Re: Second MAPping today

[Guest guest]

Hi

Glad to hear you're doing so well. I'm impressed that you're hearing sounds

so much sooner and apparently much clearer than expected.

As for me, I'm hearing a lot more sounds but speech is still too soft. I've

done some listening exercises this week. Tried listening without lipreading

and guessing the words read to me. It didn't go too well. Wrote an email

to my audiologist and expressed my frustration. He was hoping not to do

another mapping until January but looks like it will be next week. He

wanted me to bring my BTE in January but I've decided I'm not bringing it in

until I'm satisfied with my mapping. I know it's early in my process but I

m not a very patient man. Already I'm considering looking for another

audiologist.

Oh well, thanks for listening to me vent.

Regards,

Sam

N24C: 10/06/2004

BWP: 11/11/2004

[Guest guest]

Sam,

Oh no, I can well understand your frustration. Remember yesterday I

was telling everyone on this forum about my keeping P4 on my BWP from

the first MAPping as that was my favorite of the 4 MAPs that he had

put on my BWP. At the second MAPping, he kept P4 as is so that I

could have a frame of reference from then, and try out the new three P

-- let's call them P5, P6 and P7 for now.

P1 P2 P3 and P4 were ACE.

P5 and P6 are ACE, and P7 is CIS. My audiologist told me to try them,

and come back next week at my third MAPping and tell him why I liked

one over the others.

Readers, note this: Before I left the room, he told me that P6 was at

" a faster firing rate, and he wanted " to try this with me. "

Well, last night I was using P4. This morning at 8 a.m., at start of

work, I turned on my BWP onto P4. Then at noon, switched to P5.

Quite noisy, some specific sounds made my eyelid flicker just a tad

bit so I know one electrode is firing off too much, too close to the

facial nerve that ennervates my eyelid. (I change programs every 4

hours.) I could hear the radio, ultrasonic cleaner from 30 feet away

though I had to ask my co-workers what they were, so I could learn

these sounds, they were very faint, part of the background music.

People talking were too unorganized, and I had a hard time

differentiating between radio, people talking, etc. I was getting a

little frustrated near the end of the day.

So at the end of the day, I said to myself " Enough of P5, I don't like

it, I like P4 better. Now let's see what P6 is like, the ACE at a

faster firing rate. "

So I turned on P6 when I got into the car. BINGO! Finally, all

sounds made sense to me -- though no speech discrimination -- the

radio was on, I recognized talking, music seques, and I turned on the

classical music station to play the entire trip home. First time I

ever had the radio on VERY LOUD to play music for an hour....

And the best moment: when I got home, my cat greeted me (he's an

Abyssinian and I've been told he has a very soft bell-ring-like meow)

and meowed. I heard him MEOW for the first time.

I've had him for 9 years, and my hearing aids never picked up his

MEOW. I definitely like this ACE strategy with a " faster firing rate "

-- and I was thinking just now what if, what if, what if... my

audiologist never tried this " faster firing rate " and I'd be eternally

frustrated with P4, P5... so perhaps you (yes, you Sam) could ask your

audiologist to try a " faster firing rate " when you return for your

MAPping, instead of changing audiologists.

You're welcome to send a copy of this message, so perhaps he/she can

glean some understanding from our prelingual, profound deafness

background perspectives??? I'm sure that there are many like you and

I who were frustrated with the (not quite perfect) MAPs, who just

needed a " faster firing rate " . I don't know the mechanics of ACE, and

why a faster firing rate would make a difference, but I remember from

taking Physics that firing at a specific rate needs to be at a certain

amplitude so that the nerve (picture light waves entering parallel

slots) is appropriately stimulated to make a meaningful message to the

brain, which was what I think happened with P6. All other Ps never

quite hit all parallel slots, making for " decreased light. " Perhaps

someone else here can explain it better but I think I have the logic

in mind.

So excited... getting my name " above the fold " in today's paper (and

it announced to the whole readership that I got my cochlear implant in

October) and hearing my cat's MEOW clearly for the first time... is

indeed wonderful.

activated 12/8

[Guest guest]

Hi

I'm already on ACE as my audiologist didn't want to try any of the other

strategies. He said ACE was the fastest for me. Will ask him about doing a

" faster firing rate " the next time I see him.

Speaking of hearing your cat, I've seldom heard my cat with my HA. She

sounded soft so just assumed that was how she sounded. Couldn't understand

why my father said she was a loud cat. A couple of weeks ago, I heard her

clearly " MEOWRRR " . Yes, I heard the " R " sound. I found it amusing and I

love hearing her voice.

Regards,

Sam

N24C: 10/06/2004

BWP: 11/11/2004

[Guest guest]

Sam - There are 4 possible speeds with ACE so you may be on a slow one or you

may even be on a fast one that doesn't work for you. Ask your audiolgist to

give you copies of your maps before you leave so you know what you have. Faster

does not always mean better - I can promise you that. I've gone from a 720 rate

to 1800 and my preference is either 900 or 1200.

Alice

[Guest guest]

Hi Alice,

Thanks for the explanation. I will ask my audiologist what is my current

rate. All I knew was that he was increasing my dynamic range.

Regards,

Sam

N24C: 10/06/2004

BWP: 11/11/2004