A visit ,a cracked processor and a lot of thoughts.

A few weeks ago I had a visit from the fabulous Rachel Chaikof who is very vibrant and nice - I think I made another friend.

Everyone knows that Rachel is a great advocate for CI's.She also is bilateral ( something that is exceedingly rare in Greece , although I can hear some scattered bilaterals here and there in Greece.), and she has been giving me tips on advocating and I've been telling her all about the situation here.


Here is me and Rachel on the Castles of Salonica , a place at the upper parts of Thessaloniki.This pic was taken with permission from her site

I had a lot of fun with Rachel, but about pics and places - go to her site she has about traveling.

We went to Thessaloniki's places and we also tried Athitos ( or Afitos as we Greeks say it , that place has two names ) , Rachel , remember the old granny? LOL. We also went to Athens and Acropolis and a lot of other places.I wish she could visit again sometimes so we can plan more trips around here.She made me see my country with new eyes....

I also had the chance to see someone that is bilateral, because as I said earlier , that practice here is non- existent, although I've been wanting that for myself , but I can't afford it.

I noticed a LOT of differences , and I'm certainly going to try and go bilateral.I am waiting on an email from my insurance that I'm pretty sure it will come back negative.But I've been persuaded after ONE trip to port bay where I couldn't hear ANYTHING while she could hear me so good that I was floored , and I had a lot of thinking about it.

Rachel also tries a lot of things that I don't try , such as Telecoil - which was pretty disastrous with my hearing aid - all I could hear was noise and nothing else , and it's been the same when I first tried my CI.The culprit now was my laptop fan which overwhelms everything else , I tried using it in buses , and other places when I'm away from laptop , and to my surprise it works better than I was expecting!

She also suggested to go for a better map and I'm certainly going to do that after elections occur ( right now I have no desire to trek down to CI centre and get nightmare traffic jams , I'm not that masohistic! )

I was so pleased to meet Rachel and I hope she comes again sometimes , she certainly is welcome here.We also share the love of knowing new CI implantees , which I do here in Greece.Right now I'm in the proccess of helping a new candidate take the decision for her implant ( she's going for Cochlear too ) and helping her with a lot of advice.

I certainly feel more enriched and with a different perspective , and although she's certainly gone through so much and still have a vibrant smile , made me want to do the same and try and make some changes.

On other news , while Rachel was here , the Nucleus 5 was unveiled , which got me pretty excited.I also posed the question to Cochlear forums when that is going to be approved in Greece and I was directed to Damplaid Inc , which is the representative of Cochlear here in Greece.UGH!

Cochlear needs to open its own offices here in Greece , Damplaid is taking advantage of having the representacy and has pretty high prices.But that is certainly something I've blogged about.

Also I've stopped using the rechargeables for the time being - since I got back from Athens my cord charger isn't working right, and I'm afraid of putting it in case it does something worse, as I've paid for my batteries , so I need to be careful,I certainly need to replace the power cord sometime.For the time being I'm on plain batteries ( which I need to spend anyway as they 're from last year and they going to expire. ) , and that made me remember why I made the switch ( aside from economical and ecological reasons ) was that I always fumbled with the small batteries and I always would lose one.I lost one on the stairs today.ugh.

Also , Rachel saw my CI one day when we were trying to find a solution for it to stay on my ear and mentioned that I have a cracked controller - WHAT - and I was so embarassed I didn't notice.My CI is so dark that I never noticed.I got that replaced though , easily , although I was a bit shocked at the place where I got it replaced ( that is another blog post though ) , but what concerns me , is a cracked processor affecting hearing ? Because I definitely noticed a difference.I think my processor was cracked for quite awhile , because now I can hear very faintly the doorbell ( although only if I'm under it and if I know it's GOING to ring ).

And Rachel's solution worked for few days , then it started again falling out.UGH!! I've been checking thoroughly for another crack.So far I've been lucky.The shoulder worn doesn't work so great now because I need a safetypin pouch ( I'll have to order one )due to me wearing high necked clothes but I'm also going to check out if I can find a babyworn cord , see if that helps me.I don't mind how it appears , as long as it helps me.

Regarding controllers cracks I've been checking other kids processors in speech therapy and telling them to go replace them if they're under warranty.Most of the parents are thankful about my advocating even to them, as they know I'm just trying to help them.

Oooh , before I close I should share something.Rachel has that big camera , which she let me try a few times , and I could hear her shutter clicking.at first I was what the hell was that?then I understood it and it started bugging me , as I couldn't hear my camera's shutter.Well a few minutes ago I managed to hear it.YAY!

Anyway I should stop here or I'll go on forever.

Seeing my country through someone's eyes.

As I wrote before , Rachel Chaikof came to see Greece , after Israel.

We've been walking , making friends , and most importantly , TOURING , and she shot countless pictures.We're yet to finish the touring ( which will culminate in Athens ) and today is a relaxing day.

Her pictures , and most importantly , her blog posts about Greece , make me see my country with different eyes.I still have the same perspective about my country , but I also find that I have different lenses to look through.

I love talking to her about everything and anything.I feel enriched. Oh , and she passed down some of her movie obsessions.But more than everything I feel like I'm slowly gaining another friend , another perspective in life , and most importantly , learning from her experience.

Last night when we were watching movies and talking until the small hours of the morning , although VERY tired from the previous day , I felt something that I could not identify at first.I felt content.

Life is so better when you try different things.

Oh and as a side note , my english comprehension is going up!!

Odds and Ends

I just can't believe that summer is over..I had fabulous time that summer , and that made up for last summer too , I hadn't felt like that for two years...

This summer it helped me more than anything.My parents even did their part , instead of us bickering all the time ( mostly for the big stuff ) we decided to let them drop for few months and really enjoy some family time.Boy , did that help!

We went a boat trip to Samothrace three times , and I stayed to homebirth place too , to see friends and relatives.I even went camping on my own, to meet some friends there..it was GREAT.

I returned to my apartment to fix bills , try to make the home presentable , and to look after Theo for few days.Right after week's old Theo stay , my parents came to stay and install the AC..Figures it would be installed on the first cold day of fall! I'm lucky like that! At least it'll be there for next summer..

In a few days I'm expecting a certain someone , and thanks to my dad , I'm in my sickbed , suffering an allergy attack which usually lasts a week, and add that up to exhaustion due to lack of proper sleep , and that adds up to someone pretty grumpy , getting hot and cold flashes , and a pretty annoying cough! ( Dad opened the porch doors wide at the living room , that's where I sleep when my parents come , to be as far away as I can be from their smoking , and because they get the double bed to sleep. and I was sleeping only in a nightie , which resulted in me getting a cold , which resulted to allergy attack , and frozen shoulders.Left one is still a bit sore , right is back to normal thank god! Thanks a bunch Dad for making me miserable even after forbidding you open up anything before I'm awake and properly dressed.NOT! )

I just hope that I'll feel better soon ( best case scenario I'm better by Saturday , but that's a long shot.Worst is Tuesday , but that's not acceptable either.So I hope by Monday morning to at least be up and running , the exhaustion is no joke!! )

I just can't wait to meet someone though!!! It's only FIVE days till I meet Rachel Chaikof , although I'm nervous that I'll be embarassed either from speaking mangled English , or letting my shyness overwhelm me and not speak at all.Or even bolt from the airport.Ha ha.The last just isn't going to happen , don't worry. But I'm worrying for the first two possiblities , but I'm going to brave it , and wing it.I will survive , and so she'll do , and I dare say she'll even thrive!

I rambled far enough , and I have to go back on my book...I'm reading breaking dawn , from Stephenie Meyer.It's good..Next on my list is a greek book , then I want to read something fantasy or sci fi too..but what? nothing too scary , but exciting , different.Any suggestions ?

I also am thinking of trying audiobooks in english soon , see if I can understand anything...but I got confused with the abridged and unabridged versions.Anyone can help me here?

Long Time No See...

I haven't written in that blog for SO long...Guess I've been off the blogworld for a while..

First I became addicted to FB , where I can directly post a question abt anything and I will get few replies right off.

Then I've been enjoying chatting online.My everyday companion is Laura.We talk about everything and nothing.I enjoy very much our chats.Also often if not everyday is Kara , another online companion , although now she doesn't log in as often as she used.Not to mention my favourite cousins , and two greek friends that we talk everynight.So I haven't been completely off the internet , I just wasn't inclined to post anything on here.

Not to mention that I was in vacation with our boat two or three times with my family , plus almost every other afternoon going for a swim and fishing with the boat , fishing calamari and whatnot.Ink stinks if it gets in your eye though.

I'm back at my home for two days now , and I'll leave for a camping weekend trip later today , and tomorrow is bank holiday here *smile*

After that it'll be the second half of August which I plan to spend with getting the apartment painted , install an AC for next year ( I've been melting from the heat here ) and do a few other odd jobs so the apartment will be in shape ship order for winter.Then it will be 7th September , the day that a certain someone will be visiting me for two weeks and we will tour here and other places to our best of knowledge.I can't wait for Rachel Chaikof to arrive her and to meet her in person , even if I have some doubts communication-wise.My written English is almost perfect , but I haven't spoke them in MY voice for at least a few years ( and that was pre-CI.Not to mention that I can't lipread English.For some reason I could HEAR it and speak perfect, Greek been another matter , I rely too much in lipreading ) .I hope we will both survive!If not , cell phones and notepads will be whipped out!

Plus , I've gotten to know another CI family in Greece , who want to know me and show them all the Freedom care n tips.We will meet up right after my camping trip , from which I'll be back on Sunday night or Monday morning.It's a little girl that reminds me so much of myself when I was a baby ( seen her in hosp appt , then her family emailed me without knowing I was the same person.LOL! )so I already have kind of a soft spot for her.

I also plan to visit some friends close by sooner than later , and I can't wait to see what the new school year will bring!

No news abt the CI , humidity is a big problem in my hometown , and seeing I was on a boat and in a swimsuit , I didn't wear it as much.

Next post on Monday hopefully I'll post some pics from summer..

CI relationship status?

Since Kylie dearest sent me two pouches and a long coil , I've been utilizing them as needed..

It's a choreography..when I'm about to go walking for losing weight , I'll pull on the pouch and long coil.

When I'm about to go to college , I'll wear the long coil for the ride with pushes and shoves, and will switch to short one when I'm in my seat.Off it goes to the way back.

When I had to cook I used the short coil with an hairband that I have , and sent Lissy the same too.Long coil sometimes flies off and dangles.It goes on again for me to do the washing up.

I have a special pocket in my bag,it houses the music cord , and whichever coil I'm not wearing , a pack of six pack batteries , and a battery cage , and also the 2nd charged to go rechargeable for my CI.Oh , and the hands free for my cell phone , which connects to my music cord so I can make and HEAR calls.

Anyway , back to subject.CI isn't only for the active life , like Kylie mentions , it's also for the pack mules.LOL , yeah , you heard me right! I was armed for my short weekend away ,laptop bag on back , usual bag at my front , carrying a non-wheelie suitcase.Which was HEAVY.Ahem , lopsided.

If I had short coil I'd had tucked away the CI, in my bag, I'm not willing to lose it.

Long coil , no problem.I carried everything.Coil flipped off couple times and I didn't even made a wild grab , to let anything drop , or make me inattentive to road hazards.I just waited till I was in safe ground , and calmly popped it into place.It gave me a feeling of peaceful.Stress levels alarmingly low , like my HA.

And that put me in thought.

When I was first activated , I hated it.I loved it.Can u say confused? Missed my HA.Terribly.I didn't miss it too much either.For a few weeks I was going around with a piece of felt wool , replacing feeling of earmold.I had felt like they had gotten something away for me.And I eventually broke of the habit , when I started to get ridiculed.

But I hated the weight of CI..it was bulky.Weighty.My ear was sore.I wore it when I had to , and didn't wore it at home , trying to get my poor ear a break.

I also hated CI for the hole it made in my pocket with batteries.With my HA , it was just a pack of batteries every month.Now I ate through them like crazy , I'd need a 60 pack a month.Suddenly I was overwhelmed.I also kept losing new or old pieces of em , crawling in places to get them.Yes, I've even tried to crawl into driver's cubicle in college bus.The old ones always went to recycle.

As you see , I hated CI with passion , and I loved it with equal passion for almost to up to a year.

Now I just find myself , not only thanks to Kylie for her solution , but for my own choreography.For opting into rechargeables, and , yes , I'm aware they 'll die in a years' time , but in the meantime I've have already invested into another pair of them.

Today I heard a bit of scrounching , which was when the bus driver put his foot down to start the bus gently.

Pre pouch , I'd always be deaf , jostling made me fearing to lose it.Now I just don't care.

I managed to hear more sounds today than any other time , and the whole day I had gone shoulder way.I slept on the train with CI on so I could hear my stop announcing.I had a nap with it on and heard my cell phone going off , a text to go out , to have fun.

In the Metro ( tube for anyone that can't understand ) I could hear BOTH in Greek and English the announcements for each stop.And I wasn't EVEN paying attention.

A few months ago , when I 'd remove my CI I'd feel relief.Flooded with it for finally it the time to get it into the Dry n Store and feel like I wasn't in hyperdrive anymore.With not having to put up with it any more.

Now , when I remove it, I just feel a sense of loss , taking a sense away from me.When the battery finishes on it s own , and I won't replace it as it's already bedtime, I feel lost.

Now if tinnitus wasn't welcoming in both sides of that world , I'd finally get a bit of decent sleep.I've managed some brief pockets here and there , but nothing more than a week.

I find myself in the position to say..I did choose well with the naming of that blog.It's fitting.Sound of Cochlear Implant.

It's something so precious , and so simple too in the same time!

Why I Chose Cochlear?

It was widely available anywhere in the globe.The processor had the LCD on the back , something that I find HIGHLY useful for ANY situation!
It is backwards and forwards compatible with any external of Cochlear.
I had found an Europe site that sold most of the Freedom things in better prices , like the coils , batteries , magnets.The company here in Greece has INFLATED prices.( more like triple prices )
No need for remote control ( it's useful , but I'd keep losing it! ) although there IS talk of newer BTE cochlear model with remote control...
Also , I figured that more than half of people I'd contacted about CI both in Greece and abroad , chosen Cochlear , so it couldn't go wrong.
Internal implant had 24 electrodes , and various mapping techniques, especially for the Freedom implant.
Processor had the option of both , rechargeable , and plain batteries.I use the rechargeable for day to day activities , but when I'm going to a trip , I'm packing some plain in my laptop bag.That way , I don't spend as many batteries as I should.And I always recycle the plain ones.I like going green.And the disposable is handy, too.( the rechargeable I think got out recently , but when I was implanted , it was out )
It had the ability to connect to anything in a trice , without changing anything ( I do believe the other companies , need special casings or hooks , depending on the model )
It has separate buttons for each action , or seperate combinations too to do some slight changes, like volume , sensitivity, or T-Coil , or external equipment.Oh and change map slot too.
Plus , it has the child lock.it is advertised so the kids wouldn't play with it , for kiddos that wear their implant.But I find it useful as I have little hands getting my implant.I just let them see it for a bit then put it on my ear again.no need to check anything!Peace of MIND!!!!
Last , Cochlear box had inside a Dry n Store box!it's too useful.If it wasn't inside , I'd buy it , it saved my arse more times than I count.


The only complaint I've had from my implant is that it was heavy at first ( compared to a hearing aid ) and that the plastic casing that covers the socket for mp3 cords and stuff is peeling away.they should redesign that.And I occasionaly use my mp3 player , or the tv cord.I wonder what happened to the other Freedom users that use that every day?

One Year CI

Hello...

I've been absent the past week...

Been busier...my laptop broke , and also finals are approaching..

But I remembered something..I'm one year implanted on May 22th , and on the 26th I'll be one year hearing!!

Time sure flies fast...

I had said few months ago...that I couldn't see myself having my CI for years...

And now I'm concluding my first year hearing...it seems so weird to just thinking that..

Sometimes I wonder how the 'older' hearing people with CI feel..I have one that has 15 years with CI and counting..another , twenty!!!

it seems so weird!!!!

I can't wait till September though..*wink*