And the band played on....

Well I have to tell you...I went to a band concert. Me! I was a bit leary of going but I decided to put on my big girl panties and give it a whirl! And boy I am so glad that I did! I went with friends of ours (add a big shout out now to Patty and Dave for being such gracious hosts on our visit) Patty played the flute and an electronic bass (not the guitar but the big fiddle :)) in the concert and it was fabulous! I heard Sousa marches and an Irish Jig that just made me well...jiggy! I heard a banjo, guitar, tin whistle, harp! I tried to focus in to hearing an accordian but couldnt quite make it out its sound. The piccolos and flutes were more enjoyable to listen to this go round then when I wore my hearing aides. Now overall music is still really not pleasurable for me but its getting there. I will continue to have patience but at times I ask myself, WWWHHHEEENNN! I am so ready. Im watching American Idol this season as an aquaintance of ours is singing, Elise Testone and last night Wallace a cousin of my BFF played on AI! How exciting is that! I did enjoy watching them and at times I heard Wallace play his electric bass (the guitar kind, not the fiddle like Patty). If you watch AI please vote for Elise. If you dont watch AI, please do, you are missing out on some great talent. I go back for another testing at MUSC and this time we will start testing on music. I for one am looking soooo forward to that! I will keep you posted on my journey but for right now Ill sign out so I wont bore you with anymore details. Hope all is well with you and Ill check back in with you soon as I have new things to report ~Karen

"But you're doing so well..."

If she says that phrase one more time, Im gonna smack her! I went for another appointment with my stand up audiologist Meredith. I swannee, she should have been a teacher cause she is just full to the brim with sunshine and positive reinforcement. Each time I get in the booth for testing, I have to listen to and repeat these words, sentences, words with noise in the background, sentences with noise in the background and I do awful! Well no thats not true. I score in the 90th percentile (98% to be honest, thank you very much :)) with just words and no noise...As words turn into sentences and with more noise added, that percentage goes WAY down. Now Meredith says, "but you are doing so well, golly Im so proud, its only been 3 months!" and on and on and on.... Now, it is so hard not to get bummed out when I fail these tests. But for me, I have decided that when I am at home, it works for me so haarummph with letting this testing (failing) get to me. Overall I am very pleased with things EXCEPT my music and phone. Now, as for the phone, when the kids call I find myself playing around doing different things, pushing different buttons, driving them crazy I know. Maybe thats why they are not calling me as much. Anyway, I will continue to play. Sometimes its ok and sometimes its a hold on let me try this kinda day. As for music, I am reminded of the quote, its elementary dear Watson coming from Sherlock. I have decided with my music to go all the way back to the beginning with my piano books. In my elementary books, all the music is within one octave. I take that octave and play different notes over and over again training myself that is an A...this is what an A sounds like and I play that A over and over again. I have now graduated to London Bridge which requires using 2 hands where I try to sing the melody. For someone like me, starting back at the beginning is working. Might not work for you but for me, thats where I am starting and one day Ill get there. I got lots and lots of years to catch up (since Im still so young and all) and got plenty of time in my golden years. It will come. I am new to the hearing world, thus needing to start at the beginning. Can I do this? You bet I can! I am determined.<insert slammed fist on desk here> I am going to another concert this weekend where some of the music (if not all as IM not sure yet) will be Irish. Im looking forward to getting my "jig" on. I will report back to you on how I perform. As always, thanks for dropping by and see you next week!....Karen

Palm Sunday and more...

Well today is April 1st. and also Palm Sunday. Let me tell you right now...what a day it has been! I walked into our church sanctuary and I saw a harp, timpani drums, an oboe and I already knew a flute was going to be playing because my friend was the one playing the flute. She did not say one thing to me about all these other instruments. Well, I had no idea what was in store for me today. When I wore hearing aids, the flute sounded horrible. Did not like a flute at all. Well here we are ready to start and Im debating taking my ear off.  I had made up my mind already that this was going to be a DISASTER. Well it was not! Ya'll wouldnt believe it. Each instrument had like a solo in which I could hear them. I heard the cello! I heard the harp! I heard the oboe! I heard the flute! Now each instrument only played alone for a split second but that was all I needed. I was beautiful. I went up to my friend after the service and she said,"well....could you hear it?" I just started to bawl like a baby. She was holding me, then her hubby got in the act and there we were, a lil threesome right down front of the church just a cryin tears of joy. Oh how wonderful today turned out to be. And to think I almost missed it by taking my ears off! Now to be honest, Im still having trouble with music overall. Still learning how to listen and hear a full choir. But today was nice. I didnt come home and hit the bed and crawl under the covers. Today was another great day. Now moving along, some of you asked how my last appointment went at MUSC. It went great. I am hearing just fine when its one and one and small group. She said I need to and I quote "throw myself out there" unquote and get to where the action is as I need to work on having lots of background noise to practice. Well thats all I needed to hear. I went to a noisy restaurant and I thought I did ok... Back to my visit. I have had problems with my head being really sensitive. Come to find out my magnet was too strong and they gave me a different one and I had immediate relief. Simple fix. It continues to amaze me. I have decided to stop with my blog as everything is starting to come together and I am having trouble finding things to write about.....APRIL FOOLS! Each day is a new day where I hear different things. Hubby came home tonight with MORE birdseed for our feeders as I am loving all these birds in our yard. They sing to me from sun up to sun down...speaking of sundown, the sun is down and its my bedtime. As always, thanks for stopping by and have a blessed Easter....Karen