Friday, I started using the Freedom processor since my N5 cochlear Implant hasn't been working well. Saturday all day the processor was fine and all of a sudden I hear the " ch ch ch" and then it powered off. For a second I thought I was dreaming. All day this happened and the crazy sound just wouldn't go away. Then the silence ( off) then right back on within seconds happened most of the night. I started to get upset but tried to remain positive as my audiologist is doing everything she can to figure this out and so is Cochlear. GOD she problem hates me although she keeps apologizing. It is strange this is happening with the FREEDOM. Sunday I woke up around 11am to put up the christmas tree with my niece. The processor was fine for about two hours and then my voice was disappearing and I wasn't able to understand what everyone is saying.I was missing out most of the time. The processor kept turning off. This keeps getting worst.
I just cant believe this is happening. I emailed my audiologist on Monday morning and even called her the moment she walked in the door. She then emailed me to say that this has been happening to long we need to get to the bottom of this but to keep wearing the processor for now. My audiologist emailed me back and said Cochlear will be coming on December 14th,2011, again so I will have to race back into the city. Cochlear is going to have to do some more testing or something else. Apparently when I saw them a month ago the integrity test was normal nothing showed up.
With that being said I am trying to remain calm as finals are happening in college and Christmas which is my favorite holiday. I really cannot wait for Christmas this will be the first Christmas hearing all these new sounds. On Monday the processor was fine then at 2pm it started to act up again in college.The crackly noises( ch ch ch ch ch) and hearing echos while my professor is talking when I know this is not his voice and my voice sounded awful. I was also talking and signing to my interpreter explaining to her my implant is not working properly still. I sounded like a robot and echo. Thats a new one because I heard myself talk three times. So I had to take the processor off at 2pm because I just couldn't take it anymore. I was about to walk out of class but didn't. This is just frustrating.... I came home around 6pm and immediately took off the processor because nothing has changed in the last few hours. I gave up and just wore my hearing aid in my Left ear.
What a difference from going back to my hearing aid because I need " SOMETHING" to help me get by at this point. Im supposed to be wearing my aid in my Left ear all the time but I dont. It was amazing that I missed almost everything that was being said with my hearing aid on which isn't unusual. I havent worn the hearing aid in so long I forgot all about that. Then I realized I cannot hear myself TALK with my hearing aid in my ear because a friend of mine on the phone said " WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING." Then I started to get emotional because I then realized I cannot live without MY COCHLEAR IMPLANT. The cochlear Implant has helped me so much the past 10months I been activated. I cant believe its already 10 MONTHS since activation. The implant is something I rely on the moment I wake up. Today I am going to put on the implant to see how it is.. if it starts making noises I am going to leave it home and wear my hearing aid in my left ear. It does suck but I dont know what else to do at this point. The more I hear those crazy sounds and my voice changing the more im going to get upset and I cannot be stressed when I have so much to do for school.
**Please Note** This is my personal experience. Technology is Technology things happen. Dont let this Discourage you please. I am writing here on my personal blog to vent and also share my experience with all of you. This doesn't mean you will have this problem or shouldn't get a cochlear implant. You do what's best for you. I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world. Because my implant is the best thing that ever happened to me. I finally fit in. My audiologist is an amazing understanding individual and Cochlear is working so hard to get this resolved.
To be continued.....
Hugs,
Danielle
2 comments:
My implant failed several years ago, yet the integrity test showed that the implant was working normally.
I was eventually reimplanted and they found something wrong with the implant once it had been sent back.
I was reimplanted in the same ear, and the new implant also failed.
I was then reimplanted again in the same ear and everything is working just find again now - and I'm hearing better that ever.
So hang in there, and make sure you let them know that failures can happen regardless of the integrity test showing up normal.
cheers
Robyn
Hello Danielle, I am very sorry about the CI problems that you have. As Robyn said, hang in there. You probably need to reimplant. I was so touched by Robyn who had to go through 3 times to get herself to hear better which I think it worth. Robyn is my hero. Good lucky Danielle
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