Bilateral postponed

My surgery has been delayed until Feb. 19, 2008. This is actually a blessing as we are finally in the midst of moving, after spending 14 months remodeling an older home just a few blocks from where we were living. We've been bringing over each piece of furniture we've decided to keep by loading it on a sturdy yellow wagon. I think the neighbors are enjoying the steady processional.

The essentials are now in the "new" house. Our Christmas present to each other this year was being able to sleep at the new address. The only bittersweet moment occurred on Dec. 2oth when Paulie, one of our 3 cats, decided to bolt in transit and has not reappeared. He's extremely shy and kinda neurotic, so he may be gone for good.

The priority task ahead of us is sorting through all the non-essentials at the "old" house into 3 categories: garage sale items, giveaways, and trash. Everyone knows the routine and the stress involved, especially if you have a pack-rat mentality and limited storage space. Then comes the cleaning and repairs needed and finally the posting of the FOR SALE sign in the front yard. Having 2 mortgages for over a year has been a real killer.
I am anticipating a March activation date, just in time to be able to locate the birds I'll hear while putting in another butterfly garden. The new house desperately needs a yard makeover!

You Meet the Nicest People

Back in 1999, when I was barely hanging on by my fingernails, a colleague asked me if there were any benefits to having a hearing loss. The question took me by surprise since my modus operandi was mere survival, just trying to make it through the day with some semblence of functioning. The only thing I could think of to say was, "I don't hear my husband snore."

Now, almost a decade later, my list of benefits has expanded exponentially. I am still deaf, but with my cochlear implant I am connected to people again! So now the hopelessness and despair is gone, and I can think of some benefits to hearing loss:

• A wonderful circle of friends I would never have met with "normal" hearing. We are not alone in our struggles with hearing loss. I am so grateful to those dear ones who have been willing to share, to advise, to allow me to benefit from their experiences.
  
• An opportunity to help others on their journey. What a privilege to share with those who are just beginning the journey of living with a hearing loss!


• A greater empathy for those who struggle. Everyone has times of challenge in this life. Courage, resilience, patience and other similar character traits are rarely strengthened in times of ease, are they?


• A new sense of purpose and a cause to champion.

I think the benefits list will keep increasing with time. What do you think?

Going Bilateral

My 7th CI anniversary!! I can hardly believe it! Today I sent an email to my CI center confirming my surgery date for a second implant --- Is that cool or what! I will become bilateral on December 28, 2007. Whoopee!!

Flying Solo

We CI users need to celebrate every new hearing accomplishment, don't we? Well, I made a solo round trip from Orlando to Dallas yesterday, even changed planes twice. When uncertain, I verified what I thought I heard over the PA systems by asking a nearby person, "Did they just say that . . ." so the answer would be either yes or no. People didn't seem to mind at all. This flying day without my husband was, for me, reclaiming the ground lost in those dark days of functional deafness. 'Course, it would have been more fun to have had a partner with which to share the journey.

Remodeling

We are up to our ears (or paint cans) in remodeling projects. I discovered an advantage to being a CI user today. A shop vac is painfully loud to normal ears when operated in a small space, like a closet. Gerry can't handle it, but I can remove the CI and vacuum in silence - - - no pain, no risk of damaging my hearing. Pretty cool!

Watches with alarms

"An alarm is beeping," I said, and all heads turned to me with looks of bewilderment.

"What?"

"There's an alarm beeping somewhere," I repeat, grinning from ear to ear.

It is pure delight to hear something that no one else in the room can hear! (Now that sounds like I need the help of a psychiatrist, doesn't it?) Both Gerry and Dad received new watches for Christmas and neither of them can use the alarm function, because they cannot hear the soft, high-pitched alarm. It comes through clearly to me, thanks to my enviable electrodes.