Oh laaawww...not again!

Oh man...here I am sitting with my back door open, in the morning, at the end of January listening the the world around me and going nuts! Why you ask? If you read my post yesterday you will remember how I said that I (or is it me)  and my CI were one. That its the first thing I put on in the mornings and last thing to take off at night. Well...yesterday I turned my CI up a notch (which I might add I am supposed to be doing weekly and have not) and its awful! Please, I dont want to complain or sound like I am complaining but...with me turning up the volume, I am starting all over again. Its like the very 1st day of wearing this thing! I caught myself telling Ed not to make so much noise eating and clanging his silverware around on the dishes. I mean really, poor guy was only eating his dinner! So much racket. Everything was so loud to me again. The television, doing the dishes...I finally had to take my CI off to finish cleaning the kitchen as everything from the running of the water to putting the dishes in the dishwasher was making me soooo tired! Did I crawl in bed afterwards? You're darn straight I did. But today is a new day and I am determined to get through the day again, just like I did on that day a couple weeks ago. I know this is gonna work and I am going to make this work. Lord give me the patience to see this thing through....hope your day is going well and as always, thanks for stopping by. K~ Oh...I figured out how to post pics here so I posted a couple post surgery pics. Later!

39, 21 and .............

Those are the numbers for today.  #39...Its been 39 days since my surgery date of the CI. As for physical changes, I have noticed the swelling of my right ear is almost gone. There is some sensation and soreness to the top of my ear but alas, my ear is not sticking out anymore! YAY! The swelling on the right side of my face is also gone which means, yes, my wrinkles are back! BOO-HOO! So physically, things are getting back to normal. Now for the #21, its been 21 days since I have been hooked up to my receiver. And I have had the realization that I am now one with my CI. It sounds weird but let me explain. When I was wearing my hearing aides, I never put them on in the morning until I had my shower. I was always afraid of getting in the shower wearing them. Also, sometimes I went out and about not even wearing them as I forgot to put them in! Now with my CI, my receiver is the first thing I put on in the morning before my feet even touch the floor. Even before my glasses! I take it off to shower and then put it right back on. Makes me think that I really didnt hear all that well with the hearing aides and that the doctor was right all along in saying that the aides would not help me anymore. I always thought I did hear some, if just a little bit but now, today I realize that I did not. Having the CI has opened up a whole new world for me. Sounds corny I know but it has. I never spoke to people waiting on me for fear they would start up a conversation. I would take care of business and leave. No small talk, ever. Now I take my time, visit with the people that wait on me and am now comfortable of who I am and where I am headed. As for the ........ thats infinity. Thats for the sounds that I am discovering everyday. The sounds that I continue to discover. Remember when I heard the beep, beep, beep at the stoplight? Well, I was eating lunch with the back door open (yes in January with the sun shining bright) I heard the beep , beep, beep from the walk signals from my kitchen! Ed told me heard them sometimes and I kinda poo-pooed him off....I heard them! From inside my home! Amazing. Oh another thing before I close...I was sick this past weekend and in bed with my computer watching Netflix. I watched the show Switched at Birth. Its a TV series and I challenge you to each watch it. Even with your kids. Two girls were switched at birth. One had menengitis when she was 3 and lost her hearing. I am so this girl!  So many experiences she goes through in the show, I have been there, done that. I really do encourage you all to watch it and you will understand the world of the hearing impaired/deaf so much more.....Oh, and yes, I turned up my receiver today and everything is LOUD again like day one. SHEESH! As always, thanks for stopping by and reading about me and my CI....It means so much to me that you took the time to join me on this incredible journey....Later!

what a day!

Well what a day. Started off with a call on Skype from my daughter and it was so nice to finally be able to carry on a conversation with her. I still Skype as I am not supposed to talk on the phone yet. Its funny as she tested me by holding her laptop up to the ceiling so I wouldn't "read" her lips. So nice to hear. Then this afternoon, my son called via Skype while he was home eating lunch. What a fabulous conversation I had with him. It is truly amazing that I can hear my kids! ME! Hear my kids! It was so wonderful just chatting with them. I do thank them for checking in with mom. Now, I haven't been posting lately as I have been home painting up a storm. Three rooms, DONE! Finally went out and about and guess what I heard? I was at the stoplight with my window down and I heard this beep, beep, beep, beep... then it quit. I thought maybe it might be my battery running down as it signals me with 3 consecutive beeps but this beep was continuous. Well I was looking around and I noticed that the crosswalk sign at the intersections beep so you can cross! Imagine that! I had no idea they beeped did you??? Now changing topic...I find myself in a dilemma. With this CI, I have a power pack that has rechargeable batteries and also a unit that is not rechargeable. The rechargeable lasts about 10 hours and regular batteries last 3 days. Each having their own unit...This stuff costs too much to carry with me all the time so what do I do? Its really hard to explain but something I really need to figure out now that I have worn both units. Id hate to go somewhere and lose my hearing! Not when I finally have it. I am using up all the batteries that have been given to me and havent a clue as to where to buy them and how much they are. Oh well. Its what I need to figure out and in the meantime I will continue to ask questions. I am supposed to turn up the volume in my unit and am not sure I remember how. Doing new things always make me anxious. Ill do it tomorrow. Ill read up on it and just plain do it. Thanks for stopping by! Later....

What a day....what a day!

What a day this has been! If you have been following my blog (thank you ) you will remember that last Sunday was a nightmare for me at church. I came home, went to bed and slept all day and all night. Well this morning I woke up, dreading what I was going to hear today. Can you believe I said that? Dreading??? Sunday School was great and again, made a few comments at the end. Well after Sunday School off to church I go. I sit down with my family and lo and behold I HEAR THE MINISTER! ME! I hear Rev. Wayne Horne. for the first time! Oh man...Praise be... then wait theres more....The choir entered and I was able to hear the melody of the song they sang! Last week it was awful with all the screeching. Well today I was able to hear the melody and at times 2 different parts. The music was filled with sharp and flats but thats ok...its coming! I know I will be hearing normally again one day that I just need to have patience. Oh I cried and I cried. I looked over at my mother in law and told her I hear the melody! I dont know how loud I said it but shes starting to shed tears with me and then down the row it goes. I was giving a thumbs up and trying to contain myself but we Ropers cant do that if we got something to share  lol After the service some friends of mine came up to me as they probably were wondering what I was doin making a spectacle of myself during the service and after the service I just told everyone! Went to Wayne to tell him I heard every single word and I heard his prayer! With my eyes closed I heard him! Now I still hear funky sounds. People still sound either like a robot or a duck but at least its getting better and I can understand words better. Big breakthrough for me today. Wonderful day and am so thrilled that I could share it with you...Today was awesome, amazing and was completely overwhelmed. Thanks for stopping by and hears to hearin ya!! Later!

Its time to update my post and really there is nothing more to add. I did decide to go to choir on Wednesday night as encouraged to do. It was not pretty. I was not able to make out the different parts the were being sung even when following along with the music. We did however rehearse a song I have sung many times and when the choir performs that song, I will be able to tell if I have made any progress as they are not singing it for a month of Sundays :)   So hopefully..... Have not ventured out much the last couple of days since I am painting. I did notice a coupe more sounds. My dogs claws on my kitchen tiled floor.  Also heard the kitchen faucet drip, drip, drip while sitting in another room! Amazing isnt it? I sat there for the longest time trying to figure out what that LOUD noise was and here it wasnt even in the room I was in! I am forever walking around my house trying to figure out some things that I hear. Still one sound I cant find and sounds like a door slamming...think this house is haunted?  lol I did visit a friend today and heard every lovely word...it was so good seeing her as I have not seen her since my surgery. It was wonderful. Just lovin' all these visits I am making here lately... Also today I went to the car place to get my oil changed. It was sooo loud with the TV blastin, people chatting and I just busied myself and tried to play a lil game called who is saying what  lol  That hour flew by! You guys have a great weekend and as always, thanks for stoppin' by! Here's to hearin' ya... Later!

Reflections

It has now been a week since my CI has been activated. All in all its been ok. No, thats not correct, its been awesome! I am sitting here reflecting on the week and rereading my previous posts. First thing that comes to mind this morning as I write this is I am blessed. I am truly blessed. If I put all my trials and tribulations in a pile with others, I would grab mine back as they are insignificant compared to what others are dealing with. I am so fortunate to have the love and support of family and friends. And my church family. How do people survive without a church family? My husband, Ed has been my rock. He hears my joys and sorrows, my complaints...everything. He keeps me in line and keeps me seeing the big picture and reminds me how patient I need to be. A good friend told me yesterday...Karen! Its been a week! Yes it has and I am trying my best to relax and just let it come....to let things happen as they should... Ok on that note speaking of relaxing. I stayed indoors yesterday. I caught myself for the first time ignoring the little sounds my house makes. I was painting the baseboards in the hall of our home when I heard a noise. Oh yea, thats the fridge. and oh yea thats the dishwasher. Then I tuned them out! Here I am hearing these noises and I am tuning them out? Is that what I am supposed to do? Tell me that just after a week I am already working on selective hearing? I guess I am. Moving on, I feel like I need to mention my dog while I am reflecting on this past week. I apologize if I am long winded but it runs in the family and she is important to me also. My dog Shelby is, we think a 4 year old yellow lab who is a rescue. (Insert here a shout out to Low Country Lab Rescue, please support your rescues and animal shelters) She has always been my right arm or should I say ear and alerts me to EVERYTHING and I mean everything. Since having my implant she has a sense that something has changed. She is staying at my feet at all times and seems to need more cuddling and affirmation like she is still needed to help me "hear" things. While painting the baseboards she would lay beside me and watch me paint, as I slid, she slid...so cute. Now when I am at the computer or sitting down reading, she would just come and put her nose in my lap and just look up at me. So sweet. So she is adjusting to this as everyone else. Im also feeling a bit guilty and whimpy today as I am not at my swim class nor am I going to choir practice tonight. The swim, because I just dont feel like going  lol and the choir, I was thinking that maybe it is a bit too soon to introduce music afterall. What do you think? Heres to hearing ya and have a great day. And as always, thanks again for stopping by and giving me your support and encouragement. It means everything to me. It is because of you that I am trying so hard to make this CI successful. Later!

Attempted to swim and...

Well I have been cleared to get back in the water and I attempted to swim a lap and attend my water aerobic class today. I got in the water, started my slow jog, so far so good. About midway into the class when we were working on our legs, I notice that my balance wasnt so hot. Hummmmm. Kept on going with the class and next came a wave of seas sickness! Now, I have done my reading and researched this CI to death and nowhere did I read that I would experience sea sickness! Another one of those go figure times. Anyway, had to cut out of my class early but will be going back to attempt it for a longer stay on Wed. Other than that had a good day. Went and did some more visiting and felt pretty good as I heard a few comments made while the speakers back was to me so thats a plus. Making headway on this CI. Meredith, my audiologist called me today to check on me. Well actually she called my hubby since I cant talk on the phone yet. Wasnt that nice of her to call? Im tellin ya, Im in good hands!..Oh, I wore my cowboy boots today. Know what that means? I will conquer whatever is thrown at me. Im dressed the part. Bring it on! Later!