Splendid Isolation

Well here we are again in the isolation tank.

What you been doing today, anything? Me neither.

Been scrabbling a bit, I mean Lexulousing [boo hiss Hasbro!] during this period of convalescence. Bit of reading, a LOT of blogging, what with the Curse, AcmeNews [due any day now], Carcinoma diary [updated for Cochlear]. Poor old MyRecipes is feeling a bit left out! Maybe next week.

So the GP checked the wound yesterday - nice and dry. Little bit of dizziness today. Not so much that the boat is sailing the bounding vein but more like the plane is navigating in a strong headwind. 

And the inevitable lethargy. Went out this morning, just to get out, get the mail, maybe have a cuppa at NortyPlaza or lunch. Had to come back. This operation has been different from others. Longer, so maybe the anaesthetic has taken a greater toll and there's more damage, what with tonsils in the way, bruising.

If the weather picks up tomorrow [Friday, rumoured to be 36C] maybe 'Sculpture by the Sea' maybe see you there! Otherwise might get some pics - material for the next instalment...

Good Night!   

 

Animated movie explains the mechanism

Here is the movie from the Cochlear people.

It explains how the mechanism delivers sound to the brain.

[requires Flash and a fast connection]

Cochlear Ltd YouTube Channel - http://au.youtube.com/user/CochlearLtd

[captions included]

Cochlear Ltd Home page - Cochlear Ltd

Recovery underway

Well it's been almost a week.

Today I have metallic taste - whether this is nerve effect or the fact that my poor tongue was mangled a bit during the operation is a bone of contention.

No more blood from the tonsil, also mangled.

[Was the anaesthetist trying to park his car in there or something?]

Bruised neck.

Swelling seems to be going.

I had a minimal black eye, that's still there.

Wound is nice and dry - haven't been able to wash hair for a week. Good thing it's only 0.5cm long!

The GP will check the state of the wound tomorrow and I expect that the dressing will be removed.

After Switch-on

In the quest for maximum input for the recipient the SCIC people have already scheduled me for a series of appointments, starting with the 'Switch-on', which is just about as ceremonial as one can get!

Only thing missing is a certificate or TShirts [hmmm business opportunity brewing].

They encourage you to have your relatives on-site when the initial activation occurs, and as with so much of the stuff, encourage you to fully-inform [I mean fully] of the activities you're about to undertake.

I can see how the initial Switch-on could be a very emotional time. I'm prepared for the inevitable tears. And I think I won't be the only one bawling my eyes out either. [Should that be neither? Hmm, maybe a double-negative on the 'won't']

Anyway, so we have Switch-on on 12 November as previously-mentioned. That'll be the most emotional part, although I can think of other emotional parts - first hearing of butcher birds, your voice, surf, music, the iPhone [I've yet to hear one ring]. So please excuse any lacrimonious lapses should they occur.

After that, there's appointments set for weeks 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12. The 6 monthly and yearly reviews. Talk about thorough.

So that's the next six months taken care of - tweaking the settings and other SCIC activities, lip-reading, and doing the blog. Who has any more time?!

Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre [SCIC]

Another Date with Destiny

The date for switch-on has been set to 12 November 2008.

On that date I'll be fitted with the external part of the mechanism called the Speech Processor.

And thats just the start of the process of fine-tuning, getting the optimal result for my situation.

I aim to hear you talking, butcher birds singing, TV. It probably won't be normal or immediate but thats the goal.

Before and After Shots

Here is a shot of the rear of my right ear before the surgery. Hair cut especially short for the operation [sorry about the crap weather on Wednesday and Thursday - when I get a short haircut, the weather always turns nasty] 

Straight-on side shot - Nice and neat. I think it will come back to that, with a little bulge behind the ear, if others' experience is anything to go on.

Hi-ho, hi-ho it's off to the Op we go...

Let's see - got the booties, got the sack of gear in the pink bag. Very stylish.

Post-op. I woke up with this pillow attached to the side of me 'ead.

Bit out of it. Slept most of the next day.

Of course it's "the bed number of doom" but not of my choice.

Here's the aftermath. Not too bad a job. should tidy-up quite nicely and with a bit of hair you'll never notice it. There'll be a "hearing-aid" looking device there later, so you'll see that, although hair should cover that too.

Notice the purple dot on my ear-lobe - that means "This one, not the other one..."

New Tinnitus Channels

Update 22 October 2008
I had my Cochlear implant on wednesday.
The tinnitus is still going strong and different. Sometimes softer, sometimes louder, always different.

New channels
• Mens choir [cant quite make out what they're singing]
• Paris ambulance is back after a long absence
• Men speaking in the next room
• New musical soundtrack
• Sound of outboard motor, or motorbike engine

Date with Destiny

The twenty-second of October 2008 will go down in history as the date I received my Cochlear Implant.

The operation apparently went for four hours, under ten minutes from my perspective. I remember being in the ante-chamber with the anaesthetist [anaesthesiologist to the americans] then being wheeled into the operating room [O.R. to the americans]. They had given me some injections via one of those easy-injectorisers in my poor hand. Then I woke up somewhat groggy in another room. 

I had a pillow tied to the side of my head. And it ached.

My mouth was VERY dry [remember, no saliva] after not drinking since 10pm the previous [tuesday] night [3pm wednesday by now].

The rest of the day was spent drifting in and out of restless, not even, slumber. More like re-unconsciousness. Not restful.

In and out of sleep until 2:30 thursday, got up walked around the darkened ward, back to bed, repeat every hour or so until 6am when they get EVERYBODY up. Get OUT!

So, they'd damaged my right tonsil [yes I still have them] forcing a tube down my throat [hurts, and blood too] but generally a neat job. Can't get anything wet ear-wise for at least 2 weeks and I'm on antibiotics and paracetamol for the not very much pain [considering].

Right now 9pm thursday - it's a bleak nite outside. Just had some family over for dinner. Right of my head aches. Tired.

Let's hope.

Big Wednesday

The big day is tomorrow. Coincidentally my #1 cochlear contact is having his second implant the same day [Me - RPAH, he - Westmead]. There's too many coincidences in this exercise.

How do I feel about it?
After so many operations and treatments over the past six years I'm prepared, not worried. I hope that the result is as good as many say it is. I mean many. Not looking forward to the prolonged recovery and acclimatisation ahead. Boredom will inevitably set-in, I'll be ready for 'switch-on' in three weeks or so. And I hope I can hear something, but there's no guarantees.

On TV a couple of weeks ago I saw on 'Talking Heads' an interview with the cochlear pioneer Prof Graeme Clark. Impressed with his humility but also his drive to achieve "perfect hearing" for implantees. I emailed him as soon as the program finished.

Transcript here

The Call was Received

Today I received the call that I have been scheduled for the installation of a Cochlear Implant. The operation will occur on Wednesday 22 October 2008.
More news as it happens

Lip-reading Classes

We attended our first lip-reading class today.

A bit daunting at first. We were the newcomers and they all seemed very social.
We started off slowly and my minder said they were acting as though I wasn't deaf - she had to keep reminding them - he can't hear, he's deaf! Hard of hearing is a relative thing, I'm at the bottom of the scale, but also at the top from the other point of view.

It appears I have [as I suspected] been unconsciously lip-reading to a degree. [There can be no lip-reading if your head's in the cupboard can there?]
I was able to get the gist of a lot of what was said. Of course the teacher was speaking very clearly for the class. Some things came out ridiculous. Luckily I could check what was actually said on another sheet of paper! Numbers came quite easily.

After an intense hour of lip-reading the class finished and our classmates all scuttled off to parts unknown. We signed-up and paid the subscription. I can certainly recommend the class, even if you're not completely deaf!

We also met two volunteers who are themselves cochlear recipients. They all seem like a nice bunch, mature. One fellow said [I think] "Dont worry we'll take care of you" and I think they will.

Better Hearing Australia [Sydney]

I met Rick

I went to his office in the city.
We met in Martin Place - I think he picked me out, wearing all black adrift on the sea of suits. I suppose I stood out.

We went to his office and spoke generally but also specifically about some aspects of the implant only a recipient might now. Like how things sound via the implant. Also some handy tips - DVD player on the train while commuting [he's a movie buff, something else to talk about] with the implant off and the subtitles ON.

[This is a big thing - some of you will know that I enjoy the odd movie, in a cinema. How can I do that now without subtitles? No dialogue, no music, no sound effects]

Anyway it was a very positive meeting. He's very accommodating as are all the cochlear community. I think it is a community.

Meeting an Implant Recipient

As part of the process the Cochlear Implant people recommend that prospective implantees meet other people who have been implanted. They try to match you to someone in similar circumstances or similar background, but everyone is different

It's a way of allaying fears and misconceptions prospects might have and broadens the real knowledge of the intended recipient.

There are two I will meet.

One fellow is a IT consultant and there'll be more about that later

The other, if I remember the story correctly, is a girl who is under-10 deaf since birth.

She is now able to play the trumpet. And her father took up the trumpet too so he could play with her! How's that!?

There'll be more as it comes to hand

Getting an Implant, What's Involved?

The mechanical side goes something like this.
A Sound Processor is fitted like a hearing aid behind the ear. This captures sound and coverts it to a digital signal, like my hearing aids do.
The Processor then sends the digital signals to an internal implant which contains an electrode array.
The internal implant then stimulates the hearing nerve directly, via the electrodes, bypassing the natural eardrum and other structures in the outer ear and inner ear.

Surgery
During the surgery a little coil is inserted into the cochlea [Wikipedia link]. It spirals around within the cochlea itself. It's very small! This coil carries the electrodes which stimulate the nerve.
During the same surgical session, the part which is mounted under the skin on the back of the head is also put in place. You see the outside part of that on the back of people's heads.
The operation takes about 2-3 hours, or 5 seconds if you're the recipient!

Why do it?
At this point in time, I have NO hearing. None. Tinnitus doesn't count, although I have PLENTY of that!
I can't speak to you one-to-one easily, you have to write me notes. I can't hear music, birds, surf, cats meowing. I can't hear that car that's about to run me over.
OK we can do text via the internet and I can have a phone call via the NRS [excellent service]. People have said it's a blessing in disguise - maybe it is for five minutes but I think it's potentially dangerous, both physically and mentally!
Anyway - that's why I'm doin' it.


Links
Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre
Wikipedia, about [Cochlear Implants]
National Relay Service

Cochlear Assessment #2A

I met with the Senior Audiologist on Friday 19 at SCIC HQ
Thank goodness for the Health Advocate, acting as my ears. Even so, the organisation seems very welcoming for people in my predicament.
We went thru the physiological aspects of the implant, with an actual bit of someone's skull! The little bones and the tunnels. Very awe-inspiring. Very.

It appears that my situation is good for the implant. I'm in the queue
Once the implant is implanted, via surgery, there'll be a healing period before switch-on [seems they have a term for this], when the implant is activated.
Then there'll be approximately six months of adjustment, both the implant and me I expect.

Waiting on the next appointment

Cochlear Assessment #2

The second appointment, when I'll meet my co-ordinator and support team has been scheduled for Friday 19 September. The appointment will be held at the SCIC HQ at Gladesville Hospital, coincidentally where I lived for a time in the 70s. Too many coincidences in this cochlear business.

Cochlear Assessment

Today I had the assessment to see if I am a candidate for a cochlear implant.
The procedure went like this. The cochDoc inserted an electrode directly into each inner ear one-at-a-time and stimulated each one. Amazingly I could hear the sounds generated, mostly sounding like crickets or frogs and I had to say when the volume was increased/decreased, and rhythm within the sounds.

When he stimulated the left ear it induced a sense of dizziness, apparently that means my balance centre-the labyrinth is intact.Therefore, they will leave this side and implant the right side.

Waiting time? Seven months.

What can I do? I need to be able to hear what you say [make it interesting], and the higgledy-piggledy birds and function as a [relatively] normal human being.

Delayed - continue circling

A minor setback
The scheduled assessment intended for 20 August has been postponed due to illness. The cochlearDoc is sick with a virus. I hope it's not the one I have!

So, holding for a new appointment date.
•UPDATE• New appointment 5 September

Condition: Stable on 100% deafness, 110% for the Olympics!

How to Subscribe

Use the RSS, Luke!
You don't need to keep coming back here to check if I've written anything new. Let your computer do the walking...

Here's how
Subscribe to the RSS feed [or Atom]
Mac OSX10.5
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OSX 10.4 users - use Safari, won't work in Mail, or Firefox not available in Entourage or Internet Explorer in Mac-Land

Macs and those other machines
Firefox [click]
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PCs only
Internet Explorer [click]
Outlook pre-2007 [click]
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Plug-ins
On the Mozilla group you can also install RSS plugins - mini add-ons which enhance the functionality and allow you to subscribe and view the feeds in your browser. Too many to go into here. They all work the same way. Locate the feed address, bookmark it and then the computer checks for updates on a regular basis. I've tried a couple an Sage works pretty well, if you think you need to something other than the built-in options.
Plug-ins for Firefox are available [here]. Follow the instructions to install.

Still Looking?
Search Google for "RSS reader" sites for the lists of RSS aggregators. Take your pick!
Good thing about the Mozilla based ones - they're ranked by popularity and other factors.

The Critics are Raving

Here's what the critics haven't said about the blockbuster new blog "Curse of Silence"

Condi, I got it! That Bud Abbott guy in Orstraya, says Hu's the President of China! - GWBush
[Earlier] That's right, Lou [Costello]. What's this blog on second and I got no freakin' idea what's on third. Have we told you we love you? - TAbbott, MP
Mr President, what's a blarg? - CRice
Should I stay or should I go? Ego is not a dirty word! - PCostello, p/t MP
No all you scumbags got it all wrong! I'm on first treasurer in the World, Costello's in the Land of the Fairies, MadMonk is on second, never to progress. Bush and Rice, YOU're on third waiting for the bus if you had enough brain between you!! PKeating#1 Treasurer, Placido Domingo Society