Changes for the good

It is amazing how this thing changes and improves constantly.
Today I noticed that my last class of the day, chatting while they stood in line, sounded like a bunch of voices (which they were) instead of a convention of sleigh bells. I still can't pick out words there but what was coming my way en-mass had the same tone quality as a voice...or rather 22 of them.
I noticed during the announcements I'm picking up bits and pieces over the PA....did the pledge fine although I think my L's are a bit soft. I also could tell it was orange chicken day....Yummy!
One more a-ha...I have had 3 different people tell me my voice has improved.
I also moved to program 3. I go back Thursday so it's about time.

My new ear's first church service

We went to Church this morning and I was anxious to see what I could understand. My hearing had gotten so bad that I had to peek to see when the prayer was over. Today I got 4 out of 5 amens. I call that a success. Brother Matt was away today and our service was led my Jessica. She is our newest associate pastor and I'd never even met her or heard her speak until today. I didn't get much of the sermon but I got what I thought was an impressive amount considering she has a high-pitched and fast voice.

Headphone instructions

Here are the instructions for the headphone thing I posted about last. I was working from memory as when I read it, I didn't need it yet. This is from Sam's blog:
http://samspritzer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/how-to-make-ear-buds-for-t-mics.pdf
There is also a version on Tina's blog:
http://funnyoldlife.wordpress.com/cochlear-implants/
Thanks guys for all you do to keep us new guys in exciting things.

Listening

I bought myself an awesome pair of $60 noise-canceling earbuds Black Friday for $19, spent $2.15 at the fish department in Petsmart and fixed myself a good way to listen. My first listening adventure with CI side only....Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid. I think I did pretty well. I let my eyes get ahead of the voice a couple of times and lost my place but was able to find it again without cheating and sticking in the other earbud. I also took the thumbprints test at the listening room and scored 38%. Not great but not hideous either considering my new ear is less than a week old.

What? My ears aren't bleeding?

After some mid-morning shopping, Caleb and I went to lunch at Panda Express (his favorite) and a movie. He picked Arthur's Christmas and I picked the theatre (Frisco Cinemark) since I wanted one with captions. Movie was great and my CI and I did fine. After the movie he conned me into going to the mall. Not just any mall....Grapevine Mills.....a pretty darn big mall......on Black Friday. I bought him a new LEGO mystery guy ($2.60) and me a new pair of jeans ($7.66) then hit Chik fil A for a brownie and Dr Pepper. That's when the noisyness kicked up. Mr. Silly....started singing....loudly.....about donuts.....opera style. He did this................all.....the.......way.......home......all 45 minutes of drive worth. My CI was screaming but he was being funny and I actually understood some of it....mostly "donut". Just about the time we walked in the door my battery died......I was thankful.

Thanksgiving

Much to be thankful for this year. Excited to be hearing. Dinner went well. I did have to "accidentally" knock off the headpiece when Grammy tried to sing along with the dancing Frosty the Snowman though....it was just more than I could take. ;)

The robots are beginning to morph into Minnie mouse. Hoping in a couple more days that they will become even more voicelike. I got to thinking that a CI is kinda like that StarTrek: TNG episode with the mind-controlling video game....you just relax and it all falls in place.

The first 27 hours

I was activated at 1 yesterday and wore my CI from 1 till bedtime around 9.
Turned on this morning at 7.
It is now 4 and my brain is very tired. I'm also impressed my battery lasted 9 hours.
Taking a little break before dinner.
We are going out to Chili's complements of my fellow librarians. Gift cards rock. :)
It will be my first restaurant experience with this kind of sound.
For just one week after surgery. The headpiece bites a bit after a while but nothing too serious.
So far, I have identified:
car blinkers (which are annoying)
the Stealth app (which was annoying enough to require an ice pack - Thanks Caleb)
Inkles the Cat
Fluffy the Guinea Pig
zippers
shoes/walking
acorns
voices from other rooms (with some degree of understanding)

It still sounds like a robot but is improving all the time.

I heard Caleb over the vaccuum....to which he goes "you heard that?....what is this, crazy day?"