0) Now nearly 1 week has gone.....my hearing is still unclear but is hearing shit that I couldn’t with my hearing aids.  Is that a good thing????

Yes, that is a good thing!  If you’re hearing something then you know that the implant is working fully.  It would still be unclear- it will only become clearer but only when you don’t actually realise it!  It is a very slow gradual thing.  One day- you will think all of suddenly- going hey, I can remember not knowing what that sound was! (i.e. Ian moaning!  Or Laz shouting!)

1)

I want to know what u hear u hear from the first week since your implant was switched on.

For me, everything seem messy and electronically. I could pick up sounds like clock ticking, keyboard tapping, paper and feet rustling, door creaking. I cud hear voices from sum1's else fone.  The only problem is that they are not normal sounds.

Is that the same for ur case??

That was the same case for me at the beginning of the switch on.  Things sounds normal to me now- even although its probably still all electronically but my brain ‘hear’ it as normal.  Know what I mean?  It is difficult to explain.  I think it took a few months before the ‘electronically’ sounds disappeared, and replaced by what seem ‘normal’ to me.

umm...Its normal to hear beeping noise & mickey mouse voice(dreadful!)!!!! My vivid memory  of having an cochlear implant  is a week after my switched on, my mum ask me if I can hear the drilling next door but I said no(she was surprised cos its extremely loud!)...then she told me not to worry! Later on the day  I was in the living room with my mum who is reading the newspaper....I got really exciting  when I heard  beeps sound every time mum turn the page over which I never heard in my whole life. Mum thought it was strange that I can only hear the newspaper noise not the drilling!!! My audiologist explained to my worried mum that I only hear the  limited sound to help my brain to memorise small number of new sounds..it will take time...so be patience! 

In my first week I heard a lot of "noise!" At first it was all quite a bit strange but I soon adapted to them the more I heard them. I was able to hear voices but they did sound different, i remember my dad being far too loud!!! My mum was how I remembered and owen was well, i'd never really heard him before! I could hear phone ringing if i wasn't far away and could hear a voice at the other end of the phone but not what they were saying. Most noises I heard were ones i saw-does this make sense? for example, i was far more likely to "hear" the television or people talking if I saw them.

2)

I was told by my speech therapist Dylan that I was given a limited range of sounds on my first week.  I was truly shocked by this.  When I went for tuning, it was all about volume adjusting.  I don’t see how this re-tuning can actually help me to listen to a wide range of sounds in the future.

So.....why I was given a limited range of sounds and how I will get this wide range of sound???

(Does this make sense??)

That was the same case for me at the beginning of the switch on.  Things sounds normal to me now- even although its probably still all electronically but my brain ‘hear’ it as normal.  Know what I mean?  It is difficult to explain.  I think it took a few months before the ‘electronical’ sounds disappeared, and replaced by what seem ‘normal’ to me.

your brain will not be prepared to learn everything at the start...that's why you don't see little kids in the lectures at uni!!!Kid have to learn from the start in the nursery which mean you have learn from the start too!!! :-P don't worry! you will get wider range of sound every time you visiting the hospital I promise!... your brain's learning to memorise the new sounds...the beeping noise(is when the brain do not recognise the sound) will turn into real like sound(when the brain is finally know what the sound like)..then audiologist will add little tuning for you to get use to it(over the short time) then more tuning then get use to it etc etc till you had a fully tuning..  

I agree with Dan on this one, you have to take things easy! They will introduce sounds to you as you go along, i know u've said in your text to me yesterday that you are now hearing things clearer. As your brain starts to recognise and process these sounds, it becomes easier to pick up new sounds. I know I'm still hearing things I haven't heard before and there are still some things I cannot hear (for example the bell and whistle at the end of lunchtime in school, even when I am outside the school) The re-tuning is important that you get the best out of your implant and you aren't pushing things too soon. I haven't had to make a lot of changes since my 10 month check up but quite a few before then.

3)

What did you at home to help you to listen to new sounds and able to tell what and where the sound is coming from??

I still have no sense of direction of where the sound coming from.  I’ve still only got ‘one ear’.

With my parents- we used to do simple exercises, where we wrote few simple sentences…like..”what’s your name?”, ‘How old are you?’, ‘Where do you live?’, ‘Do you smoke?’.  Get your parents to keep reading each line and you listen WITHOUT LIPREADING…and then they pick one at random and then you tell them what you heard.  I’m sure that perhaps Dylan might be able to help u with this.  But really the best thing is to just keep wearing implant all the time.  It will come to you naturally!  (i.e. ‘The natural aural approach’!!!!!!)

Listening lessons, listening lessons listening lesson!!! I did practise my listening with my family and friends to try work out what they trying to say (only short sentences like how are you? what time its? How's your day, or range of colours (red, blue)/numbers/names (the one you know)) Keep it simple!! If you are successful with listening test level 1 then move on to the harder part ' FOOD’ quotes 'I like chicken casserole' or clothes quotes 'I need to buy a dress for the ball'  

 I still can't work out where the sound coming from but you have to find a way!

As with Dan, I still have no sense of direction of where the sound coming from.  Being in school has helped in some aspects for this but 9 times out of 10 i get it wrong! It depends if I recognise the voice, but if it's a noise/sound I'll have no clue which direction!! At home I went around turning on taps and flushing toilets, shutting doors, watching tv (i tried to watch without subtitles in my first week how over the top!!!!!!) listening to music was brilliant! I listened to loads of old cd's that i knew the words to and that really helped me to listen. You should have an adaptable piece that u can use for cd's etc, use that because i found it really helpful.

In the first few weeks, Owen used to practice loads of sounds and sentences when I wasn't looking at him,I feel this helped me a great deal. It was very frustrating but it is worth the hard work you have to put in. Because of things like this, I'm confident at using the phone with people I know very well. Mary gave me a list of sounds and questions to practice-ask her or Dyan about this.

4)

I was given a stronger magnet for my headpiece cos it kept falling off whenever I sit down or jump.  I am a bit worried by having this stronger magnet.  Do you think it is harmful??

Nope- it is not harmful.  I had the same problem at the beginning. My implant kept falling off so they put stronger magnet!

No! its not  harmful at all! My cochlear implant do occasionally fall off especially on windy days or on fast rides!!! Mines are not bad as Dan's!! Dan's implant is always falling off..to me... almost all the time!! lol! Its better to have stronger magnet to keep the implant on!!(recommended for you Dan!!) 

I had a stronger magnet in my first few months too. Last summer, I moved back to a less stronger one because it was caused me some headaches in that area. I had that strong magnet for 6 months though so I wouldn't say it was harmful, it just depends on what kind of person u are!!

5)

Do u keep ur implant processor in a dri-aid bag overnight????

I hate this job!!

No I don’t need do, cos my processor is different to yours.  Not as sensitive to moisture.  Stop moaning about this and get on with it!  It only takes a few moments.  I know that Catherine has to do this too, but she doesn’t always do it.  (Naughty of her!)

lol! well mate you have to do what you've be told!!! Dan! you are not meant to tell them...give me a break! I'm trying my best to put in dri-aid box.... but most of the time I'm totally useless!!!

I'm supposed to.......when I'm here in Derby or at home where my box is I will do it, it keeps it safe if anything!! (i have a box now because the dri-aid bag ripped so they gave me a plastic box instead) when I go to visit people, i always forget to take my spare red bag with me-i know I should but I always forget! However, it seems to be working still!! It's worth it, especially when it's a hot day because it gets all sweaty etc.

6)

When people stare at ya cos of the big bulge in my head........what would you do???

Smile at them.

It is good idea to mentally prepare yourself in the head of a simple line if people ask you ‘what is that thing on your head?’.  I just say ‘oh its hearing aid that helps me to hear’.  Simple and sweet! I do still get people asking me.

Wear a WIG!! only kid! just say I'm from a place called Mars!!!! Argh!!!! hehe...sorry not funny..I agreed with Dan’s response for this question!!

I'd just ignore them! If people ask you about it, do what dan said and make sure you know what you will say. I've had to explain to a lot of children about my hearing and I just call my implant a special type of hearing aid to help me hear!

7)

Cant think of one now....and i need my sleep now!!

Hope I’ve answered all your questions…and I need my food now!!!

Hope that's useful and that I didn't waffle too much!!

8) (Additional Un-related question from the same email)

I will have to get on the bed quickly as possible before a rat can bit me on the floor. geeez......can u tell me whether a rat can climb???  It is just dat I think I saw a rat in my room another night and it has been not found since.  Every1 fink dat i am lying BUT I AM NOT!!