Hang on and enjoy the ride....

January 3rd arrives, I am sick to my stomach, anxious, nervous, excited all wrapped into one. I arrive to see my audiologist Meredith ( insert shout out here as she has been fabulous and treated me with kindness and understanding)...she hands me paperwork to fill out as I have been accepted to participate in a study for CI wearers. The implant I chose is called the MAESTRO and is supposed to be tuned in to music and the telephone which both are very important to me. My goal is to join our church choir again after gosh I think its been a 15 year hiatus? and also to talk to my children on the phone. 2 goals. Choir and kids and phone. THis study is for music so, I am going to do it. OK, Im sitting in the room with Ed, Meredith and her intern ready to program this thing. She places it in my ear, hooks me up to the machine and the first thing I hear is a "DING" I have never EVER heard a ding before in my life. I thought to myself. Ok, this might work. Well what came next BLEW ME AWAY and I told them to take this off I did not like it at all! It was awful! Everything was so loud and all at once I heard all these noises that were so unfamiliar to me. I did not like it and I was ready to leave. Then the tears came. Not for joy but for disappointment. Meredith said wait, hang on lets do this thing...She played with this and that and lo and behold, things were starting to come together. What I hear is different from you hear. Everything I hear sounds like a robot. Everything is monotone. I am speaking slower and I also sound like a robot. Ed to me sounds like a duck!  lol Dont you love it! Good news is that I am hearing. What I am hearing, Im not quite sure. It will take time for this old brain to process everything and get these nerves that have been inative for so long to come out and play nicely with one another. But the first thing I did hear when Ed and I left the office was a baby cry BEHIND me. I have NEVER EVER heard anything from behind. We were able to see Will who works part time at McKevlins on Folly Beach (tell him I sent ya) and when we walked in the door he said hi momma and I told him I heard that! We hugged and cried and then we had to leave. I was tired and just wanted to go home...Just wait til you hear what happens next!