When told that his Aunt Madeline was having an operation on her ear, so that she could hear more sounds, my not-quite-three-year-old nephew thought that was pretty neat. He asked his mommy whether I would be able to hear the whisper whisper of a butterfly, like Mr. Brown in his Dr. Seuss book. And just to make sure, he sent me this:
In truth, I can't quite hear the whisper whisper of a butterfly. But I can hear all kinds of new things, and they're starting to sound a little bit prettier every day.
I've managed to keep the CI on in a loud restaurant, throughout a chatty dinner party, during a triathlon, and while having lunch outside next to a busy street. I'm even starting to feel like things sound better with the CI on than without it, except in certain super-background-noisy situations. Although I'm not sure that "better" is the right word, because voices, especially, still sound entirely computerized with the CI, so that what the CI hears still sounds like an electronic echo of the "normal" sounds.
Sometimes this is pretty entertaining. Particularly when I laugh, because it sounds like I have a laugh track chuckling along with me. Hopefully my brain will starting blending the hearing aid and CI sounds before I start thinking that other people are actually laughing at my jokes.
Wearing the CI during my triathlon on Sunday was a mixed experience. I didn't have any trouble getting it on, despite having to slide it under my pony-tailed hair and make sure it was secured under my bike helmet. But I do think my spatial sense is off with the CI, because it's much harder for me to hear directionally than it is with my hearing aid, and because many background sounds still seem so alien that I can't quickly guess at their sources. I'm sure this contributed to the minor collision I had on the bike exit (neither the other rider nor I were yet on our bikes, so it was more embarrassing and upsetting than dangerous and painful). I was also a bit distracted by the persistent whistling during my ride, which was no doubt the wind rippling past my ear. And when was coming into T2, I flipped the entire processor off my head as I pulled off my bike helmet, and only narrowly avoided seeing it crushed under someone's bike and running shoes by screaming DON'T RUN OVER THAT at the top of my lungs. I suppose it was no surprise that my time was three minutes slower than last year, although I felt so great through the race that I'm just a little disappointed about the results.
But, I digress. As I said above, I'm starting to like having the CI on more than having it off, and I'm not entirely sure why. Part of it may be that I can hear my own voice now, so that I no longer feel congested and fishbowl-submerged with just the CI on. More likely, it's a sign that even with the echo, the whistles, and the mishaps, my brain is really starting to adjust.
Yay! :)
Posted by: Dawn | June 20, 2006 at 07:29 AM
Glad to hear things are getting better!
Posted by: StacyG | June 20, 2006 at 09:48 AM
Given that the extra three minutes were probably taken up by the collision with the rider passing on the right as well as rescuing an extremely expensive medical device from being crushed, I think it's fair to say that you probably did as well or better than last year on time spent actually racing.
How cool that the hearing is starting to integrate! The laugh track would prob. have me in a constant state of the giggles all day.
Posted by: div | June 20, 2006 at 02:49 PM
Forgot to say--your nephew sounds incredibly cute--you lucky aunt, you!
Posted by: div | June 20, 2006 at 06:51 PM
The whisper whisper of a butterfly just brings tears to my eyes. What a precious perspective from a child
Posted by: Prudence | July 06, 2006 at 01:39 PM