Switch On Successful!

 So at 3pm today, Hubby, lil miss & myself went into the appointment. I put on my new sound processor & felt the magnet connect to my head (joining with the magnet part that is installed inside my head). It was completely different to what I was expecting. I thought there would be more of a pull/force of the magnets. Its actually quite hard for me to find the magnet on my head - i'm sure it will get easier with time.

We then started the MAPPING process which is really not something I can type about coz I have no idea lol. Basically my specialist put sounds into my processor via the computer (My processor is on me at this stage but also connected via a wire to the computer), the sounds vary in loudness & I tell her when I hear them. Pretty much like a hearing test. I think the process was a lot faster actually than what would happen during a hearing aid sound test. I was expecting it to be quite a long tiresome thing, but it seemed to be over quite quickly that part of it.

Then the Switch on happened. At this stage, hubby & lil miss are still in the room (Actually, they were in the room the entire 2hrs with me - Well done lil miss!! Such a good lil chicken!!). Specialist switched my processor on & it had a few beeps & then within 10seconds or so she spoke & I heard her. Word for word. Totally beyond my expectations.

We had some speech tests & I did pretty well with all that, including NON lip reading! (Where she puts something in front of her mouth, so I have to rely on the speech & not the lips moving). I did pretty well with that.

There were also the 5 sounds, which I got 5/5 for! The 5 sounds are:

1. Ah
2. Sh
3. sssss
4. oooo
5. eeee

After that, we tried to get lil miss to speak but she went all shy & well basically we could have spent the entire day waiting for her to speak! Eventually towards the end of the 2hr session the specialist asked her something & lil miss said "NOoooooo" - that was the first word I heard from my daughter :) And then lots of giggling! Thats when the tears started rolling ;)

And that was pretty much it after that. The bag (see the photos below) got examined & discussed about what all the bits & pieces were. I am still to look through it properly myself! I think i'll be spending all day tmw while lil miss is at kindy, looking & reading through it all lol. But I just need to get my battery charger out & the dry kit then i'm ready for bedtime at least. 

Things I am hearing:

• My Baby Girl!!!!!!!!
• My husband!
• Indicator in the car. Have heard that before, but seems funny after so long without it
• My seat in the car creaking/squeaking. Years ago, hubby spilled a drink on it & its made noises ever since when someone is on it. I don't even remember the last time I heard it but possibly somewhere around 2003! 
• Dialing up my insulin dose on my insulin pen - it clicks at each number. I have felt the clicks, but never heard them before!
• Mouse clicking on the computer. I've had several mouses while having no hearing, but this one feels so silent if that makes any sense at all. I never thought it clicked when I clicked it lol
• Keyboard tapping when I type. My current keyboard is really loud. Even hubby told me that i'd notice how loud it is. Its almost like a typewriter lol
• Water dripping from tap. Again, another sound I have heard prior to losing my hearing, but another one that you kinda forget it makes such a noise!
• My digital camera clicks when I take a photo! Never heard that before on this camera.
• My cat, meowing when I walked in the door tonight after my appointment 
• My dog skattering all over the tiles in the laundry as I let him outside when we got home. I have never heard that before while living in this house.
• Hubby sniffling! Arghhh, driving me nuts already lol
• I heard some banging in the kitchen at McDonalds when we stopped there for dinner on the way home lol. 
• 
  

We did not video the 'switch on'. It really wasn't that much of a deal at the time. Was pretty much a non event honestly! No photos either.

However, I do have all these photos of my "equipment bag" I got which contains everything!

Front view of the bag (Pepsi Max can gives you an idea of the size of the bag!)

Side view of the bag (Pepsi Max can gives an idea how wide it is!)

Unzip the bag to reveal all this!

All the contents out on our 4 seater dining table lol

My Cochlear Nucleus 5 Sound Processor (Yes, its boring brown - but it blends in really well with my hair!!)

So that was my day! At age 31 years (& 4 months, 3 weeks & 6 days) old ~ I regained my hearing after 4years with no hearing or hearing aid & heard my 3years (& 3mths 2weeks & 1day) old daughter speak for the first time ever.

I am emotionally drained, excited, exhausted, but ...  

Feeling on top of the world :) xxx