Two days - LIVE!

It has been quite a ride. I don’t even know where to start. Although I did some research, nothing had prepared me for the initial turn-on of the CI. I had a panic emotion when the sounds swirled in like helium from the computer database into the processor on my ear. I protested at the utter strangeness of the sounds with "I don't like it!"

These are the highlights:

A. I am having the most SURREAL experience. I think I have landed on Mars! It is indescribable. Good news is I am adapting quickly. My body is really reacting but I am making sense of WORDS (w/ lip-reading).
B. I popped popcorn and that sounded familiar, but with richness. I heard rain go plop plop on the roof or tit tit tit tit tit, not a blurry shhhhhhhhh. It is so defined. Enviromental sounds are increasingly ALIVE. All the while, I still get these weird body reactions. A "slow SHOCK" is about the best I can describe it.
C. The quiet is too noisy - I can't make sense of it. Noise jumps at me in quiet spaces. I can’t find it and am confused whether it is real noise or head noise. I do find solace on the street and let the city noise drown itself out.
D. I heard wet rubber soled sneakers walk by in the hospital hall. Now that was comical!
E. I have been listening to music constantly in the car on my commute. I am recognizing some tune and lyric distinction although parts are like fingernails on chalkboard. It can be grating and takes a LOT of perseverance.
F. I had an audiogram test to confirm my residual hearing was not lost post-implantation. This was proven true.
G. The first time I heard the toilet flush it sounded like Niagara Falls!
H. Kirsti offered me her MP3 player to try out with a head set and I can hear on it with the microphone. The doctor told me today that some recipients feel they don’t need the T-coil. This is encouraging as I've never done without a t-coil in the past.
I. Sometimes I had a hard time speaking.. my voice would echo or boom inside me. I often shared that I prefer to be quiet and just observe, to listen and be attentive.

I would say these two days have been overwhelming and requires perseverance. Tomorrow is another day at the hospital hooked up to the computer with the processor for some more fine tuning. I have clocked in 12 hours time with the audiologist and am grateful that he is able to spend lengthy sessions with me in patience.