Some Hearing Moments

In Passing...

Monday I was out running errands and needed to FedEx a package. I went to a store near some other stops on my errand route. My first thought was "Odd, the parking lot looks bare." The store is kind of tucked around the corner though so I couldn't see it. As I started walking to the side walk that led around to the store, a couple of ladies passed me going the other way. One of them said something and it took a minute, but then I realized she said 'It's closed'. I stopped in my tracks. I heard that! I was excited that I heard her comment and also unsettled to learn the FedEx location had closed as it was located in an area that I would have thought would be a good spot. Signs of the times? I sure hope not!

On purpose...

I've been making more phone calls lately. On Friday, I came home and made three calls right in a row using my Harmony ear. I used our corded phone for one. It doesn't have much volume boost on it so it felt just barely loud enough. The other two I made on my cell phone which seems to have more volume boost. I find slightly humorous that when I am trying to listen with the phone using my Harmony’s T-mic on the right side, if I take my headpiece off on the left, it helps me focus on the sounds coming in the other side better. It reminds me of how people will plug one ear when trying to talk with the phone on the other side. Although people usually do that when it’s noisy and for me there was only the hum of my computer. I’m not sure why I find this amusing. Maybe because it’s one of those tiny actions that most people don’t think about when they do it and after looking on for years and years with a certain amount of envy about talking on the phone, now I can mimic the action. And maybe it has to do with the realization that it doesn’t take much to distract me from listening. Focusing on tiny voices on the phone is still relatively new for me after all. Whatever the reason, it made me smile.

Bits And Pieces (not)...

There was more I wanted to write, but it's gone. Just flew right out of my mind. I'm sitting here trying to think what it was but after 10 minutes of nothing happening, I'm going to wind this up. Till next time!

Movies and 2008 Wrap Up Part 2

This will be setting a record of a sorts. Two blog entries so close together!

We saw two movies over the holidays. First was "Australia" on New Years Eve. It was long! Started at 9:15 and let out at 12:04 so we missed the ball dropping. At least we were awake which is more than I can say for other years! The accents were a challenge, but it was still easy enough to follow along with what was happening. I'd love to see this one again with captions. The little boy was adorable!

Last Saturday, we went to see Seven Pounds. I'm not going to spoil the show for anyone. I didn't have any trouble hearing what was said. Only a few spots that were tricky. The movie is a bit puzzling because not much is explained until the very end. A bit disturbing and sad story, but worth seeing. Will Smith is great in his part. We puzzled over the name all the way home and then looked it up on the Internet so we'd know for sure what it meant. See the movie first so you don't know the end, it will be better that way.

I'm still surprised when hearing words (not just sounds) and phrases of words that would not have been heard before going bilateral. Sometimes I don't even realize that the captions are not on. My hubby will point it out and say he misses them even though he has normal hearing. Or I'll hear a phrase and think, "I heard that..." Take note that the captions are off and then "Yes, no captions on so I must have!" By then I've missed the rest of what was being said because I was too busy being amazed at what I was hearing! I am so used to captions on TV that when they are on and are in sync with the actual speech, then it's like I can hear it even when I can't. Radio and podcasts are the best way to know what I'm actually hearing since there isn't any visual input at all.

The media is constantly blasting us with what a horrible year 2008 is. If my bottom line was the only thing that makes me happy, that might be true. Fortunately, there were many blessings in to be grateful for in 2008! My second CI and much improved bilateral hearing is right at the top of my list. Two ears are definitely better than one!! Even if they are not equal in hearing skills (my right ear with the Harmony does better than my left ear with the C1), everything sounds richer and fuller with both of my implants on. I don't go without either one very often. I hope you can find blessings from events in your life and that 2009 brings even more!

Year End Wrap Up

It's been a bit hectic this December - in a great way though! Here's the run down...


The second weekend in December was an annual Christmas party that Bill and I have attended for many years. It has never been my favorite because most of the people I only see that one time a year - sometimes once or twice in between - so I am not that familar with their voices and it is very difficult to carry on a conversation in a crowded house anyway. This year was very, very different! Being bilateral helps tremendously in large groups of people. My Harmony is awesome! I had several conversations and even 'lost' Bill a couple of times (instead of sticking to him like glue and making him be my ear). When it was time to go, he said "You act like you are enjoying yourself and don't want to leave." Gosh, I realized it was true, I did enjoy it!




I was fortunate enough to be able to go to Los Angeles the weekend before Christmas for C1 Harmony trials and to tour the Advanced Bionics plant while I was there. It was a super informative tour and was wonderful to meet the people who work on our implants. Here I am with the 'famous' giant hands.


Some things I noticed on the trip were... I could hear the pilot make announcements and understand most of what he was saying. I confirmed with my son, Brandon, who went with me, to be sure I understood. Brandon filled in a few blanks but I was thrilled to be able to get most of it myself. That was a first in years and years!! It was also neat to be able to go through the machine at the airport without a lot of explaining of my implant and without taking it off. I did take the PSP off but left the Harmony on.


While we were in L.A. area, we went to a comedy club. My last experience with live comedy was not good. This time I heard most of what the first comedian said, the next couple, I heard bits but I think my mind was wandering and getting tired so it was more difficult (plus, what I did hear wasn't all that funny). The poor middle fellow was way too old to be up there trying to make people laugh and failing miserably. He did a lot of jumping around making faces and did this routine that we thought was supposed to be him playing a guitar but looked strangely like he was scratching his crotch with the strumming hand. Was that part of the joke? Don't know but no one found it amusing at all. I felt rather embarrased for the comedian.


We came home to piles and piles of snow! Our flight from Detroit to Flint was delayed more than an hour (we could have driven it quicker) so it was 2:30 am when I pulled into our driveway and buried my car in a snow drift. Ooops. Bill was a champ and came out to help dig us out. With less than a week left before Christmas, we were just in time to finish shopping and wrapping the gifts that would be given and delivered on Christmas Day. The wrapping was completely finished yesterday morning (yes, Jan 3) and all gifts have been delivered as of yesterday noon. One more family get together tomorrow and then I can start thinking about getting the tree put away.


Bill got me a pink iPod Nano. The ear buds that came with the iPod would not stay in my ears, so we found some headphones that look like ear buds and just sit in the ear, right in front of the T-mic. They work perfectly and even fold up to tuck away. I loaded all my CD's on the iPod Christmas day and just yesterday discovered quilting podcasts! Even better, they are free and I can hear them!! I feel like there is this whole world out there that I have been missing. Many of the quilting podcasts go back to 2006 so I literally have years of listening to catch up on! It's great listening practice and I'm learning some things too!


It's late so I'm going to wind this up. Stay tuned for updates on my recent experiences at the movies and I promise not to make you wait too long...