Sounds in Paradise (and elsewhere)

Last Thursday, I used the phone at work using both 'ears'. It rang so I had to answer! It was a co-worker needing support on the claims system that I work with. She was talking really fast. I explained that I was HOH and could she please slow down a bit. I understood what she needed me to fix but asked her to send me the details in an email so I'd know I had the right policy number, claim number, unit number, etc. That was just too much to try to get over the phone and in that situation; a guess was not good enough. We emailed back & forth a bit and once I had the fix finished I started to email her to let her know. My hands paused over the keyboard. Good opportunity for some phone practice, I thought. Not much I need to understand except her confirmation that the problem has been corrected. I quick grabbed the phone and dialed before the little doubting phone devil forever sitting on my shoulder could stop me.

Friday, I had my one week checkup. I was re-mapped and then tried S and P again. I felt I could hear equally well with either. I commented that P had an echo or hollow sound and my audiologist said ' Why make your brain get used to that if it doesn't have to.' Good question! I agreed to just go with S this time. Program one is T-mic only. Program two is 50/50 T-mic and internal mic. Program three is 50/50 with T-coil activated. Guess what I discovered! I don't have a phone that works with a T-coil! At home and at work, I have always used direct connect to my BWP and my cell I just put up to my CI microphone.

We spent another weekend at the lake, this one much dryer and warmer than last weekend. It was beautiful. Caseville, otherwise known as Key North (and sometimes Margaritaville) was having their "Cheeseburger in Paradise" festival. The bay we are on is called Wildfowl Bay but goes as Flamingo Bay during Cheeseburger. This is a wacky, tacky festival that is all about music - Jimmy Buffet music in particular. Hence the name. Cheeseburger stands line the main drag all week long. Activities abound! Cardboard boat races, lots of music & dancing on the beach and everyone makes crazy hats to wear. Flamingos and parrots rule the land. We went to a concert at the marina around the corner and it was so nice to enjoy the music bilaterally! I didn't hear all the words but I heard the words on the songs I was most familiar with.

During the weekend, I found one situation where the body processor is safer than the ear level processor: Speeding across the lake in a boat with the wind streaming through your hair. I held on to the ear level processor for dear life. Finally deciding there wasn't enough to listen to during that activity to justify the worry, I pulled it off, slipped the battery out, put it all in my shorts pocket, stuck my face to the wind and enjoyed the ride. No more visions of my precious Harmony processor flying off my head, landing in the bay never to be seen again.

Today, I spent a couple of hours in the car and took the opportunity to listen to some CD’s that I’d had trouble hearing before being bilateral. Bread, James Taylor and Cat Stevens came alive in my car like never before! ( Well, it’s been at least 20 years since I heard them as well!) Bread was still a bit of a struggle. I’m sure they will all improve with time. That reminds me, I had a Rod Stewart CD that I couldn’t hear. I love the song Maggie May. I’m going to go hunt that one down to try it! Til next time…