I can hear!

[Crystal11]

Hello everyone- Crystal here. This is sort of off-topic of Epilepsy but I wanted to let everyone know that I got some new Ultra-Power hearing aids (Naida 5) by Phonak. My hearing has gone down some to 90% loss in my left and 95% or decibel loss in my right. Normal hearing is 0-20db. 120-130 is total deafness so I'm not far away- but I hope it keeps stable and doesnt change on me any more. I've used hearing aids for 10 years now and have lost hearing over the years. These are my third set of hearing aids (they are pretty translucent purple hehe) and I use both speech and sign language or "total communication" daily.
Now that I can hear my own voice better (I don't like it) - I have a hard time understanding what I'm saying- but know what i'm saying since I'm obviously think of it. I am hearing some things for the first time ever. I heard rice boiling today, then I heard a train from outside my apartment and then my guide dog barked and made me jump. My hearing aids amplify things extremely loud- my friend Rachel can hear the program changing or the beeps that tell me its changing. My hearing aids go to 144db gain/output which is quite high.
I told my audiologist "How do hearing people live with hearing so many little sounds?" He said "We get used to it and tune them out eventually."
Just the other night, we had a storm and for the first time, I heard rain and thunder and when the thunder was above the apartment roof- it made a noise and made me scream. I felt kinda silly but my hearing aids amplify things over 90db to over 144. 120 db for a hearing person is threshold of pain. 120 is equivalent to someone shouting loudly in your ear or a rock concert.
Anyways- I have been exploring the hearing world but kinda bummed that I cannot understand speech totally yet. I can understand people that I know about 50 percent of the time- but still use sign language to confirm words or clarify sentences.
Its weird to notice what you have been missing for so long. As a musician, I hope to hear my music better- in the studio I use EQ processors and amps just to hear piano and other sounds. We have very nice neighbors that don't mind us blasting the studio hehehe.

Anyways- take care everyone and be safe.

 

[Meetz1064]

Oh, Crystal.......

That is so VERY COOOLLLL!! I am very, very, very happy for you! As the mom of a nearly deaf child, I can understand where you're at somewhat..and I am TOTALLY thrilled for you!

YEAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!:clap::clap::woot::woot:

 

[epileric]

I agree

That is sooo great!!!! :rock: :banana:

My advice is that when you have time you just go for a long walk by yourself & just enjoy the sounds. You have to get used to hearing them anyway.

You play keyboards, don't you? If so so you should start looking at the various headphones that give you the best acoustics to hear yourself.

 

[Cint]

And I agree...

with Epileric....
go out for a walk and enjoy the sounds of nature as well and hear the sounds of life.

Hooray for you! :clap: :woot:

 

[alivenwell]

Congrats! I've heard your music on Youtube and find it very soothing.

Do cochlear implants do anything better? Just curious...

 

[CathyAnn31]

Most excellent! I am happy for you.

 

[Crystal11]

Epileric- I do have a studio in my apartment and we use many additional things to amplify our music to hear it. With these hearing aids, there is a music setting but I'm still confused to the sound I"m hearing. As for headphones, i have not been able to use those since I was 13. They just don't get loud enough. My hearing loss is 90% which means the sound source would have to start at least 90db or higher then by amplified to around 110 for me to hear it at all.

Alivenwell- Cochlear implants do help but I do not have one. I think as long as powerful hearing aids help me, I would rather stick to them. Cochlear implants make a more computerized sound compared to hearing aids. The doctors totally kill the auditory nerve and the olny sound you hear is what the cochlear imp is sending your brain. It doesnt work well with music.

Everyone- thank you to everyone. I am happy to have new hearing aids finally. I have taken a long walk with my sis and friend and hearing birds and dogs barking and even me walking on the side walk was strange. Some noises I don't understand and don't know how to react to them at all. I really don't know what I don't know/or have heard.
Its a whole new experience for me and it will take a while to get used to actually hearing.
Voices are still hard to understand and I hope that gets better soon. It will take a little while for my brain to adjust to so much audio input.

Thanks everyone
Crystal

 

[seizingbeauty]

Congrats Crystal :woot:

 

[Nakamova]

That's great news! I hope you get used to all the new sounds coming your way, and hope a lot of them are soothing rather than startling. Stay away from drag clubs (I was at one for a bachelorette party on Friday) -- the noise from the pounding disco music was over the top, and I had neglected to bring ear plugs...

 

[skillefer]

Yay Crystal!! I have an audiologist appt. on Wedn. Hopefully, they'll be able to help me get more of my hearing back. Hubby says the baby said "mama" last week. I know that she's too young to be saying that and knowing what she's saying, but it was kinda sad. Anyway, hopefully the docs can help. The hearing aids I have are ok, but not that great. Wish me luck!

 

[KelVarQ]

Wow!

Crystal that's awesome! I'm so happy for you. I can sort of relate since after RTL my sense of hearing became heightened for a few weeks and WOW was it wild. I have normal hearing but after the surgery I was like the bionic woman with impeccable hearing. It was fun for a while, but I understand how you can wonder how people deal with hearing so much. I remember my husband and mother were watching TV and for me it was blarring! To give you an idea the norm volume for the TV is about 30 and I was hearing it perfectly clear at 4. It was shocking for a while and even fun in the beginning, but today my hearing is still a little better than normal but not as sensitive as it was and I have gotten used to it and no longer recognize the difference. ENJOY THE NEW SOUNDS AND EXPERIENCE!

 

[Crystal11]

Skillefer- I surely will wish you luck. Going to the audiologist is not exactly fun but I hope they can help you like mine did for me. He chose the latest technology by Phonak. They are Naida 5 hearing aids and mine are clear-purple hehehe. Anyways I use an Icom with it which connect to the TV or XM radio or anything with audio output- you might ask for them if you have profound deafness. Phonak seems to the best in sound quality. I've had three sets of hearing aids by them and one by Oticon. I prefer Phonak though.
I WISH YOU LUCK and tell me how it goes!


Crystal

 

[Crystal11]

Oh I forgot- This morning I got up to make some coffee and I was sitting on the couch checking my email. And all of a suddent I hear this loud deep sound coming from the kitchen. I listened for a little bit and I don't know how to compare it but I found out its the coffee machine! It makes noises! LOL HAHAHA
Now when the heater or AC comes on- it sounds like a jet engine starting up then it sort of goes away as my hearing aid adds in sound to cancel out noise.
CRAZINESS!
I found myself in a real bad mood yesterday and just took my hearing aids off because it was just too much for my poor little brain hehehehe.
So many sounds.....


Crystal

 

[Nakamova]

That sounds like a good idea to give yourself a rest from all the new noises. Sort of tapering on to the hearing aid.

 

[Rae1889]

Crystal: THe sound of rain id my all time favourite. That and the crackling of a bon fire. I am so excited for you. There is so much to hear and take in. By far though, would be the music. That must be your all time high, being able to listen to your music how you meant it to be heard. Im so so happy for you! *im seriously being a grinning geek right now, because I love touching moments like this!!! UBER HUG*

 

[BuckeyeFan]

So happy for you! This Rocks!!:rock::rock:

So many sounds you have mentioned that we all take for granted. It must be amazing.

One sound you will love is the laugh of a little baby. In fact, any laughter!

 

[Crystal11]

I am picking up on more sounds now- but voices are still so hard to understand. My older hearing aids helped more with speech. But now my hearing has gotten worse and require ultra-power hearing aids. So far I've heard many new sounds and am happy but it is a hard adjustment. Music is a bit harder to understand- I still cannot hear high or low range but these hearing aids actually transpose those tones into my mid-range hearing I have left. So thats exciting. Still need some adjustments and we have to play around with equipment in the studio and see what we can work out to get a clean, clear sound- not muddy.
Anyways- thank you guys so much for kind comments. I am enjoying the "hearing world" more and more and am shore I will hear more soon!

Everyone take care..
Crystal and her guide, Umbro

 

[Bernard]

Fantastic for you Crystal. :mrt:

 

[Loopy Lou]

Congrats! I've heard your music on Youtube and find it very soothing.

Do cochlear implants do anything better? Just curious...

My cousin lost her hearing to meningitis when she was 11. Conventional hearing aids wouldn't have worked as there was nothing to work with.

She got cochlear implants, and after a year and a half of living in total silence, the look on her face was amazing. She hated the sound of plastic bags rustling though lol. She could listen to her music again, which was one of the things she really missed whilst she couldn't hear. It's still not perfect hearing, but considering she was absolutely, completely deaf, it's amazing. (edit - the outer bit of the implant is sort of magnetic and thats how it connects to the bit inside her head. She wasn't too impressed by her brothers putting fridge magnets on it!)

Crystal - i'm so glad for you! I know how you're feeling from what my cousin was like - she said it was so strange, hearing things she hadn't heard in a while. It must be scary too, to hear things you haven't heard before as it's all unknown. Congrats!:clap:

 

[seizingbeauty]

I have to say the sound of my coffee perking is one of my fav's! You reminded me to pay more attention this morning. Nevermind "Stop and smell the roses" this morning was " Pause and listen to the coffee maker" lol Thanks