Re: For June about different implants for bilateral

[Guest guest]

Hi June

The Harmony is great. I had the bilateral op in October 2007, last

year. It was a re-implant in the left and it was very quick to pick

things up again whereas the right ear has had no hearing device all its

life is coming along just like a baby! If I take my left one off it can

pick up quite a few things quite clearly but not everything. Remember

it has had no hearing stimulation all its life but it is amazing how it

has changed from when it was first switched on. I can hear the Making

the connection cd audio training and it is great fun challenging the ear

to different exercises. Brilliant for my brain training too.

I can hear music like jazz very well and guitar music and choir music.

In fact almost anything really. I love hearing music again.

It is great with the different things I can do with my harmony, such I

have three program slots; 1st program it is set to hear only through the

t/mic & IDR of 60, 2nd program it is through the t/mic but with a wider

IDR of 70, 3rd program it is through the BTE in case the t/mic breaks

but also when I'm out and about and it's windy that it cuts out the wind

noise. This program also with a wider IDR of 70 too. I use the adapted

ear headphones with the t/mic and it is lovely.

It is entirely up to you which implant you go for but I can only speak

from experience with my Harmonies. I'm sure you've come across those

with Freedom of their experiences. It might be best to do a bit more

research on the internet before making a decision and to try them out on

your ear etc and see what it feels like? I'm sure that there are many

people out there who are bilateral with different implants in each ear.

Whatever implant you go for - I'm sure your brain will adapt to whatever

its given! It's amazing how clever the brain hear and learns sounds.

Like I say, I can only speak from experience with my Harmonies.

Elaine

J Beach wrote:

>

> Elaine:

>

> I have the AB Clarion 1.2, implanted in 1997. Surgeon is leaning

> towards Freedom, but said " I can be pursued to implant the Harmony " .

>

> How are your Harmonies? Did you understand speech right away?

>

> June

>

> Re: Headphones over the Freedom CI?

>

> June,

>

> Interesting that about the bilateral CI being of different make - AB

> Harmony and Cochlear Freedom.

>

> I've not had anything like that from surgeons as never had a hearing aid

> in my right ear and have both ears as AB Harmony. I love the fact that

> I can wear adapted ipod earphones attached to each of my t/mics! It

> feels like nothing there.

>

> Elaine from the UK

>

> Moses Katz wrote:

> >

> > I have tried Bose headphones,found them to be superior to others,

> > however I

> > did some research and found Able Planet Headphones to be best in speech

> > clarity for my Freedom Processor(right ear), no hearing in my left ear.

> >

> > On Mon, Jul 7, 2008 at 10:05 AM, Munson <bicisnoopy@...

> <mailto:bicisnoopy%40cox.net>

> > <mailto:bicisnoopy%40cox.net>> wrote:

> >

> > >

> > > June- I have bilateral Freedoms and I use the bose headphones all

> > the time

> > > with my ipod and it is wonderful. you will enjoy it. Snoopy

> > >

> > > ---- J Beach <beaches1019@...

> <mailto:beaches1019%40wowway.com>

> > <mailto:beaches1019%40wowway.com> <beaches1019%40wowway.com>> wrote:

> > > I received a terrific set of Bose headphones for Christmas...I am

> > > wondering, will these work ok when put over the Freedom

> > > processor?

> > >

> > > I have an Advanced Bionics implant w/t-mic in the right

> > ear...doctor's are

> > > recommending that I " chose " the Freedom as a second

> > > implant (to replace the left ear hearing aid).

> > >

> > > I use the Muziq Sprint cell phone...just plug the headphones into

> > > the Muziq adapter cable for bilateral ci + ha hearing (or can listen

> > to my

> > > iPod like this).

> > >

> > > June

> > > Clarion 1.2, 1/97 (right ear)

> > > to replace AVR LogiCom ha with Freedom, 8/29/08 (pending my making an

> > > absolute decision! left ear)

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

I am curious as to how anyone can make comparisons between manufacturers of

implants. This doesn't seem to be the type of thing where you can try them

both out. Everyone has only one side, so how can you compare?

Rae

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

Elaine

Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 2:28 AM

Subject: Re: For June about different implants for bilateral

Hi June

The Harmony is great. I had the bilateral op in October 2007, last

year. It was a re-implant in the left and it was very quick to pick

things up again whereas the right ear has had no hearing device all its

life is coming along just like a baby! If I take my left one off it can

pick up quite a few things quite clearly but not everything. Remember

it has had no hearing stimulation all its life but it is amazing how it

has changed from when it was first switched on. I can hear the Making

the connection cd audio training and it is great fun challenging the ear

to different exercises. Brilliant for my brain training too.

I can hear music like jazz very well and guitar music and choir music.

In fact almost anything really. I love hearing music again.

It is great with the different things I can do with my harmony, such I

have three program slots; 1st program it is set to hear only through the

t/mic & IDR of 60, 2nd program it is through the t/mic but with a wider

IDR of 70, 3rd program it is through the BTE in case the t/mic breaks

but also when I'm out and about and it's windy that it cuts out the wind

noise. This program also with a wider IDR of 70 too. I use the adapted

ear headphones with the t/mic and it is lovely.

It is entirely up to you which implant you go for but I can only speak

from experience with my Harmonies. I'm sure you've come across those

with Freedom of their experiences. It might be best to do a bit more

research on the internet before making a decision and to try them out on

your ear etc and see what it feels like? I'm sure that there are many

people out there who are bilateral with different implants in each ear.

Whatever implant you go for - I'm sure your brain will adapt to whatever

its given! It's amazing how clever the brain hear and learns sounds.

Like I say, I can only speak from experience with my Harmonies.

Elaine

[Guest guest]

Hi, Elaine:

You are saying that re-implanting the left ear, it was quick to pick up on what

it had already learned?

I am sitting here without my old Clarion 1.2 processor, and I hear this tapping

on my eardrum (from inside).

I wonder if after 11 1/2 years the internal components are changing. It doesn't

tap continuously, only

occasionally.

Did you implant an ear that had residual hearing, stimulated by a hearing aid?

I wonder if that ear would

be quicker to respond than an ear that has been deaf for say, 30 years?

Your email about Harmony's is upbeat and positive. I am studying the Harmony

material now, probably

review the two (Freedom and Harmony) and have to schedule an appointment for

device colors, etc.

The doctor's office is assuming that I want the Freedom, since I went ahead and

scheduled a

surgery date for Aug. 29 pending insurance approval.

Thanks for your email!

June Beach

AB's Clarion 1.2, Jan. 1997 (right ear)

AVR LogiCom hearing aid (left ear)

Re: Headphones over the Freedom CI?

>

> June,

>

> Interesting that about the bilateral CI being of different make - AB

> Harmony and Cochlear Freedom.

>

> I've not had anything like that from surgeons as never had a hearing aid

> in my right ear and have both ears as AB Harmony. I love the fact that

> I can wear adapted ipod earphones attached to each of my t/mics! It

> feels like nothing there.

>

> Elaine from the UK

>

> Moses Katz wrote:

> >

> > I have tried Bose headphones,found them to be superior to others,

> > however I

> > did some research and found Able Planet Headphones to be best in speech

> > clarity for my Freedom Processor(right ear), no hearing in my left ear.

> >

> > On Mon, Jul 7, 2008 at 10:05 AM, Munson <bicisnoopy@...

> <mailto:bicisnoopy%40cox.net>

> > <mailto:bicisnoopy%40cox.net>> wrote:

> >

> > >

> > > June- I have bilateral Freedoms and I use the bose headphones all

> > the time

> > > with my ipod and it is wonderful. you will enjoy it. Snoopy

> > >

> > > ---- J Beach <beaches1019@...

> <mailto:beaches1019%40wowway.com>

> > <mailto:beaches1019%40wowway.com> <beaches1019%40wowway.com>> wrote:

> > > I received a terrific set of Bose headphones for Christmas...I am

> > > wondering, will these work ok when put over the Freedom

> > > processor?

> > >

> > > I have an Advanced Bionics implant w/t-mic in the right

> > ear...doctor's are

> > > recommending that I " chose " the Freedom as a second

> > > implant (to replace the left ear hearing aid).

> > >

> > > I use the Muziq Sprint cell phone...just plug the headphones into

> > > the Muziq adapter cable for bilateral ci + ha hearing (or can listen

> > to my

> > > iPod like this).

> > >

> > > June

> > > Clarion 1.2, 1/97 (right ear)

> > > to replace AVR LogiCom ha with Freedom, 8/29/08 (pending my making an

> > > absolute decision! left ear)

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Rae:

I am reading whatever was provided on the Freedom and the Harmony. I had

a rough time training a 30 year deaf ear to hear in the past, and now I'd like

something quick and easy for speech understanding in a second implant!

I am wondering either or both of the processors can go from soft to loud

environments

without a program change, or is it required to switch around to different

programs for noisy or soft environments like I've done in the past.

I am gathering Freedom has allot of program options to switch to. I am not

familiar with

Harmony very much.

Anyone?

June Beach

Clarion 1.2, 1997

Re: For June about different implants for bilateral

Hi June

The Harmony is great. I had the bilateral op in October 2007, last

year. It was a re-implant in the left and it was very quick to pick

things up again whereas the right ear has had no hearing device all its

life is coming along just like a baby! If I take my left one off it can

pick up quite a few things quite clearly but not everything. Remember

it has had no hearing stimulation all its life but it is amazing how it

has changed from when it was first switched on. I can hear the Making

the connection cd audio training and it is great fun challenging the ear

to different exercises. Brilliant for my brain training too.

I can hear music like jazz very well and guitar music and choir music.

In fact almost anything really. I love hearing music again.

It is great with the different things I can do with my harmony, such I

have three program slots; 1st program it is set to hear only through the

t/mic & IDR of 60, 2nd program it is through the t/mic but with a wider

IDR of 70, 3rd program it is through the BTE in case the t/mic breaks

but also when I'm out and about and it's windy that it cuts out the wind

noise. This program also with a wider IDR of 70 too. I use the adapted

ear headphones with the t/mic and it is lovely.

It is entirely up to you which implant you go for but I can only speak

from experience with my Harmonies. I'm sure you've come across those

with Freedom of their experiences. It might be best to do a bit more

research on the internet before making a decision and to try them out on

your ear etc and see what it feels like? I'm sure that there are many

people out there who are bilateral with different implants in each ear.

Whatever implant you go for - I'm sure your brain will adapt to whatever

its given! It's amazing how clever the brain hear and learns sounds.

Like I say, I can only speak from experience with my Harmonies.

Elaine

[Guest guest]

Rae,

For people who have 2 implants, it isn't even advantageous to compare them. It

doesn't matter whether they are the same implant from the same company or

different implants from the same company or different implants from different

companies.

Each ear hears different no matter which implant is used. You know that most of

us say one ear is better than the other even before we are implanted. So how can

we expect them to hear the same after the implant?

Happy Hearing!

Carol

Boca Raton, FL

N24C 3G left ear -12/11/01-upgraded to Freedom on 2/19/08

N Freedom- right ear- implanted 3/01/06 activated 4/6/06

Re: For June about different implants for bilateral

Hi June

The Harmony is great. I had the bilateral op in October 2007, last

year. It was a re-implant in the left and it was very quick to pick

things up again whereas the right ear has had no hearing device all its

life is coming along just like a baby! If I take my left one off it can

pick up quite a few things quite clearly but not everything. Remember

it has had no hearing stimulation all its life but it is amazing how it

has changed from when it was first switched on. I can hear the Making

the connection cd audio training and it is great fun challenging the ear

to different exercises. Brilliant for my brain training too.

I can hear music like jazz very well and guitar music and choir music.

In fact almost anything really. I love hearing music again.

It is great with the different things I can do with my harmony, such I

have three program slots; 1st program it is set to hear only through the

t/mic & IDR of 60, 2nd program it is through the t/mic but with a wider

IDR of 70, 3rd program it is through the BTE in case the t/mic breaks

but also when I'm out and about and it's windy that it cuts out the wind

noise. This program also with a wider IDR of 70 too. I use the adapted

ear headphones with the t/mic and it is lovely.

It is entirely up to you which implant you go for but I can only speak

from experience with my Harmonies. I'm sure you've come across those

with Freedom of their experiences. It might be best to do a bit more

research on the internet before making a decision and to try them out on

your ear etc and see what it feels like? I'm sure that there are many

people out there who are bilateral with different implants in each ear.

Whatever implant you go for - I'm sure your brain will adapt to whatever

its given! It's amazing how clever the brain hear and learns sounds.

Like I say, I can only speak from experience with my Harmonies.

Elaine

[Guest guest]

June:

I'm guessing that the amount of ear training required probably will have more to

do with the ear itself than the processor. Hopefully a second implant will

have a quicker learning curve just by you having gone through it once before.

I rarely change programs with my Harmony, other than the few times I use the

t-coil for telephone in very noisy environments, and I go from quiet to loud

environments frequently. It's possible a program could give me more optimal

hearing for each environment but it seems fine to me on my usual program.

Any program can be designed for any situation, however. I know I have tried

very noisy environment programs, high sensitivity programs for long-distance

hearing, 100% auxililary, even special programs my audiologist created to boost

the high's to make music sound better. They were all very good but I guess I'm

just lazy... I stick to my regular program 99% of the time anyway!

Anne

[Guest guest]

Rae:

After I finished reading all of the information about Freedom, I began reading

the Harmony packet of information. You might want to make sure you call the

1-877-829-0026 number in the packet and ask for the " Harmony Journey Information

Series " of information. Mine is being sent, and I know it'll be here in a day

or two.

I've had an Advanced Bionics implant for 11 years, and know they are pretty

prompt in shipping things, usually.

You might be asked if you would like to speak with a BEA person, someone who

has the Harmony CI. (I spoke with Tina Childress, and audiologist who chose

Harmony for herself).

Take Care,

June

Re: For June about different implants for bilateral

Hi June

The Harmony is great. I had the bilateral op in October 2007, last

year. It was a re-implant in the left and it was very quick to pick

things up again whereas the right ear has had no hearing device all its

life is coming along just like a baby! If I take my left one off it can

pick up quite a few things quite clearly but not everything. Remember

it has had no hearing stimulation all its life but it is amazing how it

has changed from when it was first switched on. I can hear the Making

the connection cd audio training and it is great fun challenging the ear

to different exercises. Brilliant for my brain training too.

I can hear music like jazz very well and guitar music and choir music.

In fact almost anything really. I love hearing music again.

It is great with the different things I can do with my harmony, such I

have three program slots; 1st program it is set to hear only through the

t/mic & IDR of 60, 2nd program it is through the t/mic but with a wider

IDR of 70, 3rd program it is through the BTE in case the t/mic breaks

but also when I'm out and about and it's windy that it cuts out the wind

noise. This program also with a wider IDR of 70 too. I use the adapted

ear headphones with the t/mic and it is lovely.

It is entirely up to you which implant you go for but I can only speak

from experience with my Harmonies. I'm sure you've come across those

with Freedom of their experiences. It might be best to do a bit more

research on the internet before making a decision and to try them out on

your ear etc and see what it feels like? I'm sure that there are many

people out there who are bilateral with different implants in each ear.

Whatever implant you go for - I'm sure your brain will adapt to whatever

its given! It's amazing how clever the brain hear and learns sounds.

Like I say, I can only speak from experience with my Harmonies.

Elaine

[Guest guest]

Hi Rae,

You can't compare them. What you do is talk to people who have the

different devices and see what they like and dislike about each. Then

check the safety record, recall record, upgrade ability, etc. See if the

device runs on rechargeable AND disposable batteries, see if that fits

your lifestyle. I personally hate rechargers, and even though my Freedom

upgrade can run on either rechargeables or disposables, I use the

disposables.

I was implanted 12 years ago, and am using the latest processor that

Cochlear has out. The Freedom. Cochlear has always made things

backwards compatible, which means that even people implanted as long ago

as I was can still benefit from the newest technology as far as possible.

Other companies cannot make that claim.

So, do your homework, see what appeals to you as far as features, and

go from there. Some people talk about how great music is. For the

amount of music you listen to vs the amount of speech you listen to, I'd

give my strongest weight to hearing and understanding speech. I do

understand music, and listen to it a lot, but it is certainly not what

I'd make a device choice based upon.

Good luck,

Posted by: " Rae Callaway " tallcarabians@... rae.callaway

Tue Jul 8, 2008 6:21 am (PDT)

I am curious as to how anyone can make comparisons between manufacturers

of

implants. This doesn't seem to be the type of thing where you can try

them

both out. Everyone has only one side, so how can you compare?

Rae

____________________________________________________________

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Enter for your chance to WIN a summer spa getaway!

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[Guest guest]

Thanks. I got the Nucleus 24 a while back and upgraded to the Freedom about

1 ½ years ago. Stupid insurance company said they’d cover it before I got

the upgrade, but then backed out after. I didn’t even know there were other

brands of CI’s out there. The Freedom was definitely worth it. I was going

through 3-4 bte’s a summer, not even the dry n’ store could compete, so

having a sweat proof one is a major improvement.

Rae

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

M Jansen

Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 6:24 PM

Subject: Re: For June about different implants for bilateral

Hi Rae,

You can't compare them. What you do is talk to people who have the

different devices and see what they like and dislike about each. Then

check the safety record, recall record, upgrade ability, etc. See if the

device runs on rechargeable AND disposable batteries, see if that fits

your lifestyle. I personally hate rechargers, and even though my Freedom

upgrade can run on either rechargeables or disposables, I use the

disposables.

I was implanted 12 years ago, and am using the latest processor that

Cochlear has out. The Freedom. Cochlear has always made things

backwards compatible, which means that even people implanted as long ago

as I was can still benefit from the newest technology as far as possible.

Other companies cannot make that claim.

So, do your homework, see what appeals to you as far as features, and

go from there. Some people talk about how great music is. For the

amount of music you listen to vs the amount of speech you listen to, I'd

give my strongest weight to hearing and understanding speech. I do

understand music, and listen to it a lot, but it is certainly not what

I'd make a device choice based upon.

Good luck,

Posted by: " Rae Callaway " tallcarabians@...

<mailto:tallcarabians%40sbcglobal.net> rae.callaway

Tue Jul 8, 2008 6:21 am (PDT)

I am curious as to how anyone can make comparisons between manufacturers

of

implants. This doesn't seem to be the type of thing where you can try

them

both out. Everyone has only one side, so how can you compare?

Rae

__________________________________________________________

Sweepstakes!!!

Enter for your chance to WIN a summer spa getaway!

http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/JKFkuJi7UjkVX6eTLBuFflsQSCzPPYlv

tG2uH3c3Mf7lT51QHETk4r/