One week ear update

Today was my one week appointment and a new cochlear implant MAP. I have to say, I left that appointment feeling MUCH better than I have over the last week! We did two main things today: I took a regular hearing test with just the implant on, and we remapped my decibel levels.

For the mapping process, I went through the usual sound testing where I listing for the “beep-beep-beep” tones and say when I can first hear the soft tones and then when the tone becomes unbearably loud. We repeat that process for a variety of pitches to create the new MAP. This week’s MAP was a larger decibel range than last week and allowed me a bigger range of sounds to work within. This means that everything does not sound like the same monotonous tone anymore! YAY! I can almost discern the shape of words now. Still can’t hear each letter and it’s still fuzzy and unclear, but I can hear voices!

Next, we did the hearing test to see how well I could do with just the implant on. My hearing level is in “normal” ranges, like “hearing person” range! I thought that was simply incredible given that just a week ago I was 100% deaf in that ear. Can you say crazy? So now, the brain has to catch up!

On a physical level, I am still experiencing mild “magnet burn” on occasion. And frequently, if I leave it on all day, my jaw and throat ache in the evening. Headaches are pretty common still too. Supposedly these will dissipate over time…

In all though, it was a good day 🙂