Well Jeez! I'm tired! Not so much from the activation. I got 4 hours of sleep this morning after working until 3 AM. Then the appointment was at 10 AM. Factor in getting ready and driving time. But it's finally happened.
So I've been hooked up. After all the accounts I've read from various people as well as advice given....many of the precautions were unfounded. At the same time, they prepared me very well as to what to expect.
So what happened? First, we had to switch to the strongest magnet. While I don't have much visible swelling, there is enough to require more strength. Even then, it's fairly easy to knock it loose. Then Dawna began setting the T's and M's. They did register as beeps. Before turning it on, she gave me the usual warning and reminder that it will only get better from here on out. She said "Nothing can prepare you for the sound quality." It almost comes off like a word splash out of an old-time horror movie trailer. Then she flipped the switch.
Dawna's voice was the first voice I heard...quite frankly...it sounded like a compressed version of her voice with feedback (perceived, not real) accompanying it. Then I heard my Mom and Dad's voice along with Stephen's. So after reading about other's experiences with the Chipmunks and Darth Vader....I was floored by the fact that all 4 of their voices sounded like their own voices with extraneous layers. I had no problem telling the difference in each of their voices, male and female. I would not say it was clear by any means. I was not about to pick up the phone and have a conversation. But I passed the word tests that followed at 100%. Dawna would speak a word with her face hidden and I would choose from three choices. This was also done with sentences. None of these were a problem. She did do a sentence test without the aid of print, which I did not do that well at...but managed to get one completely right. Given I had been just turned on..that is alot.
The sound quality just isn't really the shock that so many warned me of. Perhaps I lucked out. I've had so many experiences with fluctuation over the years which yielded some pretty "broken" sound experiences that I guess I got used to it. The sound quality I have now actually hints at how much better it's going to get from here by already hearing some of the layers as normal, with some layers needing to be filled in. The speech is not several registers higher than it should be, at least not what I'm experiencing it as. There is plenty of bass in it. I did believe prior to all of this that I have a very strong auditory memory that I've kept alive by continuing to listen to music, even with my hearing being as technically poor as it was. I had to work at it, using the available hearing and my auditory memory to put it all together. So far, my theory seems to be proving true.
Another point worth mentioning is I required a considerable volume boost before leaving the office as I adapted to the initial setting quite quickly. I currently have two Hi-Res P's and one Hi Res S on my PSP. Dawna is not telling me which is which to avoid my being biased as opposed to just going with what actually sounds better.
A booth test was done using one of the programs I preferred at the moment with the usual beeps which found me testing within the speech bubble. So I can't complain about that either. I do not know the decibel level I tested at. At first, Dawna was going to give me a copy of it, but it had the strategies and their corresponding program slot on the processor written on it. So she changed her mind on that.
Just as with the surgery, today really could not have gone any better and it actually surpassed my expectations while meeting them. My hope was that I would have something I could use to help me along with lip reading as opposed to sitting in silence. I got that plus the fact that none of it is really all that alien as I was told it would be. Voices sound like voices and are distinguishable. Music, what I did hear of it incidentially, the rhythm was easily perceived and drums sound like drums..not some high pitched beep or anything like that. I heard a banjo while we walked around San Pedro's Port O Call Village, it sounded like a banjo. As for birds, while walking back to the car, I heard a crow and immediately knew what it was.
The only negative I can say has to do with the PSP. The wire from the headpiece is quite unwieldy. It sticks out in an arch and is somewhat stiff. I believe the only way I'll be able to get it to lay against my head without sticking out is by taping it down with a bandaid or something. But the fact is, I'm already considering opening my Auria processer and ponying up the cash for trade in when the time comes. It would be much easier and look better, not to mention having the T Mic at my disposal. In the meantime, I'm going to try and hold off on that.
I can only imagine what tomorrow's mapping will bring....
I can see through the mountains
Watch me disappear
I can even touch the sky
Swallowing colours of the sound I hear
Am I just a crazy guy
You bet
Flying High Again - Ozzy Osbourne
So I've been hooked up. After all the accounts I've read from various people as well as advice given....many of the precautions were unfounded. At the same time, they prepared me very well as to what to expect.
So what happened? First, we had to switch to the strongest magnet. While I don't have much visible swelling, there is enough to require more strength. Even then, it's fairly easy to knock it loose. Then Dawna began setting the T's and M's. They did register as beeps. Before turning it on, she gave me the usual warning and reminder that it will only get better from here on out. She said "Nothing can prepare you for the sound quality." It almost comes off like a word splash out of an old-time horror movie trailer. Then she flipped the switch.
Dawna's voice was the first voice I heard...quite frankly...it sounded like a compressed version of her voice with feedback (perceived, not real) accompanying it. Then I heard my Mom and Dad's voice along with Stephen's. So after reading about other's experiences with the Chipmunks and Darth Vader....I was floored by the fact that all 4 of their voices sounded like their own voices with extraneous layers. I had no problem telling the difference in each of their voices, male and female. I would not say it was clear by any means. I was not about to pick up the phone and have a conversation. But I passed the word tests that followed at 100%. Dawna would speak a word with her face hidden and I would choose from three choices. This was also done with sentences. None of these were a problem. She did do a sentence test without the aid of print, which I did not do that well at...but managed to get one completely right. Given I had been just turned on..that is alot.
The sound quality just isn't really the shock that so many warned me of. Perhaps I lucked out. I've had so many experiences with fluctuation over the years which yielded some pretty "broken" sound experiences that I guess I got used to it. The sound quality I have now actually hints at how much better it's going to get from here by already hearing some of the layers as normal, with some layers needing to be filled in. The speech is not several registers higher than it should be, at least not what I'm experiencing it as. There is plenty of bass in it. I did believe prior to all of this that I have a very strong auditory memory that I've kept alive by continuing to listen to music, even with my hearing being as technically poor as it was. I had to work at it, using the available hearing and my auditory memory to put it all together. So far, my theory seems to be proving true.
Another point worth mentioning is I required a considerable volume boost before leaving the office as I adapted to the initial setting quite quickly. I currently have two Hi-Res P's and one Hi Res S on my PSP. Dawna is not telling me which is which to avoid my being biased as opposed to just going with what actually sounds better.
A booth test was done using one of the programs I preferred at the moment with the usual beeps which found me testing within the speech bubble. So I can't complain about that either. I do not know the decibel level I tested at. At first, Dawna was going to give me a copy of it, but it had the strategies and their corresponding program slot on the processor written on it. So she changed her mind on that.
Just as with the surgery, today really could not have gone any better and it actually surpassed my expectations while meeting them. My hope was that I would have something I could use to help me along with lip reading as opposed to sitting in silence. I got that plus the fact that none of it is really all that alien as I was told it would be. Voices sound like voices and are distinguishable. Music, what I did hear of it incidentially, the rhythm was easily perceived and drums sound like drums..not some high pitched beep or anything like that. I heard a banjo while we walked around San Pedro's Port O Call Village, it sounded like a banjo. As for birds, while walking back to the car, I heard a crow and immediately knew what it was.
The only negative I can say has to do with the PSP. The wire from the headpiece is quite unwieldy. It sticks out in an arch and is somewhat stiff. I believe the only way I'll be able to get it to lay against my head without sticking out is by taping it down with a bandaid or something. But the fact is, I'm already considering opening my Auria processer and ponying up the cash for trade in when the time comes. It would be much easier and look better, not to mention having the T Mic at my disposal. In the meantime, I'm going to try and hold off on that.
I can only imagine what tomorrow's mapping will bring....
I can see through the mountains
Watch me disappear
I can even touch the sky
Swallowing colours of the sound I hear
Am I just a crazy guy
You bet
Flying High Again - Ozzy Osbourne
posted by David R at 4:52 PM
3 Comments:
I'm SO GLAD you had such a GREAT activation!! I hope my esperience is anywhere near as nice as yours!! Waaaahhhh....mine's so far off!!!
How was today? Even better???
Did you say you got the AB implant? That's the one I'm considering....I am a total music lover and am hoping for super results....I can't imaginenot ever having my music again!!
Hi Jennifer! Yes, I have the AB implant. I will be a bit delayed on reporting the 2nd Day mapping. I needed a bit of a break. It did improve things a bit, though.
I just checked your blog for the first time in a while. I did not realize you had been turned on! Congrats!!
I'm still recovering. Still in pain..... NO fun!
I hope my activation goes as well as your seems to have.
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