Activation #2!
This morning everything seemed quieter, again, so I turned the volume up another notch. This is the level that Jennifer told me – if I found I was keeping it there – that I should switch to the next program. I wasn’t sure if the loudness/quietness variation was due to the differences in locations, however – so I continued to adjust and experiment with the volume and the sensitivity levels. ... In the van on the way to the hospital, I noticed the jet planes had disappeared and all the other vehicles just needed new mufflers! A motorcycle drove past and it actually sounded very similar to a real motorcycle! And I could hear a rhythmic beat on the radio and some "twang" noises instead of just static! :O)
At the hospital, I continued to have difficulty hearing things – speech in particular -- and turned the volume up ANOTHER notch! At lunch, I decided to go ahead and try the second program – but when I did, it wasn’t much louder than the first, and I had even MORE trouble hearing people’s voices! Although, sitting in the waiting area before my appt., I kept hearing one voice that was louder than everyone else’s, but when I looked around to see who’s lips were moving – no one’s was! :O/ ... I finally spoke with a lady who sat down next to me, and she told me it was the guy on the intercom! ... Funny I could hear THAT better than the people in the same area! :O)
Jennifer repeated the same adjustment things she’d done on Tues., and gave me three new (increasingly louder) programs to try for a couple days each. She also tested me on my speech recognition ability. First, she spoke three individual words while I could lipread and understand them – then she covered her mouth and said them in random order, and added three new ones. I got all of them right except one of the new ones! :O) ... Then she did the same thing with three phrases, adding three new ones – and I got all of THEM right except one of the new ones! :O) ... She told me that was REALLY good for it being only my third day! :O)
On the ride home I noticed all of the other vehicles had gotten their mufflers fixed/replaced! The driver’s cell phone made more of a "ring/clang" than the "buzz" I heard Tuesday, and the radio put forth Indian battle cries and more twangs and rhythmic beats – definitely sounding a bit more like music! :O)
At home tonight, I heard a series of loud rolling buzzes – which I figured out was the telephone! I answered it with: "Just a second, I need to put on my hearing aid!" – which I did, and discovered my battery was low – and it turned out to be a telemarketer! Hee! Hee! :O) ... Then my sweet Jenda kitty opened her cute little mouth (finally!) to request that I play with her – and out came what sounded like the "ooooooooooo" of a train whistle (only much softer)! :o0 ... So, I guess my cat is musical, too! :O)
People’s voices still sound like Darth Vader/R2D2 just beginning to get over the severe cold they’ve had for the past two days – and I’ve decided MY voice sounds like Walt Disney’s "Goofy" character! :O) ... I still hear my voice a split second after I say the words, but Jennifer told me that’s because my brain doesn’t recognize it as MY voice, yet, and it will merge as my brain adjusts!
My third activation – or "mapping", as it’s otherwise known – will be a week from today on the 16th of June. In the meantime, I will continue to listen to as many things as possible (not at the same time, though!) and try each of the three new programs Jennifer gave me – and I’ll post anything new or different I hear – or if I figure out any more of the unidentified sounds! Oh, by the way, I just realized that my coffee percolator keyboard now sounds more like just a loud keyboard! :O) ... I’m so in awe of how wonderfully the brain adapts to new things – with seemingly little effort on MY part! I’m just giving it as much sound and visual input as I can, and it’s magically adjusting the new information to what it’s supposed to be! :o0
At the hospital, I continued to have difficulty hearing things – speech in particular -- and turned the volume up ANOTHER notch! At lunch, I decided to go ahead and try the second program – but when I did, it wasn’t much louder than the first, and I had even MORE trouble hearing people’s voices! Although, sitting in the waiting area before my appt., I kept hearing one voice that was louder than everyone else’s, but when I looked around to see who’s lips were moving – no one’s was! :O/ ... I finally spoke with a lady who sat down next to me, and she told me it was the guy on the intercom! ... Funny I could hear THAT better than the people in the same area! :O)
Jennifer repeated the same adjustment things she’d done on Tues., and gave me three new (increasingly louder) programs to try for a couple days each. She also tested me on my speech recognition ability. First, she spoke three individual words while I could lipread and understand them – then she covered her mouth and said them in random order, and added three new ones. I got all of them right except one of the new ones! :O) ... Then she did the same thing with three phrases, adding three new ones – and I got all of THEM right except one of the new ones! :O) ... She told me that was REALLY good for it being only my third day! :O)
On the ride home I noticed all of the other vehicles had gotten their mufflers fixed/replaced! The driver’s cell phone made more of a "ring/clang" than the "buzz" I heard Tuesday, and the radio put forth Indian battle cries and more twangs and rhythmic beats – definitely sounding a bit more like music! :O)
At home tonight, I heard a series of loud rolling buzzes – which I figured out was the telephone! I answered it with: "Just a second, I need to put on my hearing aid!" – which I did, and discovered my battery was low – and it turned out to be a telemarketer! Hee! Hee! :O) ... Then my sweet Jenda kitty opened her cute little mouth (finally!) to request that I play with her – and out came what sounded like the "ooooooooooo" of a train whistle (only much softer)! :o0 ... So, I guess my cat is musical, too! :O)
People’s voices still sound like Darth Vader/R2D2 just beginning to get over the severe cold they’ve had for the past two days – and I’ve decided MY voice sounds like Walt Disney’s "Goofy" character! :O) ... I still hear my voice a split second after I say the words, but Jennifer told me that’s because my brain doesn’t recognize it as MY voice, yet, and it will merge as my brain adjusts!
My third activation – or "mapping", as it’s otherwise known – will be a week from today on the 16th of June. In the meantime, I will continue to listen to as many things as possible (not at the same time, though!) and try each of the three new programs Jennifer gave me – and I’ll post anything new or different I hear – or if I figure out any more of the unidentified sounds! Oh, by the way, I just realized that my coffee percolator keyboard now sounds more like just a loud keyboard! :O) ... I’m so in awe of how wonderfully the brain adapts to new things – with seemingly little effort on MY part! I’m just giving it as much sound and visual input as I can, and it’s magically adjusting the new information to what it’s supposed to be! :o0
posted by Shel @ 1:30 AM
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