Bells Clanging and Ringing!

It has been 2 days since my cochlear implant was activated.  I have gotten somewhat used to hearing all the clanging and ringing in my ear, though it's still very unpleasant.  I'm constantly telling my kids to talk quietly.  When people talk or when there's any kind of noise, my hearing aid hears those sounds at the same time my CI makes those weird sounds.  It makes it harder for me to understand speech, so I have to really read lips.  It's like trying to hear someone talk while there's a bell clanging in my ear.  Yikes!!!  But I am still very determined to get through this stage.  My audiologist assured me again this is normal and it will pass.  My brain still has a lot of learning to do.
I had an appointment with Dr. Beatty early yesterday morning.  The doctor said my incision is healing very well.  It's still a little swollen and it could take up to 6 months for it to completely heal.  My ear looks like it has drooped since the surgery.  He said it will eventually go back to the way it was.  I will need to go back for a check-up in February.
Allan, my little joker, wanted to play a prank on Dr. Beatty.  He offered him a stick of gum and it "snapped" with a fake roach on the other end.  Dr. Beatty knew it was a prank, but he played along.  He's such a kind man.  He said that on his way home from vacationing in Park Rapids, which is about 45 minutes north of our house, he thought about making a house call to see how I was doing.  He drove through Verndale, but he didn't know where we lived.  I thought it was so nice that he thought of me.
My second programming or "mapping" appointment with Dr. Peterson took 2 1/2 hours.  Fred and the kids sat out in the lobby the whole time.  I felt bad they had to wait that long.  They were such troopers!  This is probably the longest appointment I'll ever have with her because she had to show me how to work all the little parts to the CI, in addition to the mapping.  It's a fancy device!
She did the same thing she did with me on the first day.  She wanted to increase the range of sounds as much as possible without going over the comfort level.  She said its going to be very loud, but then it won't be so loud as I get used to it and I will be able to increase the volume and distance of sounds as I get more comfortable.
Fred took a video of my activation.  My parents recorded the activation through Skype so they also have a video.  Their video is rather long so I will post Fred's edited & shorter version for now.
I will keep you updated with my progress!  Thank you all again for your prayers!  I'm relying on God more than ever!
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."  (Psalm 28:7)