Monday, 11 May 2009

Wow, take a look at this!

Kirsty, a friend who lives about 45 minutes away had has her cochlear implant for nearly 6 months now.

She was born deaf and had wore hearing aids until April 2007 when she had lost all her hearing in both ears. She is very musical and after losing her hearing, she felt so sad to not able to hear her favourtire band, ABBA.


After Kirsty contacted me online, she had ask me loads of quesiton about my experince and how the implant has helped me. We met once before her op and I could see how hard it is for her. Kirsty, then decided to go for an Advanced Bionic cochlear implant in Novemenber 2008 and after visiting her on the day she had the op, she was so brave she went ahead with it despites being very nervous and nearly turn it down. 3 months after the operation, I visited her again - Kirsty has changed and improved alot after the operation, she even listening to her favourites songs on the Ipod and I can't believe how quickly she has learn to hear .... she is even now playing on her piano, check this out. playing 'Abba - Mama Mia' When I watched her playing that, I was like, wow - she really is good!

video

Kirsty playing mamma mia and myself watching her.

Who is right?

Last weekend, Richard (freedom user) and I were sitting in the conservatory relaxing and talking about anything that stops us from getting bored. All the sudden Richard heard an Aeroplane and asked me I I could hear that. I heard it, but it sounded like a Helicopter.

We were both were disagreeing with each other about what we heard. I was telling him, "no its a helicopter" and he was "no its a plane" which went on and on, in the end we both decided to go outside to find out what it really was and see who was right. And guess what - we were both shocked - we saw both a helicopter and an aeroplane and we were just shocked that neither of us were wrong. It’s weird how we both could hear something but a different thing. So, that was our weirdest moment.

Friday, 1 May 2009

This is real, this is sound!

Hey all,

Hasn't it been a while since i have last posted? I did get lost, but here I am now - I just had a busy month - and a busy week!

Next thurs, I'll be going for my one year C.I review. Can you believe how quick this year has gone! It makes me feel old already!

Anyway, I thought i'll share this. Have you all ever heard of camp rock? well, its a film I watch a few weeks ago. I know its for teens but still I am a big kid and would watch anything that is good.

There Camp rock has a song called "this is real, this is me" and I really liked the song. So, one day I got that bored after spending a week off uni being ill . I decided to see if could change the song that is CI related.

Here it is: tell me what you think?

Living in a silent world
Didn’tunderstand
Do you know what is like
Not to hear a sound
I have this thing
right inside of me
I’m gonna let it show, it’s time

To let you know
To let you know...

This is real, this is sound
That is how I’m supposed to hear now
that the device, is how I hear
Now I’ve found, how I hear
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding what I wear
This is me

To dream about a life
with all the sound you got
Even though it seems,
like it's too far away
without that device
I don’t know what you hear
It’s the only way.....

This is real, this is sound
That is how I’m supposed to hear now
that the device, is how I hear
Now I’ve found, how I hear
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding what I wear
This is me

You're the voice I hear inside my head
The reason how I’m hear
I need to wear it
I gotta wear it
You're the missing piece i need
to put sound inside of me
I need to wear it
I gotta wear it


This is real, this is sound
That is how I’m supposed to hear now
that the device, is how I hear
Now I’ve found, how I hear
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding what I wear
This is me

This is me
(You're the missing piece i need to put sound inside me)
This is me, Yeah
(You're the voice i hear inside my head, the reason how I hear)

Now I’ve found, how I hear
There’s no way to hold it in
No more hiding what I wear
This is me

anyway, let me know what you all think. After doing this. This makes me thing there should be a music video out there that should increase cochlear implant awareness, there are still lot of people out there that doesn't know what a cochlear implant is.

that is it for me, watch out for next weeks post with the BIG 1 year results!

katie -louise x

Wednesday, 25 March 2009

2nd implant?

10 months and I am doing so well, I still can't get over of what I have learnt over the past 10 months -Everyday there always a new sound and always more to look forward to

There is only one thing now I really would like , which I have been thinking about in the last few weeks, now that I have done so well listening through one implant, will I do the same if I had a second implant?

A second implant would be nice. I mean, I hear so well in my left but the only thing is I can only hear most of the things on the left and my right side just feels SO deaf and doesn't hear anything, it feels so blank; I don't see the point in wearing a hearing aid I know a 2nd implant won't make you hear any better, but it be nice to hear from both direction and maybe it give me a better sense of where sounds comin from.

So, now I am hoping to have a 2nd implant to become 'Bilateral' becuase of the N.I.C.E guidance, I think here in the UK, it would be hard for us to fight for the second one. So, right now I am unsure which direction I should take, wheather I should wait a while untill the N.I.C.E has changed gardians or should I appeal for the funding right now?

I thought, If I was to have a 2nd implant while I am still at early stages, I think it might be better as my brains will continue to learn , I am not saying it will stop (I hope not) but getting another implant at this stage might be easier for me and gives me time to learn before I finish university and go out in the real world and teach.

thats it for me, fingers cross, I get the 2nd one some day!

x

Music - Sounds Inspiring

Yesterday I had an interesting evening. I went to the sound inspiring event which was organised by Ear Foundation and Advanced Bionic. (the implant brand I have)



The event went so well, and it was concert by musicians who have sensory and it inspired me so much. I have never seen a deaf blind man who is able to play his piano and guitar and also group of deaf teenager having there own band called the Deafness. which totally amazed me, it really does show a good example to others the deaf people can do anything except hear like hearing people do.

I have learnt so much while I were watching the panio, flute, drums guitar and xlepone. It was all new to me. I never to identify instrument and the different in them. . After tonight. I have able to indentify the low and high pitch and also to tell which instrument was playing.

I did find some hard to listen to and when they were all playing at the same time. when the flute were playing I was unable to hear the piano untill the flute has paused.

I weren't too keen on the flute. I mean, the flute was played at a high pitch and each note gets higher and higer which felt like my implant is about to blew off.

It was nice to take part when we all got these free Advanced Bionic drumsticks. That taught us to listen and to try and follow the patten

Not only there were music, there were dancers aswell, one of the dancers had a good sense of humour while dancing which made us laughed

So, now I decided I do want to take some keyboard lesson - I won't be as good as the people I have seen, but it be nice to be able to play a song - maybe get to learn how to play Gareth Gates, :-)

so, what an evening, hopefully there will be some more like that!

Thursday, 5 March 2009

Hearing from Distance!

March already? Its nowbeen nearly 10 months since I have been implanted. I can't believe how quick the year has gone; I guess life would be alot faster if your enjoying the new hearing journey.

In may will be my one year anniversary. So, I am looking forward to celebrate my one year journey by posting up a new video on this blog <- so watch this space.

Anyway. I have noticed that I have been hearing alot of things that is quite a distance away.

Yesterday, In university I was in class and my classroom was right on the very top floor (11th floor) I were sitting right near the window because sometimes I like to see the outside when I'm thinking or when I want to be nosey ;-) while my lecture were talking about 'Shakespear' I heard a beeping sound that was very quiet and it was repeating for some time. The sound distracted me from listening and I ended up looking around to see what it was and still couldn't figure out where it was coming from. So, I asked my mate whats that beeping sound. She said it was a truck that was reversing outside as there were some building work going off outside the University. I was amazed on how I could hear that.

Also, now I am an aunty, I have been babysitting my little nephew who is now 6 weeks old (he growing quick) anyway, while babysitting. I asked Richard to keep an eye on him while I'll go a make a bottle and I then quickly go upstairs to fetch his bibs etc. I could hear him crying from a good distance away. Babies are loud when they cry. Sometimes it is nice to switch your implant off when you don't want to hear him.

I remenber 3 month post activation, I was able to turn round if someone calls my name out only if they were close but now I can do it while they are in another room. I do sometimes get confused at home when my mum shouts "lady" my dog which made me think my mum is shouting "katie"

Thats it for me typing away now. I better shoot off to my 2nd lecture.

xx

Tuesday, 17 February 2009

RAM FM! (radio) new CI moment!

Hey,

I'm still around, and yes, I haven't posted for a short while; doesn't mean I've forgotten about my blogs.

I've been soo busy helping my sister with her little son, dylan (hes growing quick) and of course studying at uni <- these assignments from university really do take up all your free time. Anyway, recently I have been travelling to a few places with family and friends - while traveling, someone in the car always shouts "put the radio on" so, while driving I decided to put the radio on. I don't normally listen to the radio and not to bothered with it. Well, for some reason, I decided to give myself some listening practise rather than ignoring it. becuase my hometown football team were playing, my brother and dad want to listen to it to see how well they are getting on. I know all the Derby players names and decided to see if I could pick out any of there names that been called out. I did great and manage to pick out a few names which put a smile on my face, not only that I heard the man on the radio saying "102.8 Ram FM" <>

so, thats something new and hopefully, i'll continue with the practise and see what esle can I hear!

thats it for me now, i better shoot off and get some training done, what this space for more updates!



take care x