Undefined Progress

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year for all the sounds I can now enjoy. I'm sitting on my back porch after supper enjoying the chirps of the birds; crickets in the morning; it is so loud outside now! And then of course, the blooming flowers as winter melts away to spring.

I'm sitting here with both implants on. I can hear out of my original and while my new one is on, it isn't quite loud enough for me to tell it is on. But thats okay - they're both on my head at the same time and that is big-time progress in my book. We've managed to find a set of maps that doesn't make me cringe everytime my dog's nails click on the hardwood floors. I'll take it! (For now.)

Last Wednesday was my most recent mapping and it was my 3-week follow-up from activation. I'm a rock star in the ol' sound booth - I got 80% of my words right with my new implant, something like a 14% increase in my sound comprehension from just a few weeks ago! Ginny was impressed and even I was surprised at my results. What can I say? Practice makes perfect? :)

The downside is that while I'm rocking each implant alone, they're refusing to get along. Kind of like my older brother and I when we were 6...and 10...and 13....and 16... you get the idea. There are times when I can tolerate the two together - quiet car rides home, with just a low, steady hum of the car in the background. Other times are more difficult - like two-day conferences with 8 people at a meeting chattering from all different directions. My team still isn't quite sure what the problem is but we're consistently trying new approaches. I see Ginny tomorrow again for another set of maps to try. I also see Nanette, my speech pathologist, for another session of listening therapy. I'm very excited about this appointment because I want to see how I'm doing with my "mmmmm"s, "oooooo"s, and "eeeeeee"s.

In the meantime, I'm definitely enjoying having my old implant back on for most of the day. I've already called my parents several times this week! I appreciate the ability to catch up with them at the end of my days as I'm driving home from work. Oh and speaking of phones... I'm one of those rare persons who had only had two phones in about 10 years. Yep, I use them until they break - pretty much how my father drives his cars (until they die in the middle of busy streets). My contract with tmobile expires at the end of this month which meannnnsss...phone shopping for me!! Should I get an Iphone? A blackberry? Oh the choices are endless!!!

Love,
Becky