I am loving my cochlear implant!

This blog is way over due!  I have been blogging in my head with every intention of getting it down on here.  I hear something new, and I say to myself, "Oh I've got to put that in my blog!"  Well, I've been doing this for more than 3 months!  I'm so sorry for leaving you all hanging about my progress!

In my last post, I was feeling frustruated about the static-y sounds my cochlear implant was picking up and background noises were drowning out people's voices.
I went back to Mayo on November 16 for another mapping appointment- this time with a different audiologist.  I was very VERY pleased with the new one!  She took the time to listen to me and took notes on what I was saying.  Then I was hooked up for the mapping.  I thought it would take 2 hours, like the other appointments.  But, no, she mapped me very quickly and kept the computer off so I couldn't see what she was doing.  This made a difference because I had to really focus on what I was hearing rather than what I was seeing.  After the mapping, it sounded SO much better.  She told me to walk around the hospital, go to the cafeteria where it was the loudest, and then come back.  I was pleased with the adjustments she made.  The sounds weren't annoying, and she decreased the high pitch sounds.
 After setting the map, she wanted to do a test to see how well I can hear- just with my CI and without my hearing aid.  I thought for sure I would not do well because it was still so new.  She gave me a paper with 20 sequences of 4 words.  Then she covered her face while she said a word from each sequence.  I had to tell her what she said.  I was able to tell her what word she was saying without reading her lips!  I got 100% right on that test!  She was very surprised I did so well- so was I!
She gave me another test, this time 20 sequences of 4 sentences.  I had to tell her which sentence she was saying from each sequence.  She said this was going to be difficult, but do the best I can.  Well...I repeated each and every sentence she said!!  I got 100% on this test!!!  She could not believe it.  She said that when she looked at my profile before I came in for my appointment, she expected someone who relied wholly on reading lips, because my hearing was so bad.  She told me she could not believe how well I could speak, and that she has never met anyone who was profoundly deaf and could speak as well as I could.
She wanted to do one more test, this time with no paper for me to look at.  I had to totally guess what she was saying.  She said a lot of common word phrases, such as "good morning" or "what is for lunch?"  I got about 75% correct!!  She was flabbergasted!  It was so much fun doing these tests with her because her reactions really spurred me on and encouraged me.  She told me that it will definitely continue to keep getting better.  She said I won't ever get perfect hearing, but I'm doing better that she thought I would- and so early on!  Whoo hoo!!
This was almost 2 months ago.  I have gotten so used to wearing my CI that I can't imagine being without it.  It complements my hearing aid so well.  My hearing aid is still better for picking up "whole" sounds but my CI rounds it up with clearer and sharper sounds.
I still have a hard time hearing people in a noisy place, but it is not nearly as bad as it was.  Sometimes I can hear what people are saying in the other room if it is quiet enough.  I was at a friend's house and I kept hearing a clicking sound.  I realized that it was from their dog's nails clicking on the wood floor.  I could even hear the tags clinking when he shook his head.  I can hear the beeping sound in my car if I forget to turn off my headlights before getting out.  I can even hear people scratching their heads or rubbing their arms if they are cold- if I am close enough!  I heard my dad scratching his head and I told him I could hear him doing that- he looked at me like I was kidding. Ha!! Pretty exciting to hear things I've never heard before!
Fred said that he can tell that I have more confidence and that I am speaking a little better.  It really helps to hear feedback from other people if they have noticed any change.  Thank you to all who have asked how I was doing and prayed for me.  Starting out was hard, with many ups and downs.  I am so glad now that I had the surgery.  It is definitely worth it!!