Six months with Number 2 [with results]

OK
Now it's six months since number two was implanted and coming up to two years for number one.
Maybe I should give them names but they can't be names which means this one is better than that one, must be equal.

Commenters

Folks recently there has been a surge in "comments" posted to this blog. I say "comments" because they are thinly-disguised spam and porn link carriers.
So you know - this kind of message will never be posted, so spammers, save your energy and go bother someone else!
Waste of space!



- iP

May update

Swimming is on hold. Has been since implant #2, 17 February.

Balance and unsteadiness is shaping my world right now. I saw the cochDoc on Thursday who reiterated the state of my balance at the time of my BlindSac (September 2009) - bad, not much there. I'll have a new balance test soon.

I saw the NeuroPhys at StVincents today, Monday 10 May - there are some interesting exercises to try including Tai Chi. I hope there's a Leichhardt group. Where have all the hippies gone?!

Still can't drive but I'm exploring the wonderful world of SydneyBuses and CityRail.

Perforated eardrum again and still getting over an elongated cold/flu. Weak.


- iP

Decision handed-down

The Australian Human Rights Commission has handed-down its decision on the application by cinema chains for a moratorium on complaints regarding captions and audio description.

The Commission has not released its complete report yet, but will do so "shortly".
HREOC website

Feel like getting involved in the campaign to encourage cinemas to provide access? In Facebook, search "action cinema access" and join the group, for the latest updates and campaigns.

Fixed at last

I can report that Dendy Newtown had an operational audio loop in Cinema 1 when I saw Mic-Macs today (Sunday 4 April)


- iP

ReMap #2

Today was my second tune-up for the new implant.
We also did the original one considering that they are both now working in sort-of unison. I say sort-of because at times I hear two of everything not just one as I know you natural-hearing people take for granted.

What an amazing thing is natural hearing! What an amazing thing is cochlear-assisted hearing. Amazing.

With the new implant I got a snazzy yet bewildering remote control. It took me half an hour to work out that the battery was flat! There was a symbol on the little screen which doesn't appear in the book!





- iP

Monday 22 March

Today I had to wear number one without number two for five minutes - I can’t believe how bad it sounded. And that’s the one I relied on 100% for 18 months until 10 days ago!! This means the brain is recognising the two together [but I’m still hearing double-sounds] and will continue to improve I think.

Second implant, first tune-up

Well after a major trudge to Gladesville [two buses, arrived early] I met with Carol, not my usual audiologist but capable and friendly nonetheless.

After a bit of tweaking [I dont think thats the technical term], did the sentences recognition test and achieved a result of [wait for it] [drum roll] 98%. The only error was a sentence about buying a house, not my forte. [Last visit we had to stop the word test, giggling too much - everyone sounded like Katherine Hepburn and I was replying, while impersonating Katherine Hepburn. Scored pretty well otherwise, after consideration the video umpire [yes it's coming soon]]

So now, volume is up a bit more, Carol said this re-map is quite different to the initial setup, so now we're on the way!

After the appointment I made a trip to town [bus] and the noise - you had to see it to believe it!!

First test

Well Saturday night in Auburnon. Turkish restaurant. It was LOUD as usual. I used my microphone on processor #1. I think it was just too loud.

In the car home I think the dual processors helped.

Still getting over the new dizziness.


- iP

Switch-on #2

Well it's taken me seven years to get it together but here is the movie, as put together, for the switch-on from March 2010. My second implant.

Spencer Tracy, get out of my dressing room!

What a day!

The grey day started with the collection of my father from hospital after an overnight stay. Not good, but we're not talking about that here.

We headed to Gladesville a little early to start the video footage [movie in production, be patient]

Dizziness fading

Well I think it's finally fading. I was able to be in a noisy environment today with no after-effect.
Still wasn't comfortable to drive so la chauffeuse continued her duty. Maybe tomorrow. I'm actually enjoying being on the buses although I seem to have to hang on more than previous.

Started a(nother) new blog. I'm going to add a picture a day if I can.
Have a look at
http://sydpic.blogspot.com




- iP

This time next week

Implant number 2 will have been installed and activated.
The mapping (personalised settings) will have been set.
The movie footage will have been shot. Editing and captioning will be underway.

At the moment I visualise my range of hearing as about 150 degrees (from 12 o'clock to 5 o'clock or so)
I'm expecting the new device to fill in at least part of the circle. Another 150 degrees would be good.
The cochDoc thinks implant number 2 might produce more/better quality hearing than the first one.
That'd be good.

- iP

Sounds of Summer

Cicadas
Corellas
Cockatoos
Rainbow Lorikeets
Crickets
Birds generally
Aeroplanes when I'm in the backyard
Traffic
TV ads, louder than the program
OK Thats it EVERYBODY SHUT UP!!

Spammers beware

Folks
I know most of you are nice people, and that some of you have a hearing-impairment.
C'est la Vie.

There is however one among our number who has decided to take it upon him or herself to post messages of hope. Those messages contain links to other websites which are somewhat unsavoury.

You might ask why someone would take it upon themselves to do that. Why would they willingly vandalise someone's blog which is only really here for the amusement, information and community for deaf people the world over. I don't know either.

Rest assured, should it happen again they will be reported to the Blogger admin, who I'm sure look upon this kind of activity not very favourably.
Right now, I know they look like they are posting from the United States but I'm sure that that can be faked. They could be posting from anywhere in the world. The postings are made in chinese but that doesn't mean the poster is chinese.

For now, I won't be turning off the ability to post a comment but I will be leaving moderation firmly ON.

CochDoc says

Today was the post-op visit to the surgeon.
Apparently all went well and the dizziness, often more severe with the implant in the second ear, should subside soon, and probably before switch-on in, just 2 weeks away.
He expects the performance of implant #2 [tested while I was in the operation] to be better than #1 where there was more nerve damage. And the two should work well together.

Swimming should be OK as soon as I'm comfortable
a- getting to the pool/beach
b- not drowning

If I'm still dizzy at switch-on time I should return.


- iP

Transport in Sydney

You may know that the Premier has announced a new transport plan for Sydney.
There is a page set up for comments [need to sign up]

Have your say
Here’s the transport page link
http://shapeyourstate.com.au/

I haven't seen anything on there about hearing-impaired facilities but here's hoping

Saturday

It's a pleasant enough day today. The parrots are frolicking in the trees outside. Still dizzy but not as bad as Friday. That was bad.
Funny thing - when I was dizzy in treatment I had nausea as a result. This is dizziness without nausea. I'll put it down to different cause/effect.


- iP

One word

Dizzy


- iP

After the op

Here's a pic taken in the Recovery Ward. Still alive, head spinning slightly. Throat very dry from local anaesthetic and still on a drip, saline. Had a little nose-bleed probably from the tube they pushed down there.

Good thing I did all that swimming - given me a bit of strength against the surgical onslaught I think.







Light on not many home

Do this side 



At home, three weeks 'til switch-on
Ahhhh there's the switch now

It's on TOMORROW

Yep at 6:30 am tomorrow I'll be wheeled in and away we go. The operation will last about 15 seconds from my point-of-view. Several hours from your point-of-view.

But
I won't be able to hear any better until SWITCH-ON in a couple of weeks. Even then it remains to be seen/heard.

So be in touch - I can still do email and monitor comments. Let me hear YOUR news!

Cinema Access Saturday

On Saturday 13 February a group of about fifty from all walks of life gathered to protest the lack of accessible cinema sessions in Australia.
We gathered at the cinema complex in George St 'Events', formerly Hoyts.
They were joined in other cities across the country.

Here are some pics from the Sydney group [clicking the image to go the album and see larger ones]

From Blog Pics

Action on Cinema Access

There's action brewing in response to the cinema chains wanting to shirk their responsibility with regard to access to cinemas for hearing-impaired and other people.


Protest on Saturday 13 February
The Sydney protest is scheduled for 11am at 525 George St - the cinema complex.
Other locations on the Facebook page - http://tinyurl.com/deafaction10


Here's the post

Attend your local protest in each of the following capital cities on Saturday 13 February at 11am, local time: Melbourne: On the street infront of Greater Union Cinema, 131 Russell St, Melbourne Brisbane: In the Queen Street Mall outside 167 Queen Street Hobart: On the street in front of 181 Collins St, Hobart Sydney: On the street in front of 525 George St, Sydney Perth: On the street in front of Millenium Hoyts, 8 William Street, Fremantle Adelaide: On the street in front of Wallis Piccadilly, 181 O’Connell St, Nth Adelaide

Need to write a letter? Check -  this link - draft letter in doc, text and pdf formats

Date confirmed

Have now received the letter with the details, so it's all go for 17 February


- iP

Erskineville

I hear the train a'comin




- iP

Audioloop at the Museum of Sydney

Last night I visited the Museum of Sydney (for a slideshow on Gardens of Spain)

The telecoil and audioloop setup in the AGL theatre worked perfectly - the best I've ever experienced!
The speaker was easily understandable, and not once did I feel the need for captions.

Timeline

See  upcoming events in the Calendar, now online

2018
22 October 2018
10 years a CIborg!!

28 June 2018
Visit to Vincent Van Gogh museum Amsterdam

-
2017
7 February 2017
Switch-on Number 3

20 January 2017
Blind Sac right side, implant upgrade


-
2016
September 2016
Joined research study

-
2015
March 2015
Upgrade for the left side, to N6

-
2013

12 November 2013

5 years since 1st switch-on

20 October 2013

5 years since first implant operation

31 July 2013

5 years since I woke-up deaf

May 2013
Upgrade for the right side, to N6

-
2012

10 or 13 June 2012

10 years past treatment - Head and Neck Surgeon doesn't want to see me again!

-

2010
11 March 2010
Switch-on Number 2!!

17 February 2010
Second implant operation

17 February 2010
Second implant due
-
2009
--
August 2009
Blind Sac operation, in preparation for number 2
-

July 2009
Overseas travel with a CI. Round-the-World! Thanx for nothing American Airlines!
-

2008

--
12 November 2008 9:30am

Switch-on

-

22 October

Cochlear Implant operation

-

20 October

Peri-operative testing, RPA

-

3 October

Meet with Cochlear Implant recipient

-
19 September
Initial meeting, Audiologist at SCIC HQ

-
20 August
Initial appointment, Cochlear specialist

-
7 August
No change, referred to Cochlear specialist

-
1 August
Steroid injection through eardrum

-
31 July
I woke with no hearing

--
before 2008
-
2002
Diagnosis and treatment, Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

-
2001
Acme Computer founded

-
1983
My first blocked Eustachian tubes

-
1 August 1978
First Cochlear Implant implanted [not mine]

News Just In

I have been advised today that my second implant will be implanted on Wednesday, 17 February 2010. At RPAH.

Gifts and floral tributes should be presented to those closest to you, or even those not very close, say in Haiti.

This is exciting!

Still waiting

Well here we are on National Straya, snag on the barbie day and no appointment.

To console me in my moment of nationalistic jingo, the higgledy-piggledy birds have been chortling their merry tunes out all morning. It is fitting that they might also be called Butcher Birds with their little blue-and-white-striped aprons.

Suppose we'll have to chuck another snag on the barbie, call everyone "mate", wear our hats with corks and discuss detention centres just to show how truly bluey we are around here, mate. And lubricated with ample quantities of VB. One's my limit.

"Strayans all are ostriches..." Sing it, mate! 

Bouquets and Buckets

Swimming at Victoria Park

Still splishing and a'splashing at Victoria Park.
Thought I'd better check Google Maps and hey presto - I can see something there in the slow lane. It could be me, if they've done an update recently.
Today back to ten laps swimming and 4 laps walking.

I figure the best time is about 8:30 AM - the pre-work swimmers have left for work and the mothers' clubbers, having despatched hubbie to the coalface, have yet to finish their lattes. And the filter has been on all night to dredge out yesterday's bandaids and other unmentionable artefacts. Ugh! Gives me an hour or so...

What's Happening?

At this stage, who knows.

Today I received a letter from a doctor I've never been to advising that an appointment has been made for me.

Seems strange and a bit bewildering that I can't get a reasonable answer to my request for info, but I'm approached by a perfect stranger offering to operate on me with little/no history.

Of course I can't speak to anyone - Xmas holidays.

Hmm

Posted with LifeCast

Have your say about Disability Rights

Here's another questionnaire
http://www.disabilityrightsnow.org.au/

Go to Australian Shadow Report then Shadow Report Survey to complete the questionnaire

More Swimming News

Today 6 January
6 laps walking, 15 laps swimming. Yay!

Posted with LifeCast

Microphone tip

This may apply to some hearing aids as well - I don't know

With your Cochlear Implant, freedom style you may have received an extension lapel microphone.

Here's a technique I have found to be quite handy, when out in the backyard - against cicadas, birds aeroplanes, wind and background noise.

Connect the lapel microphone to your speech processor - get your audiologist to show you if you don't know how.

Using a piece of velcro or sticky tape attach the microphone body to a chopstick on bamboo skewer, say 30cm long.

Now you can 'interview' your guests - this puts the microphone closer to them by 0.5m. I find the 'noise reduction' setting to be the most effective.

Also - too much wind? In the TV/video industry they use a fluffy microphone called a 'dead cat'. They don't exist in the size we need - 1cm x 2cm.

I have used a spectacle soft drawstring bag to good effect and will try a finger from a children's glove. This will fit better and be less cumbersome.

More tips as they come to hand...