ACTIVATED!

December 30th I had my left side activated. A lot of echo but it's a start.
Went back the 2nd for recalibration and the echo had reduced some. Had some problems with the exterior processor cutting out. Had to take battery off and put back on to get it going again. It happend several times in a couple days. It happened at the calibration just as I was going to leave. Audiologists thinks the processor might be bad. I am using the backup and it has not had any problems and it sounds a lot different than the bad one so I will most likely get it replaced. Other than that it's the same routine. Wear it, let the ear adjust, then recalibrate it. It makes a difference having two rather than just one side.

Janurary is off to a snowy cold start here in Minnesota. We're on target to have more snow then we've had in a decade. Not looking forward to it.

Until next time

DC

ACTIVATION RESCHEDULED

Activation was rescheduled for dec 30th due to weather.

Merry Christmas
DC

ACTIVATION DATE

My activation date for my 2nd implant is december 23rd. So it's an early christmas present. I decided to get the same brand device(advanced bionics) but in a different color so I could tell the left from right ear without any problem .I have beige for the right ear and will get silver for the left ear. Hopefully this time I will be able to hear on the phone better than with the right ear. There was a lot more scar tissue this time and the surgery took almost 2 hours longer than normal. We'll find out the 23rd how things might work out for my left ear. Thanks for all the kind words and support. I'll post the same day on how things go.

Till then, have a safe holiday

DC aka Jim Cone

BACK HOME

Well, had the second implant put in Monday. Had to stay overnight per doctors orders. Now I'm back home and sitting around recuperating. No nausea this time around, but initially more pain. Go back for checkup in 3 weeks at surgons office then it's onto getting it turned on. Tried to use my current processor on my new proccessor but it didn't work so apparently it's turned off and needs to be turned on. Oh well!! I'm taking a week off of work to heal!


DC

THIS AND THAT

Been a while since I posted. Recently went through bankruptcy and moved from hobby farm into a small city closer to work. Settled in although I can't stand the city. But it was best financially.
I entered a hommade beer, a sweet stout, into a local homebrew contest and it took 2nd place in the stout division. First time I ever placed and only 2nd competition I ever entered so pretty cool. With the holidays coming up I made a pumpkin pie ale and it is ready to drink. Tastes awesome. Made more of the stout, and a mild ale, and have some Dandylion wine bottled and some elderberry wine in the fermentor so by the time I have my surgery I will have a good stock of "painkiller" on hand!
Surgery is set for monday Nov 24th with one day stay in hospital.
Meamwhile it's football and beer till then!

Deafcone

GOING BILATERAL

Just recieved word that implanting the other ear was ok'd by insurance company. So right now the surgury date is Nov 24th if it's not moved up sooner.

DC

PROCESSOR DIED

I started having problems with one of my processors a few days ago. It would cut out and come back on. Then it would cut out and stay off for a long time. Finally it just quit and wouldn't work anymore. Luckily it happened just before my last follow up with audiologist and she kept it and is sending it to advanced bionics and getting a replacement. I thought it was from sewating at work. No AC in plant and it gets very very humid there. She said that shouldn't bother it and there is something else going on so it can be replaced free. So for now I have one processor.

DC

IMPLANTING OTHER EAR

Went to see the Surgeon today about getting the other ear implanted. He doesn't have a problem with it. So they are submitting the request to insurance company and we'll go from there. Most likely, if approved it would be around thanksgiving. Should know something within a couple weeks.

DC

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

Heard a good joke yesterday and had to share it (I really did hear it too!).

A minnesotan and a texan were having drinks. The minnesotan turned to the Texan and said "So where you from then?" The Texan ignored him. He asked the texan again "so where you from then?". The Texan said "I don't answer questions ending in an adverb" The minnesotan replied "So where you from then, asshole?"

WAITING ON INSURANCE OK

We called the hospital and told them to go ahead and try to get approval to have my left ear implanted. They said they will submit the paperwork. So now it's wait and see.

tic, tic, tic.....

DC

CLOSE CALL

While driving through a small town in Minnesota my break warning light came on and a audible alarm sounded. Not wanting to stop right away and add break fluid I took off my implant so I wouldn't hear the alarm with the intention of filling the break fluid when I stop again. I had put the implant on my lap. I stopped at a grocery store to get some things and forgot about the implant being on my lap. It had fallen onto the parking lot. I drove about 20 minutes before realizing I didn't have my implant with me. I looked for it on the seat and only found the ear hook. AHHHH! I turned around and drove back to the grocery store and there was a big truck parked in the same spot I had been in. UH-OH! I looked and saw the implant in the center of the parking space under the truck. I had to crawl under the truck to get it and it was not damaged. WHEW! I though I was going to see an implant pancake in the parking lot because when I left, I had backed up, pulled forward, and backed up again turning to be able to get out and through it all I didn't touch the implant. Talk about LUCKY!

WENT IN FOR SCHEDULED TESTING

I went to the audi for some scheduled testing on tuesday. First test was a series of single sylable words I had to repeat back that a recorded voice said while I was in a soundproof booth. I scored about 42% on that. In 2005 when I took same test with hearing aid I scored 0%. Next test was same voice, saying a series of sentences. I scored 63% on that. 2005 0%. Lat test was different males voice, a series of sentences, but said "Ready" before each sentence and talked a little slower I scored 98% on that, and 0% in 2005. Pretty good. So to better understand what's being said i'm telling everyone I know that when they talk to me thay have to say "Ready" before each new sentence they say. LOL.
Last visit I has the fidelity 120 program activated with mixed results.
Things sound more normal but my comprehension suffered a little. Using the cell phon I actually heard better from the program before the 120 was activated so I had the audi put the pre 120 program back on one position for me to use for telephone use. So now I don't go back until July for final testing.
I'm busy moving into a different city so things are hectic right now. closer to work and will save some in gas which is getting insane price wise.
Still not sure about doing the other ear. Mainly depends on insurance approving it and then whether I want to go through it again. Undecided at this point.

Homebrew post

Here's a picture of an IrishRed Ale beer, on the left, and a Plum Wine on the right. The wine has been fermenting a week and the beer one day.
The beer will be ready to drink in a couple weeks, the wine wil ltake several months at least.

Below is a short video of an irish red ale I have fermenting.
This is yeast action only. No stirring, no heat just good old fashioned fermentation action.

THIS AND THAT

Going back in for another mapping on the 11th. I could use some advice on a few things.
One is, which cell phone and service so you use and are you happy with it as far a compatibility with your implant?
Also, as far as hearing the radio, do you hear music ok, or is it a lot different than you remember it. Specific songs I heard before sound totally different, and some words and musicical sounds aren't noticable. If that WAS a problem with you and it isn't now, when and what changed it? I asked my audi about the fidelity 12o programming and we wil lbe starting that this next visit. I assume that wil lbring big changes in the music and voice problems.

MUCH BETTER AFTER REMAPPING

Went to audi today. Told her I didn't care for either program as they are. She asked why. One program peoples voices sound normal but I had trouble understanding them. The other I could understand what they said fine, but everyone sounded like they had a cold. Low nasal voice and it drove me crazy. So she went back to the drawing board, I listend to the beeps and let her know when it sounded comfortable, and then she tweaked the programs. I had her increase the volume and on on switch on the processor I had the volume increased even more to use with the phone. Night and day difference on the phone. Then I was put in the sound booth so she could see what frequencies I was hearing. Before the surgury I was hearing at about 110 dbs if at all. Now, I can hear between 30 and 50 dbs. Huge difference.
I go back in early april. Meantime I have a different program on each processor to play with to decide which one I like then it's on to the fidelity 120 program.

PEAKED OUT

Improvement with the implant has pretty much peaked. Still can't understand on the cell phone worth beans. Radio sounds different by the second and can't make much out of it. Asked the surgeons secretary to go forward with trying to get approval for the other ear but audiologists wants me to wait till 6 months after the first one to allow the first ear to get acclimated. Now I'm going back and forth as to whether I'm even going to do the other ear.
Audiologists submitted her first bill to the insurance company. $275 for the first visit. They paid $155 and I pay nothing. So that is a relief. I have 4 more mappings scheduled. Last one is in July. I'll wait to see if there's any more improvement before deciding on the other ear.

TODAY SUCKED!

Got home from work to discover that Victoria, the alpaca in our kitchen, had lost control of her neck muscles which to an alpaca is everything. So a friend came over, helped me carry her outside and we put her down. She was 19 years old. They age like dogs, 7 years for every one human year so she was 133 years old. Crappy weather, crappy day at work, and then this.

GOT MAPPED AGAIN

Went to audiologists today to get tweaked. Problem with phone program was it wasn't there. program slot was empty. It's there now. Haven't tried it yet. Tweaked two programs, improving sound and quality in both. Now I need to use both programs and next time I go back we will use the one I like best as a permanent program. She tried covering her mouth and saying whole sentences. I skunked it. Then tried saying part of a saying and I finish it. Got about 80% of those right. For example she would say "Little Bo Peep lost her _ ? Virginity is not the right answer.
It'd dam cold here AGAIN! Our oldest Alpaca, Victoria, is having problems. She hasn't been able to stand up. She lays on the barn floor (hay bedding) and tries but can't get up. She's very skinny and we think she's weak from eatinh poor quality hay and not being able to maintain her weight. She had hypothermia last winter and spen a week in our kitchen. Well she's back in the house again. Hopefully with a few days of being in the warm house she can regain her strength so she can get up on her own and go back out with the other Alpacas. If not, then I'll have to put her down. Not looking forward to that. We've had her for 10 years. She's the sweetest animal on the planet. So lots of oatmeal, good hay, and suppliments hopefully will do the trick.

Activation Video

Here's one of my videos from the activation day. Let me know if you have trouble running it.

HOLY MOLEY OLE!

Here's a good joke I got from a relative in North Dakota.

Ole and Lena.........Start Their Family

Late one night,Lena wakes Ole and says, "I
tink its time!"

So Ole fired up the Yohn Deere tractor and took her to
the hospital to have their first baby.

She had a little boy, and the doctor looked over at
Ole and said, "Hey, Ole! You yust had a son! Ain't dat
great! "

Vell, Ole got excited by dis, but yust den the doctor
spoke up and he said, "Hold on! We ain't finished
yet!" The doctor den held up a little girl.

He said, "Hey, Ole! You got you a daughter!" She's a
pretty little ting, too....

Ole got kind of puzzled by this, and then the doctor
said, "Holey Moley Ole, we still ain't done yet!"

The doctor then delivered another boy and said, "Ole,
you yust had youself another boy!"

Ole was flabbergasted by this news!

A couple days later, Ole brought Lena and their
three children home in the self propelled combine. He
was real serious and he asked Lena, "How come we got
tree on the first try?"

Lena said, "You remember dat night we ran out of
Vaseline and you vent out in the garage and got dat
3-in-1 Oil?"

Ole said, "Yeah, I do. Uffda!, it's a damn good ting I
didn't get the WD-40!

Have a good weekend all!