Monday, September 17, 2007

We welcome you to Munchkin Land!!!

I was able to sleep on my left side last night for the first time in 3 weeks! I curled up in fetal position and went right to sleep. I woke up on the right side of the bed and with a rather snappy tune in my head. Kid Rock has a song called Cowboy. Part of the chorus goes “I wanna be a Cowboy, baby!” I turned it around to “I’m gonna be a Cy-borg, baby!” You have to know the beat to enjoy the humor in it. I think it would make a nice jingle! Ummm, yeah moving right along!

I strolled into work, sat down at my desk, and attempted to focus on work for 5 hours. I did not do such a great job :) Philly and I left at one o’clock and not a minute after to run home to go get my mom. We arrive at the hospital around 3:30. We worked out the seating arrangements in the office. Jennifer hooked me up to the computer and then told me to get rid of my hearing aid, literally. She had no trouble finding the secret spot where the magnet was. I can hardly feel it! She changed it to a number 2 magnet because of my hair and so far so good. She started the process of activating my brand spanking new Harmony processor with Fidelity 120 with extended lows. Sounds hot right? :) Right off the bat, she starts raising the volume on all 16 electrodes at once until I reached a comfortable level. Jennifer’s voice had an echo. I could hear the sounds of her speech but for the life of me I couldn’t make out what she said. It sounded terrible :) It sounded like all the munchkins from Oz were rounded up, forced to smoke a joint, and placed in the tin mans can with helium. I could hear myself but everyone said that I was talking softer then normal. I talk soft to begin with! Jennifer decided to create a second map based on the response from each electrode. The overall volume was louder then the first map. However, the same high as hell munchkins in the tin mans can breathing helium was there. Jennifer created a third map from the electrical response of the electrodes. It produced the same pot smoking munchkins in a tin man cans passing around a deflated balloon with helium. All three programs are 50/50 T-Mic and auxiliary microphone.

We welcome you to Munchkin Land

Tra la la la la la la la la la la la

Since all 16 electrodes were turned on, I have experienced no twitching. That is a plus! I was dropping components and banging on the table to see what kind of noises I could hear. It sounded like dull thuds. Once she unhooked me and I was officially on my own, I heard the sound of speech. I heard my mom zip and unzip her purse. I heard someone talking but nobody in the room was flapping their gums. Turns out it was none other then the good doctor, Dr. Bigelow standing right outside the door. He popped his head in to say hello. Jennifer showed me how to operate my sexy little Harmony processor and all the other gadgets and gizmos that come along with it. She sent me on my merry little way and I will be back to see her next Monday, same time!

I left the office, paid my valet parking fee, and patiently waited outside for my truck to come. I was hearing speech noises coming from all over the place. I did not hear cars. I heard a bus roar on by that sounded semi normal. A fire truck complete with lights and sirens came to visit the front of the building. I could not hear the sirens until the truck was within birds eye view. The next sound I thought I would be able to hear but did not. A HELICOPTER practically landed right on top of my head and I could not hear that! I felt it for sure because this girl got the worst case of wind blown hair. I looked like I came right off a Harley. Yikes! Then Mom and Philly started the third degree about how soft spoken I was. So if I feel like I am screaming, I'm fine.

My truck finally arrives in one piece. I get into the drivers seat, the valet shuts my door, and I nearly jumped out of my stilettos! It scared the hell out of me. It has a different sound then before. My blinker is SOOO loud. No wonder why people hate when I leave it on. :) I am picking up strange sounds and not hearing the obvious. One the ride home, I seem to notice that sounds were getting softer, so I turned up the volume. I started to tell when Philly was talking in the backseat, although I could not make out what she was saying. I decided to turn my hearing aid on for safety reason riding in the car. Philly’s voice normalized for a sentence or two. I was taken aback by that. I was able to differentiate when my Mom and Philly talked.

I got home around 7:30, removed my hearing aid, and declared myself exhausted. Thank Aunt Jemimah that I did not have to go back to work because I would have been as useless as teats on a bull. I have already noticed an improvement from when I was first turned on to now. I made myself some soup for dinner and I heard the dial turn on and off the stove. Figures I would hear that but not a helicopter about to land on my head. I heard the pot grate against the grill. I started banging my spoon around in my pan. My sexy little Harmony is going crazy when I start typing on my keyboard a mile a minute! I have the TV on but I cannot hear a darn thing. Sitting on my ear here is some crazy technology. However, if you were to ask me if this was all worth it, my answer in an eye blink is yes. I am glad that I know it works. I am pleased that I have already seen an improvement. I am in high spirits that I know it will only get better from hereon in. I must end this post because I must attempt to find a empty plug to put my new charger in. I'll be hearing ya soon!!

Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay.

14 comments:

Laurie said...

Yay! You are on your way!

Anonymous said...

Oh cool!! What a great day!! You are on your way to a great new life in Harmony!

Kim

Anonymous said...

Abbie,
You are a riot! I LOVE reading your posts...such humor and wit!! Keep em coming...
Cindy
Bilateral Freedoms
9/21/05
7/18/07

Anonymous said...

Hi Abbie, got your news from Jennifer in Tennessee. Congratulations. Take baby steps and enjoy all the sounds. It does get better!!!!!!!!!!!!Molly CC from FL N22 Spectra'95 to Esprit 2001. Now bilateral 2/06 Freedom

Cindy said...

So happy for you!! :)

Cindy

http://beethovensears.com

Jennifer said...

Abbie...crazy thought it might be making you...it sounds like it's working just perfectly!! A few days from now you'll be hearing a whole new set of sounds in an entirely different way...and next week at your next map you'll be amazed at the gains you've made!! First days are usually crazy, so you're right in tune with everyone else!! Congrats, dear...you're hooked up!!
The little girls and I made you a video...but, BUMMER...I could NOT get the camera to record sound!! So the video probably would have been better used BEFORE hookup...lipreading practice, perhaps??? I'll have to show you sometime...it's a hoot! ;) I am DEFINITELY borrowing another camera before my hookup!!
And I bet you look SMASHING in that Harmony, honey!! Pictures!!
***HUGS***

Sue said...

Abbie, you had a great day. Remember I said it sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks on helium? And I am told I talk to soft also. (And my voice is lower.) Each day gets a bit better. I can officially talk on the phone now. I'm going to go ahead and take my phones back at work tomorrow. Don't fret if you aren't hearing the TV yet. It took me a full week. Just keep practicing at listening. Any sounds you can find. Go to the websites that have been suggested and keep listening over and over. It takes time but it gets better every day. Keep blogging like you do and in a few weeks go back and re-read today's (and the next few days) blog and you'll be amazed at how much you have improved. Well I am going to bed. I waited up to hear your report. I just knew it would be good.

Hugs,

Sue

Billy said...

Congrats and best of luck!
Billy

Billy said...

Hey there again,
I posted before reading, didn't think u had been turned on yet, sooooooo, what I read is way cool, you are doing great, and like you said, it will only get better. I'm also a HUGE Yankee fan! Found your blog throug Jen's page. If ya ever wanna talk Yankees, give me a line:)
Billy

Nikki said...

That is so awesome, congratulations! It only gets better from here on in!!

I noticed that I don't hear the low-pitched tones as well as I used too (ie, helicopter), but have thought that was probably something to do with all I used to be able to hear.

Sounds like it was a very successful switch on! Did you end up taping it, would love to see your video!

Michael said...

Hey congratulations! Your experience sounds a lot like mine - exciting and perplexing all at once. It's just the first day - things will change a lot over the next few months. Congratulations and keep listening to stuff.
Mike Chorost

Anonymous said...

Awesome news. Glad it's working. I really loved the teats on a bull comment, I laughed my butt off.

looking forward to more!!

deafcone

Kim said...

Abbie--This is so exciting, and I have to admit a little scary to me as I contemplate the CI-- which I'm not even sure I qualify for yet. I love reading about ALL of it. Thanks so much for posting your experiences.

David Edward said...

terrific post - how strange to have all those new sounds coming at you!
Jennifer sent me over to encourage you in your new sound filled world.