Testing out my localization skills

Localizing sound is something I get to re-learn now that I'm bilateral. The Grand Sierra Hotel in Reno had six elevators in the lobby area. What a golden opportunity to do some aural rehab every time we went up or come down from our room. I stood in the center, closed my eyes, and pointed to the "ding" of the arriving elevator. Observers, I'm sure, thought I was a bit "dingy".



How did I do? After 4 days, I was at 80% accuracy. Not bad for less than 2 months of surround sound, don't you think?

HLAA Reno, 2008

The older one becomes, the less likely it is to experience something for the first time. Our trip to Reno was filled with "firsts" and, therefore, most memorable to us. Come to think of it, it is surprising that we've never done some of these things, yet I dare say that we've also had some unusual overseas experiences that most people would say, "I've never done that.". In addition to this being our first time in Nevada, this was the first time that we:

• Saw an airport with slot machines at the gates and in the lobby area.



• Stayed in a hotel that charged a fee to print an airline boarding pass. Talk about "nickel and diming" - - - give me a break!



• Ordered room service.



• Ate chocolate-covered strawberries. We've had the opportunity on other occasions but always thought those 2 flavors would not go together. We were so wrong. Yummy!



• Stayed in a hotel with a TV in the bathroom. I hear that our pastor back home has one in every room of his house.
  


• Were in a bowling alley together. I'd never watched Gerry bowl. We've been married 18 years, for crying out loud!
  
  
• Ate elk meat (Gerry says it tasted like beef and not at all like alligator.)
  
  
• Saw an intersection with 6 crosswalks.

• In downtown Reno, saw the largest bowling alley in the world - - - 78 lanes and the world's longest video screen.

The Call of the Wild, Cohutta Springs, GA

There I stood in the center of the hillside facing the lake. If I had been in a swiss outfit in the Alps, you would have asked, "Is this a re-make of The Sound of Music? " The birds of north Georgia were in full song. I closed my eyes and slowly turned about 45 degrees, then another 45, and another. I began to sense that one particular group of sounds was coming from the direction of the porch. So I moved closer, continuing the head swivel to test for the direction of the chatter.

My ears, both of them, led me to the stucco walls of the lodge to a beautiful pair of barn swallows. They were having a tittery animated conversation, probably about the crazy woman invading their privacy.

Then I heard it . . . a faint cheep, cheep, cheep. Ah, ha . . . look up in the corner of the eaves, Sheila, and feast your eyes on the source. I was interrupting feeding time. Serendipity!!

Could it be that my brain is starting to localize sound? Maybe it was just the mountain air, but I couldn't have been happier!

The Week That Was

I worked fulltime last week; it was a contract job to grade the portions of the Colorado standardized achievement test that could not be scored by computer. My group of 15 were scoring 3rd grade math. In retrospect, I was very pleased with my ability to hear and very disgusted with the work itself. Let me explain . . .

Picture an open space about the size of a football field. Fill the area with hundreds of waist-high cubicles each equipped with one computer and one chair. Position 2 trainers for every 10-15 people and you have an idea of the job setting. The first day was training day which meant that a team leader gave us instructions on the scoring criteria through the use of headphones.

The positives?

• The job is over.
• I got paid.
• I could hear to do the job. This is no small thing, given the room size, acoustics, and verbal exchange on both sides of my cubicle. This would have been a near impossible hearing assignment with only one implant. My older C1 has a battery life of just over 3 hours these days, so I'd have been dead-in-the-water and missing the training while removing the headphones to change my battery.
• We were permitted to use our cellphones at the lunch break. I could hear Gerry well using either ear.

The negatives?

• My ears were really sore after training day. The headphones were the small earsize type with very little padding. Oh, my aching earhooks!
• The task was an exercise in sheer monotony. Each day my computer was programmed to evaluate one test item, awarding each student a score of 0, 1, or 2 at my "click". The same question, again and again and again. On Friday alone, I scored a whopping 2,121 entries. Talk about tedious, fanny-fatiguing utter boredom!! Years ago, Gerry and I took a tour of a pretzel factory and came away feeling sorry for those poor souls. I told Gerry after the second day that I'd be happy to twist dough tomorrow!
• Too many third graders have horrid penmanship. Don't teachers model how to use an eraser these days? I couldn't believe that what I was seeing was each child's best effort. No wonder the USA's educational ranking in the world is slipping fast.

The Magic Flute

OK, I know it wasn't magic to the rest of the congregation, but to me it was so incredible. I could actually hear the flute part while we were all singing the hymns during church this morning. Our church really sings with gusto and our choir often takes off with embellishments and "extras" during the final verse. Yet the glorious pure tones of the flute came through it all. As usual, the strings and organ were also accompanying our voices, but I had never been able to hear the flute part until today - - - less than 3 weeks into bilateral hearing. It was such a moving and worshipful experience, a cherished CI moment.

Dual Intakes

Gerry calls these my "dual intakes".

False Expectations and Unexpected Outcomes

I've decided that I'd better start a list of the unexpected things concerning getting a second implant, because I probably won't remember months from now what I found surprising. I'm sure that there will be other bilateral users who might read my observations and think, "Oh, I expected that.Why were you surprised by that?" That's OK . . . I already know that these musings are personal to me and not relevant universally. So here goes, in no particular order:

• Since I've never heard HiRes 90K sound, I expected to need to start there with my new ear and to work my way up to liking the Fidelity 120 sound. Surely I would need time to adjust to HiRes. Not so. The Fidelity 120 sound was super from the get-go.

• I assumed that I would be lugging around two battery chargers when traveling, including cords and plugs for each one. So I thought my days of traveling light were history. Not so! My charger accommodates both my C1 and my Harmony batteries. Since I use only 1 Harmony battery each day (incredible!), the four slots in my charger are adequate for my daily battery use with both implants. An overnight trip really can still be just a carry-on after all. A pleasant surprise! (My kit came with a new charger, so now I have an extra charger as a back-up. Great.)

• I thought that my ability to localize sound would be instantaneous (i.e., that I would know where a sound was coming from as soon as I became bilateral and that I would comprehend the sound in either ear). I did not realize that my brain would have to learn to determine directionality again, that this was a skill that would need to be re-learned over time. So far, I cannot tell where environmental sounds are coming from, but it's only been a week of surround sound.

• I guess I thought that if speech sounded good from either ear, then it would automatically blend together when both implants were worn. Maybe I really hadn't considered that there might be some out-of-sync issues, that there could be some timing differences or pitch variations due to electrode positioning, old vs. new technology, etc.

• I did not know that the new travel case that was included in my activation kit was such a nifty deal. This was a new accessory to me since it was not "invented" in 2000. I use it all the time now for our over-nights to my CI clinic for mappings. This sturdy, compact case includes a built-in dry and store, 2 meshed velcroed pouches in the lid, and dividers for recharged batteries, color caps, and extra ear hooks. So very practical.

• I did not expect to be hit with vertigo problems on April 4, about a month and a half after surgery. From what I've now read about BPPV, its cause is unknown. It's probably something I've been predisposed to for years. I have never been able to handle motion rides at amusement parks and, as an adult, have tended to get nauseous in exercise classes if required to lean back and look up. I am likely to have periodic recurrences, hopefully few and far between. In the whole scheme of things, it's a minor "thorn in the flesh", isn't it?
  

4th Mapping

I've now been given the go-ahead to wear both implants and I'm ready for the Bilateral Life!! Michelle, my dear audiologist, did a minor bit of tweaking of my C1, my old implant, and tested each electrode of the new Harmony. There was one frequency that would not become uncomfortably loud, even when programmed to do so. So Michelle just left it equal with the other pitches rather than de-activate this wayward one.

I already love the fullness of sound with two auditory nerves receiving sound, albeit not quite in sync as yet. The Harmony is a sharper, crisper sound than my C1. The "older" sound is fuller, more robust. So together, they are a nice mix of differences. I truly believe with time they will miraculously blend together, old and new technology becoming one in my noggin'.

Our Creator has engineered our brains for extraordinary achievement. My right ear was basically DEAD to sound for 8 years with no benefit from even the best state-of-the-art hearing aid, and it was made ALIVE in only minutes with the new Harmony. I still cannot believe it. Praise be to our Awesome God!

BPPV

BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) can be awful. If you've ever had it, you know what I mean. There will be no pictures with this post as the scene would be too unpleasant, not to mention embarrassing. Gerry was on the phone with my surgeon after 11:30 pm on Friday evening, seeking advice concerning my vertigo and throwing up. Dr. Danner was so wonderful, staying on the line for over 20 minutes as he told Gerry how to do the Epley maneuver and calling in some prescriptions for nausea and vertigo.

It is now Sunday evening and I'm managing to type this brief account, so things are looking up.

Solutions

It seems that the problem-solvers at Advanced Bionics are always working to better our lives. The new smaller T-mic is just the ticket for me, I think. Time will tell if the reduced size will eliminate my sore spot, but it already feels more secure and less tender after 10 hours.

3rd Mapping

It's hard to believe that it's been only 15 days since activation of my second ear. There was a time, many years ago now, when the suggestion of entering the sound booth to test my ears would immediately produce a feeling of dread. Today I welcomed the suggestion of getting a baseline score on the new Harmony. Twenty sentences in quiet - - - 97% accuracy!

Healing

After another trip to the optician, I think the soreness from my glasses is now solved. The tenderness on the top of my ear is still an issue, but a thinner moleskin on the T-mic is helping. Such a minor thing, yet we little-eared people need to pass on our trials and tips. If only some other parts of my anatomy were also little!

2nd Mapping for 2nd Ear

I expected that I would see my audiologist this morning for a second time for my second mapping on my second implant. Not so, because she called in sick. (Do you think I’m enjoying the “s” sound?) Michelle, my audi for today, has a different approach to initial mappings than Lisa and changed all 3 programs to 50/50 (50% T-mic, 50% processor mic) with each one differing in volume only.





















She raised the thresholds on each pitch and encouraged me to wear the new Harmony by itself in order to mature that “baby” auditory nerve. Apparently, the emerging research is indicating that progress is much faster with the second ear if the primary, older one is set aside for a time. It is now predicted that the sound will be comparable after 4-6 weeks of solo work but would likely take 2 years if worn together. Wow! That's worth setting the wonderful surround sound aside for now.

Can You Hear Me Now?

No one would ever describe our church, St. Andrew's Chapel, as contemporary in style. We don't have a plexiglass pulpit, large screen monitor, or "worship team" of electric guitars on stage to lead us in praise songs. There would never be a skit or mini-drama as part of the Sunday service, and no applauding after a soloist or choral piece. St. Andrew's is classical Reformation faith in practice, complete with formal robes, candles, and a string quartet. Gerry and I love the quiet reverence and emphasis on worship.

Why am I sharing all this? Because when my beloved pastor, Dr. R.C. Sproul, mounted the pulpit to begin his Good Friday sermon, he did something very uncharacteristic and the congregation responded in a manner I will never forget. Watching this short video clip always bring a tear to my eye and a catch in my throat:

More serendipity

My serendipity today was an unbelievable sight rather that an unexpected sound. On a whim and for a change, Gerry drove home from "our" Wendy's by turning down a dirt lane to see if it would be a shortcut. We've lived here nearly 6 years and never checked this out. Not more than a few blocks from our house, sitting on an old wooden arbor, was a baby barred owl! Now there's a face that only a mother could love. In all our years, neither Gerry nor I have ever seen a wild baby owl up close and personal.

Ah . . . serendipity.

Dry and Store

This is the dehumidifier that has kept my C1 processor dry, clean, and safe from a playful dog and many rambunctious cats over the years. Gerry once commented that the unit has quite a hum for 10 minutes or so when it's sanitizing and a soft motor noise all night. Of course, I only turn it on when my "ear" is inside, so how would I know? Well, by getting a second ear, that's how. I put my C1 away this afternoon so that I would have a long stretch of time working my "new" ear and viola - - - a motor noise. "What's that sound, hon?"

Serendipity

I've always liked the word serendipity; it's a fun word, sorta like zippity-do-dah. When you are thrilled by the unexpected, when you discover or observe something by "chance" that is exceedingly special - that's serendipity!

I was thinking about dates today and about a plaque I'd seen in a catalog that read: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." (The same catalog had another that said, "Sometimes I wonder, why is that Frisbee getting bigger? . . . and then it hits me", but that one didn't have the same effect somehow.) I like the fact that my:

• 1st CI surgery = Sept. 19 - the day before my mom's 74th birthday


• 2nd CI surgery= Feb. 19


• 2nd activation = Mar. 17 - the day before my brother's 57th birthday
  

It had not occurred to me before my activation day that I would be "turned on" on the Monday before Easter and that this would mean that I would be engulfed in the robust choral music of Holy Week right out of the gate. Easter is so early this year, and because of leap year, it's one day shy of being as early as it could possibly be in a three-century period, Gerry says. (I'm married to a math tinkerer)

Tonight the choir did a marvelous arrangement of the spiritual, "Were You There . . ." and I could hear even the softest ooo's and mmm's. I never dreamed that my new Harmony processor and my trusted Clarion CI working together would give me this kind of music experience on Day #5!! This Easter is indeed about resurrection, even the resurrection of my dead ear.

Ah . . . serendipity!

Concert in the Parking Lot

Our church parking lot is surrounded by tall, deciduous trees and bordered by a retention pond on one side. Did you know that from 6:00 - 7:00 pm scores of birds give a free concert? You don't need a ticket, just a car with the windows rolled down and TWO ears that work!

The birds start "tuning up" about 6:05 and by 6:20 they are singing their little avian hearts out. I couldn't actually see the musicians among all the lush foliage, but their lyrical serenade floated in from both sides of the car and carried me away to glory!

What I couldn't fathom tonight was why the other early arrivals for our Good Friday service were either napping in their cars or reading the evening paper, seemingly oblivious to the Carnegie Hall performance that was all around them!!

Maundy Thursday

Last night, I wrote across the cover of my church bulletin: "My first bilateral church service". While the string quartet played and people meandered in for our Maundy Thursday service, Pastor Parsons (yes, that's really his last name!) came over to where I was seated along the center aisle, knelt down, and asked, "How does it sound?" All I managed to do in response was to get all misty-eyed and point to my note on the bulletin. He grinned from ear to ear.

As you probably already now, Maundy Thursday, also called Holy Thursday, is a service to commemorate Jesus' last supper and the institution of the sacrament of The Lord's Supper. Maundy comes from the Latin, meaning commandment (Come to think of it, I guess that explains the origin of the English word mandate.)

It was truly a Holy experience for me - - - I had no idea that our choir was that good. Who knew that they use such dramatic crescendos and decrescendos for emphasis, that their big sound fills the whole sanctuary!

Temporary Downside

My tiny ears often complain of too much baggage. My eye doctor straightened the temples of my glasses so it would grab the side of my noggin' above the power slim battery, but my ear is still not happy! Maybe my skin will adapt with a bit more time?