Re: Another question about Voices

[Guest guest]

Hi Ted,

Can you please define " switch-on days? " I've heard Happy Days from that 50's

show, and Sunny Days from the Sesame Street. Switch-on Days, never heard of it.

;-)

Kent

" Ted F. " <ted.fletcher@...> wrote:

Switch-on days? Has anyone ever been pleasantly surprised and actually said

" Wow, I can hear you very clearly " ? Or words to that effect.

Ted F.

[Guest guest]

I think my switch on was pretty good. Following the initial 'rush " of noise

as it was activated, I heard the audi quite clearly (although in a high

pitched, donald-duck-on-helium kind of way. With 10 - 15 minutes this effect

was either gone, or I was no longer noticing it. We went through the

threshold and comfort settings, and my wife and I went out on the street for

a walk around. Wind in the trees was pleasant, but the buses and cars on the

road were not. Back in to the audi and a bit more tweaking of settings, then

off to see the speech therapist. We were conversing straight off, which

surprised me a bit and her a whole lot. I picked up the phone in her office

and clearly heard the dial tone, so she went to a different office and

called me. I could understand most of what she said. Apparently that is not

expected, either.

At dinner that night in the motel restaurant, by way of experiment I tried

dropping a toothpick onto the table. I could hear the " tick " as it hit the

table quite clearly so repeated, from lower and lower heights. Finally, when

dropping it from about an inch above the table I could no longer hear it. I

was pretty impressed with that. Pleasantly surprised, even.

One year on it's much, much better.

NZ

> Another question about Voices

>

>

> What is the BEST outcome that anyone has had at switch-on

> days? Has anyone ever been pleasantly surprised and actually

> said " Wow, I can

> hear you very clearly " ? Or words to that effect. They tell us we are

> all different, so there must have been some different responses.

>

> Ted F.

[Guest guest]

Hi Ted. What you described was me at activation. There was a Cochlear Corp. rep

there, and she said " Can you hear us? " . I said " Yes, clearly, but a bit high

pitched " . She then asked " Can you hear yourself? " I replied " Yes, but I sound

louder than you " . She then asked me if I knew why. Not really thinking, I said

" no " . She replied " Because you are speaking louder than us " , and we all had a

good laugh. Actually, I was very pleasantly surprised at how clear voices were.

My problem had been clarity, not so much volume, before my CI. I expected voices

to be like the cartoons, but it was never that bad. Too much reading these forum

E-Mails, I guess. I asked the rep if it was unusual for folks to hear as well as

I was at activation. She said it was becomming a lot more common. All that was

on October 7th of 2005, just 6 months ago!

& nbsp;

& nbsp;

What is the BEST outcome that anyone has had at switch-on days?

Has anyone ever been pleasantly surprised and actually said " Wow, I can

hear you very clearly " ? Or words to that effect. They tell us we are

all different, so there must have been some different responses.

Ted F.

[Guest guest]

> Switch-on days? Has anyone ever been pleasantly surprised and

actually said " Wow, I can hear you very clearly " ? Or words to that

effect.

>

> Ted F.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, . Thats exactly the kind of thing I was interested in

hearing. Do you wear a hearing aid in your other ear?

Ted F.

>

> I think my switch on was pretty good. Following the initial 'rush "

> of noise as it was activated, I heard the audi quite clearly

> (although in a high pitched, donald-duck-on-helium kind of way.

> With 10 - 15 minutes this effect was either gone, or I was no

> longer noticing it. We went through the threshold and comfort

> settings, and my wife and I went out on the street for a walk

> around. Wind in the trees was pleasant, but the buses and cars on

> the road were not. Back in to the audi and a bit more tweaking of

> settings, then off to see the speech therapist. We were conversing

> straight off, which surprised me a bit and her a whole lot. I

> picked up the phone in her office and clearly heard the dial tone,

> so she went to a different office and called me. I could understand

> most of what she said. Apparently that is not expected, either.

> At dinner that night in the motel restaurant, by way of experiment

> I tried dropping a toothpick onto the table. I could hear

> the " tick " as it hit the table quite clearly so repeated, from

> lower and lower heights. Finally, when dropping it from about an

> inch above the table I could no longer hear it. I was pretty

> impressed with that. Pleasantly surprised, even.

>

> One year on it's much, much better.

>

>

> NZ

>

> > Another question about Voices

> >

> >

> > What is the BEST outcome that anyone has had at switch-on

> > days? Has anyone ever been pleasantly surprised and actually

> > said " Wow, I can

> > hear you very clearly " ? Or words to that effect. They tell us we

> > are all different, so there must have been some different

> > responses.

> >

> > Ted F.

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Irwin, excellent stuff. My switch-on or activation isnt until

April 26th and 27th so I dont know what to expect. I was wondering

whether to drive my own car there or get a lift. I was wondering if

anyone had actually walked out of the place being able to hear better

than when they went in :-).

I've been reading about the cartoon voices and I thought it was

logical to assume, that not everyone heard things that way from the

beginning. It must have been a very pleasing activation day for you,

with the promise of much better things to come. So, what can you do 6

months down the track, please?

Ted F.

>

> Hi Ted. What you described was me at activation. There was a

>Cochlear Corp. rep there, and she said " Can you hear us? " . I

>said " Yes, clearly, but a bit high pitched " . She then asked " Can you

>hear yourself? " I replied " Yes, but I sound louder than you " . She

>then asked me if I knew why. Not really thinking, I said " no " . She

>replied " Because you are speaking louder than us " , and we all had a

>good laugh. Actually, I was very pleasantly surprised at how clear

>voices were. My problem had been clarity, not so much volume, before

>my CI. I expected voices to be like the cartoons, but it was never

>that bad. Too much reading these forum E-Mails, I guess. I asked the

>rep if it was unusual for folks to hear as well as I was at

>activation. She said it was becomming a lot more common. All that

>was on October 7th of 2005, just 6 months

>ago!

>

> > What is the BEST outcome that anyone has had at switch-on days?

> > Has anyone ever been pleasantly surprised and actually said " Wow,

> > I can hear you very clearly " ? Or words to that effect. They tell

> > us we are all different, so there must have been some different

> > responses.

>

> Ted F.

[Guest guest]

Ted

I had amazing results at switch-on. I understood what everyone in the room

was saying immediately (although all three were very high pitched). I can also

remember complaining that there was some interference or static in the room but

couldn't figure out what it was. My audie then took me to the sound proof room

and I couldn't hear it (she wanted to make sure there wasn't something wrong

with the processor). Well low and behold it was the sound of the fan on her

computer. The first day I was even able to understand part of the new on tv.

On the second day my audie put me in the sound proof booth and tested my

hearing with ci--the beeps test. With my hearing aid in that hear before

surgery I was testing in the 110 db range, after surgery with the ci in that ear

I heard in the 25 db range. It was truly amazing considering I had been wearing

the ci less than 24 hours. She also did a series of sentence/word tests and I

flew through them with flying colors.

I guess I need to put one of those disclaimers below my name like they do for

weight loss advertisements " results not typical. " I am so glad I did not wait

years to have this life changing operations.

Connie

" Ted F. " <ted.fletcher@...> wrote:

What is the BEST outcome that anyone has had at switch-on days?

Has anyone ever been pleasantly surprised and actually said " Wow, I can

hear you very clearly " ? Or words to that effect. They tell us we are

all different, so there must have been some different responses.

Ted F.

[Guest guest]

Excellent, Connie. You are about the third person that had very good

results at switch-on. I just KNEW that some people must have better

results than others to start off with. We probably all end up in the

same place eventually, but if there is any way that I can help myself

to move a bit faster, early on, thats what I want to do. Thanks for

sharing that.

Ted F.

> What is the BEST outcome that anyone has had at switch-on days?

> Has anyone ever been pleasantly surprised and actually said " Wow, I

> can hear you very clearly " ? Or words to that effect. They tell us

> we are all different, so there must have been some different

> responses.

>

> Ted F.

>

[Guest guest]

I had a very unpleasant and frustrating switch on. But at 7 months post

activation, I wouldn't trade it for anything, so it was worth every aggravation

and worry!

Deb

" Ted F. " <ted.fletcher@...> wrote:

Excellent, Connie. You are about the third person that had very good

results at switch-on. I just KNEW that some people must have better

results than others to start off with. We probably all end up in the

same place eventually, but if there is any way that I can help myself

to move a bit faster, early on, thats what I want to do. Thanks for

sharing that.

Ted F.

> What is the BEST outcome that anyone has had at switch-on days?

> Has anyone ever been pleasantly surprised and actually said " Wow, I

> can hear you very clearly " ? Or words to that effect. They tell us

> we are all different, so there must have been some different

> responses.

>

> Ted F.

>

[Guest guest]

Ted, getting to the Kaiser Hearing Aid Center is a weird story also. My sister

and I were supposed to get picked up by a service, but on the day of my

activation, there was a fire down the street. The place was loaded with fire

engines and cars, and the service guy never showed. When it got close to my

appointment time, I decided to drive myself. No problem. At this point, I can

hear speech very well as I said. I also hear the TV voices very well, but keep

the captions on as a crutch, especially when watching sports where there is a

crowd noise. On my regular home phone, I use the speakerphone whenever possible,

but could also do OK without it just using the handset. I call long distance

using my cell phone, and put the Freedom processor on tele-coil. Again, I

probably don't need it. As I said, music is the only real problem. I still keep

smooth jazz on in the car in the hopes that my brain will one day say " Oh, so

that's how it's supposed to sound " . The percussion is

great, but not much else is how I remember it. Still, I am really glad I got my

CI. It is a life changing experience.

" Ted F. " <ted.fletcher@...> wrote: Thanks Irwin, excellent stuff. My

switch-on or activation isnt until

April 26th and 27th so I dont know what to expect. I was wondering

whether to drive my own car there or get a lift. I was wondering if

anyone had actually walked out of the place being able to hear better

than when they went in :-).

I've been reading about the cartoon voices and I thought it was

logical to assume, that not everyone heard things that way from the

beginning. It must have been a very pleasing activation day for you,

with the promise of much better things to come. So, what can you do 6

months down the track, please?

Ted F.

[Guest guest]

I heard beeps at first when I was first hooked up to the processor.. as

the audi turned dials I noticed the beeps started sounding different then

I was hearing the actual words. Not really clear, but noticable.

susan & hobbes

michigan

>

>

> What is the BEST outcome that anyone has had at switch-on days?

> Has anyone ever been pleasantly surprised and actually said & quot;Wow,

> I can hear you very clearly & quot;? Or words to that effect. They tell

> us we are all different, so there must have been some different

> responses.

>

> Ted F.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Nope, other ear is totally deaf, only good for hanging glasses off.

> Re: Another question about Voices

>

>

>

> Thanks, . Thats exactly the kind of thing I was interested in

> hearing. Do you wear a hearing aid in your other ear?

>

> Ted F.

[Guest guest]

Thats probably why they point out to us, that all our hearing " finger

prints " are different. As I said in another post, we probably all end

up in the same place anyway, with just a different time frame. It IS

the long-term outcome that is importnt IMO.

Ted F.

>

> I had a very unpleasant and frustrating switch on. But at 7 months

> post activation, I wouldn't trade it for anything, so it was worth

> every aggravation and worry!

>

> Deb

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, it sounds like you are going extremely well after 6 months. I

can drive there OK, I was just wondering whether after the

activation, the noises I hear in the car, from the C.I. might drive

me mad/madder going home.

Ted F.

> >Thanks Irwin, excellent stuff. My switch-on or activation isnt

> >until April 26th and 27th so I dont know what to expect. I was

> >wondering whether to drive my own car there or get a lift. I was

> >wondering if anyone had actually walked out of the place being

> >able to hear better than when they went in :-).

>

> >I've been reading about the cartoon voices and I thought it was

> >logical to assume, that not everyone heard things that way from

> >the beginning. It must have been a very pleasing activation day

> >for you, with the promise of much better things to come. So, what

> >can you do 6 months down the track, please?

>

> Ted F.

>

[Guest guest]

That makes your activation results, even more remarkable, then.

Ted F.

>

> Nope, other ear is totally deaf, only good for hanging glasses off.

>

>

> >

> >

> > Thanks, . Thats exactly the kind of thing I was interested in

> > hearing. Do you wear a hearing aid in your other ear?

> >

> > Ted F.

>

[Guest guest]

I think I understand what the " Switch-On Days are. :-) I didn't mean to make a

joke about it. I got switched on when I had the processor after a week of

surgery. The first four sounds I heard while being programmed were those teeny,

tiny four beeps. It wasn't uncomfortable. Once I was " unplugged " from the

computer, I started to hear everything at once! The huming of the computer, the

air from the vent, my breathing, the audiologist's breathing, someone walking

down the hallway (with a closed door to our room), and my audiologist's loud,

high pitched speech. I could understand what you guys were talking about helium

and Duck. I didn't laugh at first because I was overwhelmed with

happiness and shock. I was in awe that I wasn't in mood to discriminate. I

probably would laugh after I get my second CI on my other ear.

Kent

--Mekutochi

Left Ear -- Cochlear Nucleus Freedom

Implanted: August 15, 2005

Activated: August 23, 2005

Right Ear -- Pending

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Joke away, Kent. I have a good sense of humour. My audiologist calls

it " switch on " day, so I had never heard any other term used before

coming here. When are you getting the second C.I?

Ted F.

ps: What does Mekutochi mean?

>

> I think I understand what the " Switch-On Days are. :-) I didn't

>mean to make a joke about it. I got switched on when I had the

>processor after a week of surgery. The first four sounds I heard

>while being programmed were those teeny, tiny four beeps. It wasn't

>uncomfortable. Once I was " unplugged " from the computer, I started

>to hear everything at once! The huming of the computer, the air

>from the vent, my breathing, the audiologist's breathing, someone

>walking down the hallway (with a closed door to our room), and my

>audiologist's loud, high pitched speech. I could understand what

>you guys were talking about helium and Duck. I didn't laugh

>at first because I was overwhelmed with happiness and shock. I was

>in awe that I wasn't in mood to discriminate. I probably would

>laugh after I get my second CI on my other ear.

>

> Kent

>

>

> --Mekutochi

>

> Left Ear -- Cochlear Nucleus Freedom

> Implanted: August 15, 2005

> Activated: August 23, 2005

>

> Right Ear -- Pending

[Guest guest]

Hi Ted,

My next appointment with audiologist is in June, so we will actually begin the

process of getting another CI. I do not want to start now because I am

graduating in three weeks.

Mekutochi is my name translated in Chinese. :-)

Kent

" Ted F. " <ted.fletcher@...> wrote:

When are you getting the second C.I? What does Mekutochi mean?

--Mekutochi

Left Ear -- Cochlear Nucleus Freedom

Implanted: August 15, 2005

Activated: August 23, 2005

Right Ear -- Pending

---------------------------------

New Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC and save big.

[Guest guest]

It might sound maddening for a while. Despite my good voice hearing,

environmental sounds like cars passing sounded like chirps and whistles until a

mapping or two later.

" Ted F. " <ted.fletcher@...> wrote:

Thanks, it sounds like you are going extremely well after 6 months. I

can drive there OK, I was just wondering whether after the

activation, the noises I hear in the car, from the C.I. might drive

me mad/madder going home.

Ted F.

Irv in Ca.

Implanted(Freedom) - Sept. 13, 2005

Activated - Oct. 7, 2005

[Guest guest]

Activation day? The day your CI is programmed and you start to hear with

the new CI?

In a message dated 4/9/2006 7:51:29 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

mekutochi@... writes:

Hi Ted,

Can you please define " switch-on days? " I've heard Happy Days from that

50's show, and Sunny Days from the Sesame Street. Switch-on Days, never heard

of it. ;-)

[Guest guest]

Haha. Thank you, Anneliese, for bringing it up. :-) I got it figured out

already. It's the first time I've heard anyone say " Switch-on Days, " and some

people say " I got turned on " or " I was activated on. "

Kent

anneliese37@... wrote:

Activation day? The day your CI is programmed and you start to hear with

the new CI?

In a message dated 4/9/2006 7:51:29 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

mekutochi@... writes:

Hi Ted,

Can you please define " switch-on days? " I've heard Happy Days from that

50's show, and Sunny Days from the Sesame Street. Switch-on Days, never heard

of it. ;-)

[Guest guest]

kent,

you are welcome!

anneliese

In a message dated 4/13/2006 9:47:51 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,

mekutochi@... writes:

Haha. Thank you, Anneliese, for bringing it up. :-) I got it figured out

already. It's the first time I've heard anyone say " Switch-on Days, " and some

people say " I got turned on " or " I was activated on. "

Kent