lip-reading ability. That skill has been with me all my life and has served me well. UNFORTUNATELY, it still serves me well. My brain simply doesn’t want to give it up. Why change something that has done a marvelous job for 50 plus years? If it aren’t broken, why fix it? That is the mentality my brain lives on. And that is the obstacle to my hearing as a “normal” hearing person.
The improvements I am experiencing are merely the additional sounds I hear. For example, when I was in the sound booth today, I heard the clicks of the dial on the audiometer. When I am outside, I can hear the different sounds of different birds. And in some cases, I can hear sounds that others can’t. These improvements will continue so long as they represent sound which is no more than a signal the brain has picked up.
The bottom line of all this…I need to quit slackin’ and get to practicing. And the place to start is Advanced Bionics’ The Listening Room. In addition to that, I have a cell phone and I have my own number so if you want to help me, please call me at….drop me an email and maybe I’ll give you my phone number.
Hey Sam,
I got new maps yesterday, too. Tested 20-25 db across the board with both implants! Also, my audiologist tested my residual hearing and I do have some! Nothing worth using, though! But is is nice to know that it is still there!
I, too, still have my lipreading skills. In fact, my father told me that I was reading lips before my parents discovered my hearing loss.
Question for you. . .what speech and hearing clinic did you start your hearing journey with??? Have you always lived in Buffalo?
Keep practicing. . .it makes a difference!
Sam,
That photo of you running, whew, I wonder if you’re wearing your CI (one or bilateral?). I wear one HA and always have to take it off for any strenuous activity, otherwise, I’ll end up shorting the damn thing.
You say you’ve done lip-reading for some 50 years. I know, it’s like second-nature for me, but I’ve tuned myself to deliberately listen to hubby’s voice or other family members’ voices in another room just to see how “auditory” I can be. It’s tough for me, but with YOUR enhanced 20-30dB, it should be a breeze! I realize it’s only been about six months since your implant, so maybe there is some catching up to do. You’re the impatient one, not me, dude.
I’m not familiar with your blog that much, only when you switched to DV was when I became aware of your blog. So, forgive me, if I’m not up on your hearing loss history. I’ll have to catch up on YOUR archives, heh!
Keep pluggin’, your running and your “auditory” practice, that is.
Laurie…that is interesting that you have some residual hearing. I am wondering if the hole they drilled is the reason for losing it and yours closed up. My hearing journey started at what is now the Pauline K. Winkler Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic in Albany NY. It continued to the New York League for the Hard of Hearing in NYC then NYU Medical Center where I was exposed to CIs for the first time. And finally, to here in Buffalo where I am now serviced at the Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center.
Ann..I did wear my CIs when running but because I sweat worse than Niagara Falls, they were sliding off. They did hold up well to the sweat, though. When you mention listen to hubby’s voices or other family members’ in other room, do you mean to understand what they are saying or just hear them? The latter is the case for me.
Another slacker, eh? 😉 I think everyone has just been so BUSY this summer…and especially with CI blogs, if there’s nothing new to report, it’s hard to get inspired to write sometimes. I’m just glad to see a new post from ya occasionally! 🙂
It has been interesting to me that my brain has given up the lipreading…a little too fast. Now without the CI on I have to struggle really hard to lipread. With it, I think it still helps to make sense of some words…but if my sensitivity is too low or if I need a new map, lipreading helps very little…I struggle to understand words. In a way, it’s a huge disadvantage…I’m glad you’re keeping it.
Your test scores sound great…it’s amazing to me that you didn’t have to change your map. My audiologist wanted to do an audiogram on me once before the mapping, rather than after…and it was this crazy zig-zag pattern…up and down between 30 and 60 dB or so…it had changed that much in just three months…so she HAD to go do the map, then we did the audiogram again and it was nearly a straight line. I think I need another one now. Apparently my brain needs a bit more work (no jokes please ;))!
On the practicing…you can do it!! If there’s anything we can do to help…just say the word! 🙂
Hi Sam,
For me, it’s not a problem of hearing them if they’re on one floor of the house and not more than 10-15 yards from me. I’m trying more to discern what they’re saying to me, without the lipreading. I do ok about 60% of the time when it’s my hubby, perhaps because I’m familiar with his speech patterns. My M-I-L or sisters-in-law, forget it. My parents, or sibs, maybe about 30 to 40 percent aural comprehension vs. lipreading.
I know it’s not easy when one is so used to lip-reading, but I treat it like a new game to learn to see how much I comprehend aurally. I have the computer in one room where I’m at presently, and I raise my voice to ask a question to hubby who may either be in the kitchen or living room and wait for his answer. About 9 times out of 10 I hear him, but about 6 out of 10 when it comes to actually discerning what he said. I will paraphrase him just to see how much I understood of what he said, and he’s good enough to correct me if I’m wrong. He’s hearing, but very patient, unusual for hearing people. Good training tactic, if I may say so. Funny, he hasn’t caught on to what I’m really doing, heh. 🙂
Try it and see how it goes. Have some fun with it by asking weird or sex questions. Never fails.
Hey Sam,
How goes? Been busy myself, hard to get a post on, and even hard to reply. But I’m here. Still read. Sounds like you are doing better overall. Given the time frame (6 months) on the new CI, I really think you will improve a lot. I have improved a ton after the 6 month time. Now I’m over a year, but if I think back to six months, major improvements. So hang in and practice, it will get better. Try CD books, I did that a lot, and listen to a ton of music 🙂 Have your wife read a basic sentence to you without you looking at her, and repeat it to her, stuff like that, it helps.
Enjoy the rest of your summer, and if you need me to call, let me know.
Take care
Billy
Hey Sam!
Where have you been?? We’ve missed you at the chat and missed seeing you online!!! Get out of the heat and get online 🙂
Kim
I been around…slackin’ as usual but look for some fresh posts sooooooooooooon!