Bank holiday , new sounds!

Hey..

I haven't updated my blog in more than a month *gasp* guess that I preferred chatting online and emailing.

also , I've been busier..and moreover , last week I was sick with fever and no CI as I was in bed all day...

Yesterday I was well enough to go to speech lesson..I wore the Freedom...*gasp* guess that when u don't wear the implant for a while , it is too loud after..hmm!

After Speech therapy I went to Theo's place , to finish her airplane , and also to get some pictures done..while I was walking to the bus stop , I could hear the frogs at the field after the road.LOL do they sound funny..like moaning or ghosts!!guess that is mating season here..

Today here it is bank holiday , which means there was a parade this morning , and tradition is to eat fish and hang the Greek flag in porches n balconies( not here.I'm eating lentil soup as I'm still with a cold..LOL! ).it also means that every shop is shut down, so I forgot to buy my meds , had to search last night for an open pharmacist.

Oh , and also I learnt a new word in English..LOL thanks Mei Mei :P I still giggle every time I remember it!!every time I do that , I get still that giggle after..u've ruined my moaning LOL!

Although I do miss some online chats..

OH and also....Lil Bee has her birthday today!! Happy Birthday !!!

Oh , and the book I was waiting to get is published I Don't Believe my Ears!...It went to my list of must buying when I am able to!

I already have Val Blakely's book , I'm all ears and I plan to get I Don't Believe my Ears!,Rally Caps, Ellie's Ears and Happy Birthday to my Ears, Unheard. So you can imagine that I'll spend a fair bit of money here and there.

Oh and I also got an Canon PowerShot SX10IS camera , to replace my old one that got stolen back in November.I was ogling it right from the start, but I didn't dare buy it , as I reasoned with myself that I do not really need that camera , and to look somewhere lower at price range.But I finally gave in , and , boy , I LOVE that I did buy it , pictures are AWESOME! been tinkering with the settings , trying to learn the camera...my only complaint is that sometimes flash is too much!! I try to tinker with ISO speeds , and it works without flash as a charm!

I hope I can find a tutorial that is specific for the camera I have , explaining the differences with ISO and whatnot.I'll ask to the store I bought the camera from when I have some time.Also , that camera has an amazing power reserve , my other camera used AA batteries too , but they tended to run out quickly.these are STILL going strong!!! I got some 300 pictures this week , most were deleted though LOL so in my memory card I have only 100 LOL!

I'm off to do some collegework and later maybe find an ISO tutorial!

Birthday fun , and friendship fun

Happy birthday to me , yesterday was my birthday.

Had a good time..even on my own! Nobody could come to cut a cake..but I didn't mind much! I just spoiled myself..ordered a pizza for dinner..watched my videos till 2 am and chatted with friends , although Katie made me bust my ass in laughter! She was ranting about no subtitles for a particular show in facebook..and everybody chipped in..till I said..be thankful , we don't have subtitles here in Greece , except in foreign captioned movies.Katie then took it up a notch , she was so sure of the subs in Greece ( she was here playing footy ) that I started laughing , and I imagined her all done up and swiveling a drink , proclaiming it , and I was all like didn't u heard the english voices.LOL! turns out though that Katie was just operated with CI and didn't heard much.But she was so sure of that..and I LOVED THAT! I loved that she was so happy , so sure of her knowledge , and even when she recognized the mistake , she just laughed along merrily.I felt like she was beside me , making me busting my ass in laughter with her antics, swinging about her drink and making everyone laughing!

I also loved that we were exchanging emails with Rachel , talk a bit over fb , that we everyday talk with Laura and she's made me admire her strength and perseverance.Since CI , I feel like I'm surrounded with good friends , that know what's there in for me , and they support me , even from online.Don't get me wrong , I do have some friends here in Greece , good friends mind you , but most are hearing.Only one friend has a nephew that also has CI and another couple are Deaf( one talking like me with HA's , other deaf totally signing only) .but it's nice to know people that 'get it' how it is with CI.

So , here's to 8 n half months with CI , to 8 months with getting CI friends , to 8 months of happiness because I felt that someone understood me! So , thanks Katie-Louise , thanks Laura , thanks Rachel , I wanna thank everyone..but I've run out of names! lol! ( and no way am I gonna thank your twin Little Miss Trouble!! lol!! )

My day..

My day with my new glasses couldn't have gone better..they're plastic and so light that I actually forgot that I had them on all the day..and I can see better ( my prescription had changed so I had to change the lenses too. ) , but the most important thing? they're very thin..like when u don't wear them..so my CI is sitting right behind my ear.

with my old glasses CI was sitting on the shell of my ear , and were falling often.very often.If I bent down they were on the floor or in the air and I was making a wild grab for CI or glasses.Most of the time for both.I nearly had an accident with CI almost falling in the toilet..YUCK! But I didn't grab my glasses in time either..lol!

Yesterday I charged the brown battery , also I put a brown microphone protector , Dry'n'Store - ed my CI , and today I wore it from the time I was out..( habit I'd acquired as with my old glasses my ear got sore too quickly , now I have to break myself of it.. ) and battery 8 hours later is still going strong! I'm really impressed! will drain it to see how much juice actually it has! and to cap matters..my ear hasn't gone sore as much as other days..( well it has to heal a bit from days past..I estimate in a week I'll be good to go!! )

Also , at first I didn't like ADRO map much.I missed my HA..well guess what..I turned it to Auto , had it for almost a month, no problems! today I said..hmmm lets turn it back to ADRO..well guess what..I hear better with it , only problem is that cars are way too loud! oh well I'll get used to it..Auto seems better for when I'm somewhere that has too much noise..ADRO for other settings..I haven't used BEAM or music b/c I forgot to which slots they are in...( I do listen to music , just not as often as most do , since I've never heard much in music with HA , and I usually turn on the stereo on my pc! )

When I cooked , I always removed my CI..afraid of frying it..lol!! today , no problems..I was so busy cooking that I forgot of my precaution! when I set up to have my dinner..I realized..I still have CI on!

also Rechargeable versus Disposables ? big way the rechargeable..make CI feel lighter somehow...and saves money too..not to mention planet resources!

I'm happier these days..*whistle*

Batteries...Yet again!

I've purchased the charger and two batteries..on my own..

I don't even hope that insurance will do anything , or , even Cochlear.It should at least lower the prices at Greece.

When I saw the tiny charger my first thought was..what? that thing is intended to be sold here for $1,280 ???? Sorry but it's too tiny and puny..specially when I acquired it for $ 165 from an abroad site.

Needless to say that the charger price , now that I've told of the price differences to other parents at the SLP's office I go to , caused a bit of a stir! and I expect tomorrow that I will bring it out and show it and let them try it out..will cause more stir...

I haven't tried them out yet , as I received it rather late..but , tomorrow is a new day...

will tell u more details tomorrow..!!

But I still can't believe they try to leech that many money from something so basic!

Insurance in Greece..

Happy New Year!!

I have had neglected that blog..I have quite a few things to write about...

First of all , since Rachel saw this post , we have e-mailed online , and connected on Facebook..

And she posted that above entry , in her blog along with Robyn's story..

And I'm thrilled..it might help , it might not , but at least , it builds awareness!!

On other news ...

Well my particular post office that is in my area , started the proccess in receiving packages from abroad , a bit of a nightmare , to have me to wait at least a few days to receive it..ugh!! and I am wondering..are the few money I'm saving , really worth of all this hassle ? For the time being , I did not order the monthly package with the disposable batteries, as I quite dread the process..and I started rationing my CI use..I wear it only when I'm out and about..when I'm at home , I utilize lipreading.thankfully , Greek is one of the easiest languages to lipread.

Yes , insurance covers batteries , only by choice..some people in the same insurance don't cover them , some do...and seeing as my insurance is expiring soon , I decided it was not worth the hassle.

So I tried to reason with my parents to buy the rechargeables..well , that did not go down well..

They thought that since CI operation , all the costs would be more cut down.*sigh* and it was quite an awakening for them..We're in debate of a sorts about that..

But the best thing , post - CI , is my connecting with a few people..networking , either abroad or in Greece..

And I've met this Christmas , a mother of three adult sons , that wants to do an implant.she's in the proccess of approving. We talked a lot..and I hope her operation goes well!!!

And I've met in September a family , that implanted their boy..who just said this Christmas his first word! the most precious gift for his family..who are so thankful for me suggesting a bet AVT/SLP , and with who I've formed a good bond , and I want to know all about them..it is so heartwarming to see them! We met again on the holidays , exchanged presents and we watched and interacted with the little boy.He's amazing..although his story is not...

And I correspond online sometimes with another family..



And I also wanted to expand on the previous post which I've linked. Since I re- read it at Rachel's blog , I wanted to clarify a few things..

First of all , my Cochlear Freedom box contained everything that is in the US boxes , EXCEPT the rechargeables and the charger OR even , second CI , heavens forbid!!, and also in the US box , they also have a 60-pack of disposables.My box contained only a six pack..oh , yes , your ears do not deceive you...I had to buy my own box for 100.729$ ( 75 euros )....

And also , the prices since last post have been jacked up in Greece..meanwhile , the prices fell down everywhere else , making the difference more higher. And I do not know how higher are they, since I haven't gone to the office that represents Cochlear here, to investigate , nor I want to...

So I buy the batteries for 73.8676$ ( 55 euros ) from an online shop...almost every month I have to plug it and pay..but since the post office debacle , I've started doing every two months , and rationing CI use..

Maybe the people that DO have money difficulties and are having even this one CI , SHOULD receive the rechargeables..regardless of the country..

Maybe Cochlear needs to see that every box is standartized , regardless of the country.maybe that way , there would be a lot less complaints.





So in all..it's a bit frustrating!

but I want to thank Rachel for blogging the issue , and wanting to help..at least , people interaction , helps advocating..

Did I say that the Internet is the most wonderful place for us CI people to connect ????

I hope you had a good holiday!!

Riots in Greece

I did not want to post something like this..but riots in Greece are a fact just now..

I'm posting an article from the English version of greek newspaper Kathimerini , its from Nikos Konstantaras...

I quote :

The rising tide of anger and despair of the past few years now has its martyr, a 15-year-old boy whose blood will be used to bind together every disparate protest and complaint into a platform of righteous rage against all the ills of our society (endemic and imported). Andreas Grigoropoulos – shot and killed by a police officer in Exarchia on Saturday night, caught in the crossfire of indifference, intolerance, stupidity and criminal neglect that allows minor problems to grow until they come to undermine our very society – will quickly become a flag of convenience for anyone who has a grudge against the state, the government, the economic system, foreign powers, capitalism and so on. The anger that every citizen feels when faced by the death of a young person murdered by employees of the state will be channeled into the renewal of public protests for any number of social or economic reasons. Political movements will reshape their policies around the public exploitation of the cult of the innocent murdered by the state. The state and the government, their hands indisputably dipped in blood, will now devote themselves entirely to their self-preservation; they will do nothing for the country’s inhabitants other than try to placate them with many words and little action.

If Greece had already appeared difficult to govern, it will now be out of control, as we can ascertain by the government’s grovelling and the police force’s spiteful inaction in the face of widespread rioting across the country over the past two days. If the members of the government had already given the impression that they would rather be doing something other than governing (seemingly incapable of dealing with the fallout from the controversial Vatopedi monastery land swap and the country’s runaway deficits), now they will try to vanish without a trace. If self-proclaimed anarchists had acted as if they had a grudge against the state, now that their aimless rage has been sanctified with the blood of one of their own, they will rampage until the last store, the last car, the last trash can in central Athens is burned. The romance of reaction against a nebulous, apologetic “establishment” and the impunity that these groups will enjoy for the foreseeable future, will ensure that the anarchists’ ranks keep swelling. If mainstream political groupings were trying to regain some of the street credibility they had lost by being pampered pets of the system, the blood that everyone now claims as their own will again see our bourgeois intellectuals at the barricades – this time with a score to settle, rather than expressing the rapacious though vacuous dreams of a generation ago, in 1968.

If common citizens and hapless immigrants/refugees had already felt fear because of the absence of a caring state, today we all know deep down that it is “every man for himself.” Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos has already said as much: “The police will be on the defensive.” In other words, the institutional incompetence that resulted in a police officer’s criminal act will now be presented as a policy of wise restraint. We have already witnessed its results in the fires that keep springing up in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities across the country.

It is undeniably tragic that the meaningless but dangerous game of cowboys and Indians that has been played in Exarchia for decades should lead to the loss of life. It is tragic that the loss of one life should highlight so many impasses in our society and our politics. Instead of seeing that our refusal to resolve problems makes them intractable, I fear the way that we will use this death will simply make our problems worse.

I can't agree more..a child's death , is used..

Thessaloniki , were I live , the center is going brown from the chemicals , colleges and universities are shut down for the week , shops banks , destroyed..

and all these for what ? what will it achieve ?

Christmassy post -- part one

So , today I decided to decorate my apartment.It's almost Christmas.

It was fun!

Did you know that most tree lights have music coming out of them , even if it's tinny?

I didn't *chuckle* , but it definitely was a CI moment.I was like searching for the radio remote..was thinking I had left the radio open *LOL*

Did you know that if you hit 2 decoration balls together they clink very softly.

I did knew , I was told of it , but never HEARD of it.not until today.YAY!

Did you know that most of my christmas stuff had some sort of song?

I just got aware of that fact.

After I sat , looking at the tree..I got aware of one sad fact..I don't have any pictures to take you.My cell phone camera is pretty crappy.

So , I decided to do my wishlist.And I compared my differences.Every year , I'd have , a long list.Year after year. I'd want a lot of things that I didn't have.

This year seems so different.only 4 or 5 things are on my list.and most are things that WILL make my life easier. Like some door alerting stuff , as when I'm in my apartment , I have CI off to relax after college.Like the FM system.Or the rechargeables.Or like a good replacement camera for the stolen one.

It is a short list.

But year after year , I always hope I would have them.This year, I do know I won't have them.Not unless I do it myself.

But I wish , there was some christmas magic, to find some unknown pressies under the tree, just for having some of the magic.

I need that magic.But everyone says that I'm an adult now and have to behave accordingly.And adults don't have magic.

So I'm looking and looking.When someone sees me looking at these things , I always say , they're not for me.For a friend.Lie.But , I don't want for once to say that I need or want these things, as when I told them I was always admonished.

So , I just go along , try to find myself.But sometimes a little magic help is appreciated.and needed.

Sorry if this post is a little upper or downer, you choose.

Or maybe I read a bit too much Harry Potter books and fanfiction.But it's a proud addiction of me.Fantasy and sci-fi books enthrall me , bring me to other worlds , that my problems simply don't exist.

But my secret wish is this.To wake up in Christmas , and find presents under the tree.And they will be just *what* I need and want.And even that , to find that happiness , like a child , is just invaluable.