December 2009

Today is one year anniversary for the switch on - my right ear

7/12/2009 - I attended an telecomunications seminar last night - speakers talked about emergency services i.e. sms warning systems (ACMA) - Captioned telephone i.e. demonstration (ACE) - video relay service & video relay interpreting (ACE) and Natasha Stott Despoja who gave an inspiring speech

November 2009

I did a 100 km bike ride for a good cause - Amy's ride - 100 km mission completed despite rear puncture in searing heat and never drank so much flapping powerade

Today is special milestone for me - time has flown .... today is 12 months since the CI operation in my right ear

October 2009

Impressive new release of the cochlear implant system called Nucleus 5

http://www.cochlearamericas.com/nucleus5/

First thoughts

The new Automatic Telecoil, Instead of manually activating a Telecoil, the user simply picks up the phone and puts it to his or her ear.

The remote assistant - controls both two implants, allow to tweak each processor program settings for different needs, I like that but who can be bothered to carry an remote control with you all times. Most people have enough items in their pockets to carry everyday like mobile phones, car keys, wallets.

Just an thought - I have iPhone 3GS, it would be great if cochlear has 'app' that controls the processor settings via wireless bluetooth

The new software - great to see bilateral mappings can be done on the one screen showing both left and right maps

The question is I wonder if this new Cochlear Nucleus 5 System is currently compatible with Nucleus freedom as I have heard its not backward compatible with the ESPrit 3G

September 2009

I went on my first road bike ride - 20kms and felt comfortable with the bike helmet and no problems with the bilateral implants.

I got myself like all others that have joined the iRevolution - the one and only iPhone 3GS. I am very impressed with the call quality when using cochlear impants and now waiting for audio cable so that I can listen to the iPod while riding along.

August 2009

Hearing Awareness Week 2009 - One in six Australians suffer from some form of hearing loss

I have been looking for a road / race bike and one of the interesting things that struck out was trying to find the perfect bike helmet restraint system that will not knock off the processor 'coils' attached behind my head.

Anyone know of this work around ?

edit - I have found the perfect bike helmet - Rosebank Octane which has the retention system which fit snugly where the coils are placed behind my head.


Cochlear has lifted its annual profit by 13 per cent and says its results in the new financial year will be driven by the roll out of new products

Love that new sleek cochlear nucleus 5 - check out page 15

Edit - photos have been removed by Cochlear .........

http://www.cochlear.com/PDFs/COH_Full_Year_11_08_09_Analyst_Final.pdf

July 2009

I thought it would be good idea to post a copy of my audiogram pre - cochlear implant.

The area where it's shaded ( 0-20 dbSPL range ) i.e. is what I am hearing currently with bilateral cochlear implants

I will interpret what this unaided audiogram tells us as it shows that I have a severe to profound hearing loss

Left ear

.125 kHz - 80 dbSPL
.250 kHz - 95 dbSPL
.500 kHz - 105 dbSPL
1 KHz - 115 dbSPL
2 KHz - 95 dbSPL
4 KHz - 100 dbSPL
8 KHz - 105 dbSPL

Right ear
.125 kHz - 80 dbSPL
.250 kHz - 80 dbSPL
.500 kHz - 105 dbSPL
1 KHz - 110 dbSPL
2 KHz - 100 dbSPL
4 KHz - 100 dbSPL
8 KHz - 105 dbSPL



This month will be an important milestone as I will be soon celebrating two year's anniversary for the highly successful switch on on my left ear.

I am nearly finished reading the book " Sounds from Silence " by Professor Graeme Clark, a must read book for all potential and current cochlear implant recipients as well for parents of children who are looking at options.

This is a powerful and moving book, never ending journey of one man's quest to give people a chance to give sounds from silence. He has proven the skeptics wrong. Best of all he is Australian and we are proud of him . My hat's is off to you Mr Clark, you're a legend and thanks for giving back my hearing.

June 2009

Woah what a day Friday 12/6/2009

More tweaking with the Threshold & Comfort levels and noticed minor changes in the higher freq's in both mappings, nothing major

The CUNY ( City University of New York ) listening test i.e. listening to CD with long sentences i.e some up to 14-20 words, with American accent was a breeze and scored the following

CUNY score 99%correct with both left & right processors on ( bilateral )

CUNY score 99% correct in the left processor alone with right processor turned off

CUNY score 99% correct in the right processor alone with left processor turned off

I am very happy with that results considering that I only had my right implant implanted seven months ago

Mapping update - June 2009









Left map 12/6/2009


















Right Map 12/6/2009









I have an appointment Friday week for Mapping and check up, looking forward to see what progress has been made since the February Mappings.

Drawing of bilateral cochlear implants from my 3 year old son