post-surgery update

It has been an exceptional recovery without any dizziness or nausea. I took four days off post-surgery. (I used the quiet time knitting away.) That forced me to sit still as I was keyed up at times with relief. For nearly a week now I have been back at work steadily. It has felt very good to be back in the routine and to feel a sense of ease in my life again. I felt the calm immediately upon awaking from surgery. The worst is over and I could move forward. The St. Paul's Hospital CI team and staff are kind and caring professionals and I feel blessed for their care.

Mom is a wonderful caregiver and I don't doubt that having a mom nearby speeds up the healing process. As a bonus for all her efforts, the women's Curling World Championships was in play and we were able to watch it all week. Mom is the sports biggest fan! Since Mom has no TV curling coverage at her home,she opted to stay the weekend with me to watch the finals. U.S lost to Sweden with a close game. Canada came in 3rd. When I am being "switched-on" on Thursday, April 6th, it will be the Men's turn to play the World Championships. (I know what mom is thinking. She claims she is coming back up for the switch-on of the Cochlear Implant... but it could be the switch-to the curling coverage?) Either way I will join her and in curiosity listen to the curling environment. Mom says there can be a whole lot of yelling going on on the part of the skip who is the captain and player of the team. I dare to hear anything that comes my way! Other family members have expressed desire to be a part of the CI switch-on experience.

I feel good. In the picture, I am modeling my first completed knitted sock. (blue). On my other foot is the sock Mom made for me a year ago. She inspired and coached me through the blue one. The cat is on the two quilts I made in recent years. Curling is on TV, of course.

its the first day of spring!

Its a beautiful day to wake up to. We drove in to Vancouver at the break of dawn and got to the hospital in a record 30 minutes. We were waiting at the door to the Surgery Daycare - it opens at 6:30 in the morning. The Surgeon came in wearing his bicycle gear. The lucky guy rides his bike to and from work! Once I was admitted and in my hospital garb, I was moving along quickly towards the big moment. The surgery started at 7:55 and I awoke at 10:30 am on my own and felt very good. My eyes were thick with fluid and I had trouble seeing. It felt like it was covered with vaseline. The nurse helped clean that up and explained that during head surgery, sometimes the eyeballs will fill with fluid and enlarge.

After being in recovery a short time, I was moved to Surgical Daycare where I immediately began walking slowly at 11 am. I felt no sense of dizziness and that was such a relief. The audiologist and the surgeon came in to check with me and to share their experience. They were very enthused by the outcome of the second procedure. The big and imposing X-ray machine was wheeled into the OR and they were able to take pictures of the re-implant before I was stitched up. The array testing was done (a routine procedure) and while it was compared to the first, the result was different. It made more sense to the audiologist and they agree I have got to do much better with this new CI. I was in the car and ready to go home at 1 pm.

I had a good 12 hour sleep last night and have been lingering about quietly. I will head to bed for some more sleep. I can do that now the uncomfortable bandage has come off. The incision is covered with a surgical tape.

A case study

The past two days I have been at the hospital for some more testing. As a "case study,” the audiologist wanted to do an integrity test on the existing device in my head. It was an in-depth look at the validity of the test results using the displaced array. According to the computer data, the current of the electrodes that gave me strange sensations were going in the opposite direction. This abnormality of the current seem to explain the reason why I wasn't getting the frequencies to hear properly.

I also had X-rays done on the head to correlate with the new data. I was also reassured that I would be having an X-ray done once the new implant is inserted into the cochlea. This gives me confidence and eases my spirit about the re-implantation. (In 25 years that the hospital has been implanting these devices, to their knowledge this fold-back has never happened before.) Because this bizarre occurrence did happen to me, I have fleeting fears of it happening again. It is an unsettling thought that I can do without. I want to wake up after the surgery and know that a picture has been taken and that the array is making a full circle inside my cochlea as it should.

It is likely that during the surgery the doctor will do an intravenous of Gravol for me - I had quite a time with nausea after the first surgery - and that was what kept me in the hospital until later in the eve. I wasn't allowed to go home until I was feeling better. Some implantees have stayed over night, but this is becoming rare these days because the surgery is less invasive. There is improved monitoring of anesthesia along with smaller incisions which allows for a faster recovery time. Some patients do go home upon awaking. That would be nice but I won’t hold my breath. I know I am in good care at St. Pauls and I accept everyone as being unique and what happens post surgery is different for everyone.

I also had an un-aided "sentence understanding test" to see how well I was hearing with the displaced CI. The results showed 18% accuracy of words compared to 45% prior to surgery. (I recently completed a round of antibiotics to cure a case of bronchitis that struck me the week before and it is possible I still have some fluid in the ear.) I am wondering how well my understanding of sentences will be eventually... and this is the part I look forward to. I have faith my hearing IS going to be so much better than it has ever been for me. For now, I sign off with a soft smile and wish to express my gratefulness for your support and words of care for me. As a fellow CI friend made aware to me, Monday marks the first day of Spring and with that it brings a new beginning. Yes!

A re-implantation to come, at 8 am

This Monday, March 20th, marks the date of my re-implantation. I am to be there at 6:30 am sharp. It's been a sombre few months living with one hearing aid. I often reflect on experiences I had while activated for a short time. When the rain falls on the roof of the car, I think of what I heard a month ago. When the water runs from the faucet, I barely remember its tune. When I am in Safeway I recall the music and sounds around me and it feels like a passing dream. I have so much to discover in our noisy world and I am waiting for it!

As I write, I am visiting family in Oregon. The girls and I went skiing on the weekend with my brother and his lovely wife, Suzette. Even though the experience of skiing itself was refreshing and such a lift for me, I could not change my pattern of skiing short quick turns to long and winding ones - in fear of the inability to hear anyone approaching from behind. Everywhere I go, I have a strong sense of being confined in silence. I feel shy of making conversation with people, particularily in a group. With this said, I have my eye to activation day! If the healing goes well, the audiologist and I hope that I can be switched-on again on April 6th. I am very curious about what I will experience the second time around.

My mom is doing extremely well with her new hip. It has been 9 weeks post-surgery for her. We spent the day roaming the stores yesterday. She drives and moves very well and without any pain. I am very grateful she will be present for my surgery (and re-activation day). I am also in ease knowing that she can now manage the stairs in the house where we live. It has been wonderful to witness her amazing recovery. I remain hopeful for a chance at success with my new CI, and intend to provide weekly updates once I get through Monday's event.