july 11 to aug 1

[Guest guest]

July 11, 2004

Sitting outside on the porch and reading the paper I was listening to the

birds and was thinking that the robin sounds very loud. Until I noticed

the blue jay up on the limb of the tree and realized I am finally hearing

the blue jay. Sounded more like a robin that was loud then the screeching

kid sounds I heard with a HA. Also started noticing a hoo hoo sound and

thought at first it was a owl, then realized I was actually hearing the

mourning doves that like to get seed on the ground under the bird feeders.

July 13, 2004

Voices sounded hollow this evening. Was practicing my sign with two

friends (or at least we were attempting it) and spend a lot of the evening

laughing. One friend wasn’t feeling too well and by the end of the evening

said she still had a headache but was happier. It was nice not having to

ask for repeats as much. Stopped by the bike place to get an appointment

to have the bike checked over. It was noisy with the equipment they were

using. Having the volume program really pays off, as I was able to cut out

that noise and hear the guy I was talking to quite well. Now to remember

that I have to take the bike in on Monday.

July 18, 2004

I am sitting here at the computer with the window open and listening to the

birds (when I am not typing anyway). Today something happened that never

happened before. Walking to the store to get a paper this morning I saw

the preacher of the neighborhood church (house is next door to the church)

and said hi as I knew him. I never expected to understand him when he

replied and expected to have to walk over to him. Well… we managed to

carry on a conversation in spite of the distance between us! I mentioned

that he didn’t have to go far to work now. He said no. I said I heard he

moved from a bigger place to a smaller place and he said it was a chore and

still getting settled. Then said that his two oldest was at college and it

made a difference. I heard and understood ALL OF IT!

We had our SHHH picnic today and had a hard time finding the house where

the picnic was held this year. I went from one end of the road to the

other and no luck. So as I was heading again back the way I came I saw a

county sheriff so stopped him and asked for help. He told me he will see

if he can find it so I followed him and of course it was right where I had

gone a bit earlier and managed to miss it completely! Of course a couple

of the ladies saw me and teased me. I told them that I had a escort. Had

fun and enjoyed the company. Showed the implant to two of the ladies that

were interested in it and how it was under my skin and the BTE.

July 25, 2004

Am playing catch up again. Was walking out of the parking lot at Toms

market and heard what sounded like a dog barking. Looked at Hobbes to give

me an idea where the sound was coming from but she wasn’t reacting when she

hears another dog nearby. Started to continue walking when I heard the dog

again. I looked around some more and happened to look up in the trees

across the street and noticed some crows flying into the trees. Ah

ha!!! I was hearing the crows! I seem to figure out pretty good what the

sounds are but looking for something to connect it to. Of course when I

was hearing the wind in the trees and my friends would tell me that is what

it was, I kept thinking it was a motor running somewhere. Now that I am

hearing the same sound at other places, I do know the wind in the trees

now. It still sounds like a small motor in the distance, but I know it

isn’t.

Went to a baby shower and had a nice time. Was able to understand most of

the conversations and was able to enjoy it more. They have a waterfall

they built running along the stairs from the house to the ground and I

enjoyed hearing that while walking on the stairs. Saw a friend the day

before and while walking around her house I heard something and then

realized it was the sprinkler that I was hearing. She is dog sitting for

three Poms and enjoyed listening to their yapping when I came up the

drive. On Wednesday friends and I got together and had a cookout. Perfect

evening with no wind and no bugs. In spite of the way voices sound I know

I am getting more out of conversations then I did in the past.

August 1, 2004

The past week has been interesting. Friends were up north and them met me

at the Loading Dock on Monday. I went right after work and got a good

table and had dinner. While I was only expecting two people there were

six. Then more showed up later. It was a fun evening. They got to talk

to one of the players and he let one play with his ‘spoons’ for the

evening. I found something else I can do to understand more. I turned

down the volume and while it cut back on the background noise, it didn’t

effect the voices of the person I was chatting with. So I have been trying

it out and it seems to work up to a point. While turning it down cuts out

the background noise, it also cuts out the higher sounds.

Did a lot of bike riding this weekend. Saturday rode 8 miles in the

morning with two friends, then 5 miles to the bike shop to change the bike

seat (too hard) then another 8 miles in the evening. Saw a deer on the

side of the road and smelled a skunk in two places while riding on the

path. I am so glad I can hear the bike bell of the friend riding behind me

because I know it is the bell and not someone with a hammer which I thought

it was the first time I heard it.

Today I spent two hours blueberry picking and picked 21 lbs and have

already given some away to friends and started freezing one part. Am

thinking of another blueberry cake for the potluck in Muskegon. There is a

birdcall in distress that is played out over the blueberry field to keep

the birds away from the berries. I heard it with my HA’s but it was

faint. Well today I could really hear it and hear the pattern quite

well. I didn’t hear any other birds, which is good for the blueberries.

New/old sounds

The mourning doves giving their call

Crows that sound like dogs barking

The click click of the sprinkler

The wind in the trees

The twinkle of hobbes dog tags when she walks

The squeaking of hobbes rabbit when she carries it around the house

That the water doesn’t sound like an alien space ship any more

Blue jays are louder then robins.

Friday I head back to Grand Rapids for a new program that will hopefully

take care of the whiny/hollow voices. I will keep my expectations low, but

will hope that it will be better.

susan & hobbes

michigan