Cochlear is offering free shipping this month for web orders. It's usually $9.95 for shipping and it's shipped FedEx 2 day.
I'm sorely tempted to buy David a Hatis system for his phone, but even on sale with free shipping it's pricey. It's worth it right?
So, Jaime corrected David yesterday when he mispronounced Ballerina. We all got a laugh out of that.
I honestly can say that I never appreciated how difficult the English language is until David started speech therapy.
Listen is pronounced liss-en, not LIS-TEN. I never realized that certain letters have the same mouth position, just different vocalizations. Why would you if you're hearing?
When you grow up as a hearing person, it's second nature. You learn to speak that way and you don't really have to work at it. It's much easier to learn when you're young. David is working very hard to learn it at 28.
Jen, if you read this, I'd like to congratulate you on your recent surgery, and David and I wish you all the luck in the world with your upcoming activation :)
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Another weekend has come and gone.
First, I'm going to photowhore some pictures of absolute perfection.
Now a different kind of perfection...
Lastly for the pictures...
*whew* All done slamming photos in your faces.
Have you ever noticed it's harder to listen and pay attention when you're exhausted? David is the same way. I think everyone is. It's just harder for us when he's exhausted. He doesn't concentrate on the sounds, and then he gets frustrated, I get frustrated, and the kids get frustrated.
My tip of the day:
When you're tired GO TO BED!!!
LOL :)
Now a different kind of perfection...
Lastly for the pictures...
*whew* All done slamming photos in your faces.
Have you ever noticed it's harder to listen and pay attention when you're exhausted? David is the same way. I think everyone is. It's just harder for us when he's exhausted. He doesn't concentrate on the sounds, and then he gets frustrated, I get frustrated, and the kids get frustrated.
My tip of the day:
When you're tired GO TO BED!!!
LOL :)
Friday, June 6, 2008
Kids are funny
Joe (nephew) to Jaime: "What's your mom's name?"
Jaime: "Wivabef"
Emma (niece): "Eeeeeeelizabeth"
David: "Jaime doesn't know my name"
Me: "Jaime, what's daddy's name"
Jaime: "Honey"
David and I were laughing so hard. Kids crack me up!!!
Jaime: "Wivabef"
Emma (niece): "Eeeeeeelizabeth"
David: "Jaime doesn't know my name"
Me: "Jaime, what's daddy's name"
Jaime: "Honey"
David and I were laughing so hard. Kids crack me up!!!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
It feels like Friday.
Why isn't it?
So, David heard me muttering under my breath today. I'm in trouble!!!
He continues to do well with his CI. The new maps are better than the old ones. Now that they're a bit more powerful, he's hearing more little things.
He was downstairs washing diapers (yes, we cloth diaper the babies) and there was a cricket in the basement. It was driving him NUTS. I think crickets drive everyone nuts. They make that irritating noise, and you can never find them!!
He also heard a jet fly over our house yesterday, he heard the neighbors talking when he was in the garden, lots and lots of different bird songs. I wish I knew what kind of birds they were so that I could tell him what they are!
It's the little things.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. This is amazing.
So, David heard me muttering under my breath today. I'm in trouble!!!
He continues to do well with his CI. The new maps are better than the old ones. Now that they're a bit more powerful, he's hearing more little things.
He was downstairs washing diapers (yes, we cloth diaper the babies) and there was a cricket in the basement. It was driving him NUTS. I think crickets drive everyone nuts. They make that irritating noise, and you can never find them!!
He also heard a jet fly over our house yesterday, he heard the neighbors talking when he was in the garden, lots and lots of different bird songs. I wish I knew what kind of birds they were so that I could tell him what they are!
It's the little things.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. This is amazing.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
A Long Weekend.
I don't just mean that it was three days.
Have I ever mentioned how much our son talks? No? He talks constantly. From the time he wakes up, until the time he falls asleep at night. If he isn't talking, he's making some other noise.
David got to experience that in it's FULL glory this weekend. Let's just say it's frustrating. You can't get a moment of quiet!
We had family picnics this weekend. Everyone commented on how well David is doing. They were shocked, as it's only been a week since activation. It will only get better and better.
David was a rock star. He handled the picnics very well, didn't get frustrated, and seemed to enjoy the attention :)
Have I ever mentioned how much our son talks? No? He talks constantly. From the time he wakes up, until the time he falls asleep at night. If he isn't talking, he's making some other noise.
David got to experience that in it's FULL glory this weekend. Let's just say it's frustrating. You can't get a moment of quiet!
We had family picnics this weekend. Everyone commented on how well David is doing. They were shocked, as it's only been a week since activation. It will only get better and better.
David was a rock star. He handled the picnics very well, didn't get frustrated, and seemed to enjoy the attention :)
Friday, May 23, 2008
Loud
"The water running...LOUD. The water draining from the tub...LOUD. The pressure being released when you open a soda...LOUD."
It's amazing what you tune out or just get used to when you're a hearing person. David is experiencing all of these things now, and I just smile, sometimes I giggle.
I'm tickled by the progress David has made in a week. I spoke to him yesterday with a paper in front of my face so he couldn't lipread. He understood the majority of what I said.
He doesn't wear his hearing aid at home anymore. He's wearing his processor at work more often now too. (The funniest description is of what a crowd of people sound like. "Like a bunch of birds chirping at each other.")
What do I sound like to him? At the moment, Mickey Mouse. That's a start!
There are little things that we don't notice too much as hearing people. The sound of a kiss, a gasp, walking in the hallway, turning on a light, the wind rustling through the leaves.
I'm bursting with pride when I see how dedicated David is to making this work to it's highest potential for him.
It's amazing what you tune out or just get used to when you're a hearing person. David is experiencing all of these things now, and I just smile, sometimes I giggle.
I'm tickled by the progress David has made in a week. I spoke to him yesterday with a paper in front of my face so he couldn't lipread. He understood the majority of what I said.
He doesn't wear his hearing aid at home anymore. He's wearing his processor at work more often now too. (The funniest description is of what a crowd of people sound like. "Like a bunch of birds chirping at each other.")
What do I sound like to him? At the moment, Mickey Mouse. That's a start!
There are little things that we don't notice too much as hearing people. The sound of a kiss, a gasp, walking in the hallway, turning on a light, the wind rustling through the leaves.
I'm bursting with pride when I see how dedicated David is to making this work to it's highest potential for him.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
May 21, 2008
Yesterday was amazing.
David is already improving by leaps and bounds with his implant. He's turning off his hearing aid and just listening.
He heard Eloise humming, shaking her water cup, shaking her rattling toy, saying babababababa. He heard Jaime singing and could tell that he was singing. He heard the different tones on the piano. He heard the water click on in the dishwasher.
He heard me gasp when he kissed my neck when we were hugging.
I can't wait for the speech therapy to begin. His progress is much better already than I expected it. They tell you not to get too excited for the intial activation, so we were guarded.
This technology is simply amazing.
What a gift for our family.
David is already improving by leaps and bounds with his implant. He's turning off his hearing aid and just listening.
He heard Eloise humming, shaking her water cup, shaking her rattling toy, saying babababababa. He heard Jaime singing and could tell that he was singing. He heard the different tones on the piano. He heard the water click on in the dishwasher.
He heard me gasp when he kissed my neck when we were hugging.
I can't wait for the speech therapy to begin. His progress is much better already than I expected it. They tell you not to get too excited for the intial activation, so we were guarded.
This technology is simply amazing.
What a gift for our family.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Hello Readers
It's been awhile. I chose not to blog the day to day musings of a recovering implant recipient.
We have been anxiously awaiting "Activation Day". That day was yesterday.
David's appointment was set for 1pm and we started a bit late due to horrendous traffic on I-95.
Martha and Maureen were both there. Maureen has been David's audiologist since he was an anklebiter (2). She came down for his activation, which meant a lot to us. It's hard switching audiologists after so long. Fortunately, Martha is also wonderful. She called to check up on David during his recovery. He's a person to them, not just another file.
Now, on to the exciting part.
The activation took a couple of hours. For the initial maps, they set the comfort and threshold levels on the implant, made sure that all 22 electrodes were functioning and set volume.
Right now his four programs are just different volume levels. As he gets used to how things sound, more advanced programs will be put in their places.
During the activation process, David was able to describe how the tones sounded (this is a very very good sign). He said one sounded like a gong, another like the alarm on a truck backing up. He also heard his own voice. He said that he sounded hoarse, and it was interesting watching him try to find the right words. In the past he's told me that he wasn't able to hear himself speak.
David was getting very tired during the activation process, but kept plugging along.
Once we got home, he was pretty overwhelmed by all of the sounds in the house, so he went outside to water the garden. He turned his hearing aid off. When I came out, he told me that he heard birds. Too many birds! I laughed and told him it was always like that. He asked me if the water hose always made that sound. He heard a neighbor's child yelling from another house on another street. He heard Jaime yelling from the play scape. He heard Eloise blowing raspberries from my arms (that one made him smile his amazingly charming smile).
He's not yet recognizing speech as speech, but that will come with time.
In two weeks we go back for another mapping session. Until then, David will be working out all the new sounds that he's hearing.
Stay tuned!
We have been anxiously awaiting "Activation Day". That day was yesterday.
David's appointment was set for 1pm and we started a bit late due to horrendous traffic on I-95.
Martha and Maureen were both there. Maureen has been David's audiologist since he was an anklebiter (2). She came down for his activation, which meant a lot to us. It's hard switching audiologists after so long. Fortunately, Martha is also wonderful. She called to check up on David during his recovery. He's a person to them, not just another file.
Now, on to the exciting part.
The activation took a couple of hours. For the initial maps, they set the comfort and threshold levels on the implant, made sure that all 22 electrodes were functioning and set volume.
Right now his four programs are just different volume levels. As he gets used to how things sound, more advanced programs will be put in their places.
During the activation process, David was able to describe how the tones sounded (this is a very very good sign). He said one sounded like a gong, another like the alarm on a truck backing up. He also heard his own voice. He said that he sounded hoarse, and it was interesting watching him try to find the right words. In the past he's told me that he wasn't able to hear himself speak.
David was getting very tired during the activation process, but kept plugging along.
Once we got home, he was pretty overwhelmed by all of the sounds in the house, so he went outside to water the garden. He turned his hearing aid off. When I came out, he told me that he heard birds. Too many birds! I laughed and told him it was always like that. He asked me if the water hose always made that sound. He heard a neighbor's child yelling from another house on another street. He heard Jaime yelling from the play scape. He heard Eloise blowing raspberries from my arms (that one made him smile his amazingly charming smile).
He's not yet recognizing speech as speech, but that will come with time.
In two weeks we go back for another mapping session. Until then, David will be working out all the new sounds that he's hearing.
Stay tuned!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Do's and Don'ts of Recovery
Do:
Sleep when you're tired
Enjoy your family
Eat a real breakfast every day
Go outside when the weather is nice
Take each day and savor the wonder of life
Don't:
Have an allergy attack. Sneezing hard sneezes over and over again is painful.
Over work yourself
Get irritated with those around you
This past week has been wonderful. We've reconnected as a family. The kids have really gotten to know their father, and have had quality play and snuggle time with him. We've taken naps. We've eaten good food. We've taken things slowly.
If only every day could be like this, but it can't. Life will go on as usual, things will change, life will evolve.
This has been an excellent reminder to savor every moment of life, it's not all about work.
Sleep when you're tired
Enjoy your family
Eat a real breakfast every day
Go outside when the weather is nice
Take each day and savor the wonder of life
Don't:
Have an allergy attack. Sneezing hard sneezes over and over again is painful.
Over work yourself
Get irritated with those around you
This past week has been wonderful. We've reconnected as a family. The kids have really gotten to know their father, and have had quality play and snuggle time with him. We've taken naps. We've eaten good food. We've taken things slowly.
If only every day could be like this, but it can't. Life will go on as usual, things will change, life will evolve.
This has been an excellent reminder to savor every moment of life, it's not all about work.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Support Systems
One of the most important things you can have before, during and after getting a cochlear implant is a good support system.
The candidacy process is long, and includes lots of testing. The actual surgery and recovery is physically grueling, and the process of being turned on is a long one.
When David is "turned on" in May, he will have many months of weekly mapping and speech therapy.
I have stood by him throughout it all, and we've had many wonderful family members step up and watch the kids during testing appointments, a last minute pre-op appointment, the actual surgery, and most of the week after surgery.
In the weeks and months to come, I will be there, through thick and thin, the good, the bad, and the incredibly frustrating. I know that those who have stood by us so far will be there too, cheering David on from the sideline and sharing in all of his joys and sorrows. They'll be there to pick us up when we're down, and celebrate when things are worth celebrating. They'll be there to help emotionally, and physically by watching the kids when we have something important to do.
To all of you out there reading, Thank you.
The candidacy process is long, and includes lots of testing. The actual surgery and recovery is physically grueling, and the process of being turned on is a long one.
When David is "turned on" in May, he will have many months of weekly mapping and speech therapy.
I have stood by him throughout it all, and we've had many wonderful family members step up and watch the kids during testing appointments, a last minute pre-op appointment, the actual surgery, and most of the week after surgery.
In the weeks and months to come, I will be there, through thick and thin, the good, the bad, and the incredibly frustrating. I know that those who have stood by us so far will be there too, cheering David on from the sideline and sharing in all of his joys and sorrows. They'll be there to pick us up when we're down, and celebrate when things are worth celebrating. They'll be there to help emotionally, and physically by watching the kids when we have something important to do.
To all of you out there reading, Thank you.
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