how a deaf fluteplayer gets to hear again

[Berti66]

sheesh DJM

I was just going to send another message because I just grabbed my email and.....................
The man I mentioned earlier is going to TELL Advanced Bionics (because he CAN) that they should remove the possibility to adjust the T levels (to measure softest sounds which are now causing problems for me) so that future fittings woud become easier.
This is because I told him of those problems.

Also, I have dropped the idea to him too, that CI users might like the possibility in the future, to do their own fittings.
Especially now that he plans to make the software easier to use, we only would have to focus on loudness levels, calibrate, and Input Dynamic Range ( which when it's too high can also cause a lot of discomfort as it makes you more sensitive).

SOOOOO
Berti

[Cork]

I'm just glad to know that at least some hearing success is now yours.

And, there's a possibility that your hearing could improve.

That's a good thing, Berti.

[Cork]

so that's a sign I am too sensitive

"I hear dead people!"

djm

Never abuse children, djm, such as you now have!

Moreover, to the moderators of the C&F board, I submit that djm has crossed the line.

[hans]

Hi hans,
I think I can imagine very well what you are talking about.
I feel for you, because I *can* turn this off..... what a life you must have.
Is it possible to do something against your condition? Or do you just have to live with it?

I was only half-joking about wanting to be able to turn hearing off and on at will! It is one advantage you can treasure! I am not suffering, and i think my hearing is pretty normal. Some people thrive in noisy environments, they find it easier to mentally focus on a task when there is a lot of background noise, like music playing, people talking etc. Others need a quiet surrounding in order to mentally focus better. I belong to that second group. I think psychologists associate these with the categories extrovert and introvert.

My main life choice regards noisy environment is that i moved from town to quiet country life. Well, it is not exactly quiet here all the time: I live next to a RAF airbase. But right now it is fairly quiet, not many planes at all.

Also, I have dropped the idea to him too, that CI users might like the possibility in the future, to do their own fittings.
Especially now that he plans to make the software easier to use, we only would have to focus on loudness levels, calibrate, and Input Dynamic Range ( which when it's too high can also cause a lot of discomfort as it makes you more sensitive).

This is great! I hope that this will become possible! I imagine it would be so much simpler to adjust levels etc. by yourself, as you have instant direct feedback.

I am curious about the technology of the external processor: you said you have three "program slots", so you can switch between three different kinds of filter processes. And these can get changed in your weekly audiologist sessions. How is this processor programmed? Is it a hard coded program burned into a memory chip inserted into the processor, or what?

Cheers,
~Hans

[Berti66]

hans, the processor is connected by an adapter to the computer on which is the software to make mappings (make programs).
I think it is about comparable to have an mp3 player which you plug onto your computer to put data on it, although it is different technology, I like to keep things simple and understandable but I think your way of thinking of how it works, is right.
Although, the INNER part, can ALSO be programmed......it IS, and THAT is what is currently set too high sensivity.
There are still possibilities for future development with this AB brand, which could be quite interesting.

Yes I have three program slots, meaning, I can have three COMPLETELY different programs on the processor and switch from one to another, although this is not what I USED to do when things were right, then I had ONE program for EVERYTHING like you have one set of ears for everything
Yes they can be changed by the audi......I can say, tell him I want one program slot with high sensivity for use with music and in traffic and one program slot with low sensivity for daily use, busy environments and then I still have one spare for ???????? you name it.

Right now I am focussing on getting all the 16 electrodes (and the 120 virtual ones) equally loud (enough) so that I have better sound quality and ONLY THEN I can start thinking about having a spare program in use for ...... you name it.
I will next thursday AT LEAST have one daily use program slot, one high sensivity and the other we will keep spare for future ideas.

berti

[djm]

Never abuse children, djm, such as you now have!
Moreover, to the moderators of the C&F board, I submit that djm has crossed the line.

Ref. the movie "The Sixth Sense"

djm

(I deserve a reward for huge restraint)

[hans]

Yes they can be changed by the audi......I can say, tell him I want one program slot with high sensivity for use with music and in traffic and one program slot with low sensivity for daily use, busy environments and then I still have one spare for ???????? you name it.

Perhaps for rock concerts and disco dancing

~Hans

[Cork]

Never abuse children, djm, such as you now have!
Moreover, to the moderators of the C&F board, I submit that djm has crossed the line.

Ref. the movie "The Sixth Sense"

djm

(I deserve a reward for huge restraint)

@ djm

It appears that I owe you an apology, djm, as I wasn't aware that the image of an apparently troubled child could have been from a well known movie.

And, that the words you used were actually a well known quote, from that same movie.

I'm sorry that there has been a misunderstanding, apparently on my part.

[Innocent Bystander]

Never abuse children, djm, such as you now have!
Moreover, to the moderators of the C&F board, I submit that djm has crossed the line.

Ref. the movie "The Sixth Sense"

djm

(I deserve a reward for huge restraint)

No you don't, you deserve a slap for being cheeky. And an hour alone in a darkened room considering the fact that Cork believed you really had been abusive to a real child and had been silly enough to post a picture of it.

No blame to you, Cork!

[mutepointe]

Cork, your profile is a bit empty. What rock have you lived under your whole life? Here's an update on the kid in the picture:

His mug shot:


Actor Haley Joel Osment was charged with drunk driving and marijuana possession after he crashed his 1996 Saturn station wagon while returning home from a Los Angeles concert in July 2006. The 18-year-old Osment, who starred as the boy who saw dead people in "The Sixth Sense," suffered minor injuries in the accident and was briefly hospitalized. Osment, who posed for a mug shot snapped by an L.A. sheriff's deputy, was released from custody after posting a $15,000 bond.

[Berti66]

happy birthday to me............
another audi appointment was this morning, long discussion going before we touched anything.......I managed to explain what has been wrong last week and we are now back to the old levels which is more comfortable (and in some way isn't but I haven't figured that out yet)
we managed to work with the calibrator and it seems to work..............we made another little step in the right direction.
slowly slowly (grmpf ) but surely.
Of course I had to testdrive when I came home, listened to youtube........mmmm yes. Something missing but yes the feeling is there again.

now I am really tired of today and of the stress of late but at least I am starting to feel better last days.
I am pretty sure it's all still a matter of time.
now I am missing the bass/ low's again but as this is still day one, anything is still possible.
at least to some degree things are starting to function more normally again.

may 7th is the next appointment, and if things go REALLY wrong, then he is willing to come especially for me on april 29 or 30th.
isn't that sweet.
I am off to bed, friends. Tomorrow I am going to see what the day will bring.
At least I will have some fluting time.........haven't touched the thing for a week (SHAME)

Berti

[Cork]

Seeing as it's still the 16th of April as I write this, or at least it is where I am, Happy Birthday, to you!

And, I'm glad there has been some good progress on your hearing.

:-)

[Berti66]

grmpf.
the new program is not working properly..........good thing I had put an old one on the processor.......yesterday I went back to that and things instantly improved.
I am wondering what I did wrong.

now I am back in touch again with the audi in USA who works for AB and going to send him the program data of the last weeks.
see what he has to say.
meanwhile I have ticked off some things so we can sure know what it is NOT the problem.......then we have still to find the problem in the new program.

so, no more music enjoyment......I hope that in one week with the old program things will work a bit better and meanwhile I will keep looking in things and hopefully find the culprit.
when I am playing it sounds like it is in the lower tones......I cannot hear my Bb flute properly and also the difference between the first and second octave on my D flute seems to have become a problem.
at least I can say that I am not as tense anymore as I used to be, as we have been CLOSE few times so we should find it in not too much more time I think.
let's see what the audi of AB has to say on the program data.........

it's a struggle.
not for life but for music.
worth it, though remember my story LAST week? I want that back, again.

berti

[Cork]

It's Thursday, and I was looking for some news about your latest appointment, Berti.

But, after checking out the details, it seems that your next appointment isn't until May 7th.

Meanwhile, are things going OK, maybe not great but maybe not bad?

[Berti66]

I wanted to write an answer but I sit her staring to the screen for five minutes now, because I realise I don't know where to start.
Maybe I better don't.
But not good, no.
Have been diagnosed with depression this week, no surprise at all and things are driving me NUTS.
The appointment has been moved to may 4th.
I don't play for the moment. I try to.
I'm losing it.
berti