Joining the Borg: Activation Day

The longest stretch of time seems to be from implantation to activation. Steve, Scott, and I headed over bright and early and actually had no traffic. We got to Dunwoody early, so we stopped at Einstein Brothers for a bagel....but who can eat at a time like this?

I knew Advanced Bionics was sending a rep to my activation. My audiologist is pretty new; she's still great and well trained, but AB will send a rep if you'd like, and I thought it would be a good idea. I walked into Dr. B's office to be greeted by three smiling members of the AB team. Susan, the senior clinical specialist, would be assisting Katie (my audi), and the other two (Apryl and Teresa) would be watching. They said watching activations never gets old...kind of like a LDR nurse never tires of seeing a birth.

AB reps at activation

In we went to Katie's office, where I was connected to the computer. First she checked the electrodes by seeing if I could hear a series of tones (more like zydeco drums). Even though I had implanted my good ear, it had been silent for 3 weeks. It felt great to hear something on that side! After the tones, Katie and Susan configured the comfortable loudness level. Then, it was time to activate!

Honestly, I have felt all along I would have a good activation. Often people who are late deafened do. I tried to temper these thoughts with reality. But inside, I thought: everything in this hearing journey had felt like the hand of God had been on it. I really didn't think He'd brought me to this point to only hear mush.

So, the proverbial switch was flipped. People talked. I heard what sounded like what I'd imagine in a low budget sci-fi flick. I imagined the dash of the cheap space ship flashing with unintelligible garble. Eek...is this what I'm going to get? Rats...it wasn't going to be a rock star activation. =(

Everyone kept talking, then something kind of clicked. Wait! I heard that...that was like a word. Then another...then another. I heard words!! Granted, the words sounded like everyone had waaaay too much helium before speaking, but they were words!!! Susan did a word test, and I got more than I missed (broccoli?? who threw that word in??). Then I repeated several sounds--and I wasn't lipreading because she covered her mouth. Steve said he couldn't even hear what she was saying, but I COULD! We all talked and laughed! Then someone on the other side of the room said something and I understood! I haven't understood someone 6 feet away in years! At this point, there wasn't a dry eye in the room--pass the kleenex, thank you very much. I am a rock star!! (Alvin and the Chipmunks and Mickey Mouse are both stars...and if voices sound like theirs for a while, that's ok!)

Scott, my videographer and love!

On the way home, I was able to talk to Steve and Scott without looking at them. Wow! This is so cool. Scott tormented me by crumpling a roll of paper towels (just to see if I could hear it)...what an annoying sound.

Back at the house, I experimented with a variety of sounds most take for granted. Water is really loud! The dog laps water really loud. Salt in a shaker makes noise. The doorbell isn't broken...

I wanted to let my friends know my results...but I wanted to tell my mom first. Mom doesn't do facebook, so I picked up the phone (most CI patients cannot hear on a phone for a long time, but I have a caption phone). I was able to talk to my mom...and I didn't need the captions for most of the call. Using the phone on activation day just is unheard of...I truly was a rock star! My mom was overjoyed that we could have a phone conversation again...and there might have been some tears involved!

I sent a text to my best friend, Amy. I wanted to see if I could hear her voice, so I asked her to come over. We went to do a few errands. On the way, we could talk...and I heard nearly every word without looking at her mouth!

Amy and I in the wind chime section

Last week I went to Hobby Lobby. I rang the wind chimes, hoping to find one I could hear. Only the one with the big pipes was a low enough tone that I heard it. So, Amy and I headed to the Hob Lob to give the chimes a ring. I closed my eyes and told Amy to ring something...and I heard it! In fact, I heard every chime in the store...because I rang every chime!!! A few women came around the corner and one said, "You seem to be enjoying yourself." (read: aren't you too old to be ringing the wind chimes like a little kid?) I said,"I am!! I got a cochlear implant and haven't heard wind chimes in years...today is my first time and I can hear them all!!" She got so emotional...she cried. (note to self: when someone is acting bizarre in public, there might be a good reason).

Next up: end of band camp show. I could hear some of what the band director said through the microphone--not all, not even most, but some. Before I would not have known someone was talking. The kids sounded great--and I was glad to have a volume control!

We went for a pizza afterwards. The restaurant was incredibly loud...miserably so. I put the volume as low as possible and ate fast. By the time I got home, I was on serious listening fatigue. I went to bed at 9:30.

Advanced Bionics has a forum for people to share info on cochlear implants. It's called Hearing Journey--because this is a journey. Activation day is just the start. Each day my hearing will improve and become more "normal," or at least, my new normal.

Thank you all for joining me on my journey!