Happy New Year!

As I type there is only a short time before this year ends - and what a year it has been for me too. At least things now seem to be on the up.

I had my 'switch on' on Tuesday - which I was already nervous about as I slipped and fell on ice 10 days ago and got a gash not one inch from the cochlear implant. Never mind my brain - I had concussion - I was more worried about the implant! Anyway, we made it through the snow on the high ground (it was beautiful too.) and it turns out that the implant is fine after my fall, thank goodness, and that all 10 electrodes are working. That's the good news, but I was rather disappointed that I couldn't make any sense of speech at all. All I could hear were constant whistles and beeps at the same frequency for all sounds - even more annoying than tinnitus. The technician wasn't concerned - she says that this is how it starts for some people and that I will come to learn what all these beeps mean. It's much harder work lip-reading and tiring too - but being me - I'll persevere! I go back again next Tuesday for a re-tune and assessment - but it looks like this rehab is going to take a while. The technician says it can take months before I get recognition of speech - I was hoping I would be quicker than that (as some people are).

I must say I AM hearing more today than yesterday - things like paper rustling, the cat miaow, the fire sparking - sounds I've never heard before. It's strange then that I can't hear the hoover - though that is maybe a blessing! I still can't make out conversation and rely heavily on lip-reading although I am starting to hear 's' and 'ch' sounds - again I've never heard these before. So I'm feeling much more positive now.

So a New Year is nearly on us, and new, exciting, beginnings for me. A wonderful new home and discovering new hearing - and this is only the start! Here's wishing you a very Happy New Year and best wishes for 2010 - may it be a good one!