Mother of all CI Moments!!!!

I just had to share this!! Grin.

I finally got around to getting out the accessories. It was one of those things I kept putting off and forgetting about (we all know how that goes: You have good intentions and just don't follow through because you keep postponing it...)

I switched the CI (cochlear implant) to the music program. For those of you who aren’t too familiar with CI jargon, this is a separate program on my CI that I can use just for music. Other programs are for everyday sounds and focused listening (Beam). So Hubby plugged in one end of the miles and miles of excess cable that connected the CI to the computer.

I got out my CD for Hubby to set up for me. I couldn’t hear anything. :( He got out his earphones to see if it worked for him.

Yep. He could hear it.

Maybe it wasn’t loud enough for me? At a 20-25 dB loss with the CI on, is that a good sign? What a major let down. Then I saw the volume control among the miles and miles of excess cable. I turned up the volume. The Alabama song, “The Closer You Get” was piping through my CI loud and clear. I was HEARING it!! Yahoo!! Woot. I was doing an internal “happy dance.”



(Well, I couldn't exactly go and dance now, you know, not with the miles and miles of cable....not a good idea...)

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Then Hubby got out the Billy Joel collection he had saved on the computer. I listened to Piano Man. Let me tell you it was an experience!!! I heard more of the lyrics and actually could hear the different INSTRUMENTS!!! I'm talking Whoa City here. Piano, guitars....of course, when you see a band, you know that they are using different instruments, but they “blended” together so much. I couldn’t hear the nuances of each instrument before. Not like this. Sometimes I was actually hearing the vibrations of the stringed instruments. So cool. I've heard this from other CIers, but I guess I wanted to keep my expectations low. What if I didn't get that?

(Sure, while listening to more songs, the robotic, “helumized” edge to the voices were still there, more so in some songs than others, but it’s still an improvement.)

With my hearing aid, I could hear the beats and enjoy the song that way. Most of the time, I’d have someone write down the lyrics for me so I could follow along with the song. It got harder to listen to the songs the more my hearing deteriorated, though. With the CI, I actually picked up more words on my own. I never really had all the lyrics to Piano Man down pat. I was getting shivers of excitement and I just burst into happy tears. What an experience. :) (Hubby is always uncomfortable when I get emotional...)

I’m hearing a lot of “sss” in this program, though. It kind of hisses with words that start or end with s’s.

I definitely want my own MP3 player now. AND I definitely gotta expand my collection of favorite songs. (Um, Hubby, I’ve put MP3 player on top of my Christmas list….hint, hint....I know I mentioned it before, but another reminder nag from me couldn't hurt...) LOL

If I don't get one, I'm just going to get one myself. Winks.

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And Honey, Happy Anniversary. (Yep, it’s our Wedding Anniversary today.)