how a deaf fluteplayer gets to hear again

djm · Post by **djm** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 11:52 am

Lip reading is cool, too. You could get a job working for the gov't.

djm

Berti66 · Post by **Berti66** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 11:56 am

oh really????

what would they need lipreaders for? see if I am going to apply if they pay for me moving to USA (FINALLY to some place where there are sessions!)
berti

Berti66 · Post by **Berti66** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:45 am

well, here I am

and hold on to whatever you are seating on, because...........

THIS IS REALLY FABULOUS!

Ok that said, here is the story.......
It started with connecting me to the processor and the computer which did not work that smoothly at all as the magnet did not want to stuck, once that got fixed, the processor did not make connection with the laptop...........but then it started with setting the hearing tresholds (dynamic range), with the softest sounds I could hear........
That was really hard, because, I had no clue what I should hear at all.......but after ten minutes things became much easier and I could tell when I was hearing something in my head.
After that, the loudest I could bear was tested......I didn't give a peep. But it was real strange because sometimes my brains were feeling like they were vibrating out of my head LOL
It all seemed pretty comfortable, though, completely different from what I had expected.

THE BIG MOMENT CAME.........they wanted me to describe what I could hear.
We all were as surprised as can be when I started telling them I could hear their voices as voices and not only that, I could instantly tell the voice apart of both people (man and woman).
A quick test was done, with the days of the week tuesday and thursday......first with lipreading then with my eyes closed and DAMN IT , I COULD tell them apart!!! Then it was made harder, with wednesday and saturday added, again with lipreading then without.
I did well again in the end.

Understanding them (with lipreading) all of a sudden became MUCH easier than it was when I came in with the hearing aid.
I was sent home............noticed it became much easier to keep a talk going in the car at 120 km speed (usually I hear only wind noise with an hearing aid there). Before we left, I had the first wonderful moment when I could not resist asking my daughter if I could borrow her earbud of the mp3 player and I could TELL it was MUSIC and someone was SINGING!
Once home SHOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!! Heard my high heeled boots on the laminate floor........the lid of the tin from the tea ......water running, I recognized that, same as and doors opening and closing.
Once I started cooking had lots of fun with cutting broccoli, opening a packet of pasta(AAAARRGGGHHH) and hearing the water in the pan boil.

Later that evening, I was watching an english movie with dutch subtitles and could follow when reading the subtitles , the english speech for a bit

that is more than I have done in 5 years.
I tried the flute.........NO LUCK YET there but it is gonna be allright I know.
Tried the laptop, and did not like how iTunes sounded there where I have stored my cd's .

This morning woke early and the fun started all over when I heard some noise, repeating itself, softer and louder and then it dawned to me that might be my cat before my bedroom door AND IT WAS! GOSH!
Also I tried my iPod, which is directly connected then to my processor and it was FABULOUS...........I could listen to lunasa's terry teehan's set and to kevin crawford playing christy barry's set (both I know myself) but not yet to harry bradley, dunno why. The latter sounded like someone playing something completely different than john joe gardiners and sounded more like snaredrums than a flute.
I listened to Vonda Shepard singing (she does the music in the series ally mcBeal) and I LOVED it......going to look for the lyrics!

I was told yesterday, that it is VERY UNCOMMON that at the first minute people recognize voices and even can tell them apart, they were impressed

and that this was a VERY GOOD KICKSTART!

It couldn't have started any better, and I know that there is gonna be lots of work to do, having to make something of what I hear and interpret speech without looking but WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
I had not even DARED to dream THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!

keep you posted
CHEERS
berti

Alan · Post by **Alan** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 3:40 am

Wonderful news, Berti!

What joys you are experiencing and all the more await you.

Hurrah!

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 3:51 am

Hey Berti,

great to read all this. I'm happy that it works for you! I guess it was Michaela who told me your story when I met her and her husband on Burg Fürsteneck this year. It is so great that it really works. I'm absolutely sure that you'll be able to play on sessions in no time!

All the best!

Berti66 · Post by **Berti66** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 4:20 am

hi gabriel,

yes michaela is one of my dearest friends!
I had no clue she told others about me *blush*
Time will learn what I will be able to do, but I will work for it as hard as I can.

cheers
berti

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:21 am

Congratulations Berti. It all sounds so wonderful! I just wish my dad (90) would pop for the newer digital hearing aids, and hear music again, instead of those horrid squealy analog aids.

Kevin Krell

mutepointe · Post by **mutepointe** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 6:46 am

dear berti:

speechless but teary-eyed.

fyffer · Post by **fyffer** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:29 am

mutepointe wrote:dear berti:

speechless but teary-eyed.

Ditto, that.

I'm at my desk at work, and I'm kinda afraid to get up and fill my coffee, for fear that people will ask me why I've been crying.
I'm so happy for you!
Miracles are real.
All the best to you!

(And AFA HB sounding like snare drums - I can see how that could happen. He has a very "percussive" vibrato - which is one of the things I love about his playing - which I'm sure will begin to make sense sooner than later)

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:43 am

I'm smiling! Gosh, is right. I'm soooo happy for you!!!!

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:44 am

I can't imagine what this would be like, but my best wishes are with you that you will get all the joy and fulfillment from this experience that you could wish for.

Berti66 wrote:what would they need lipreaders for?

Both gov'ts and news media employ lip-readers to eavesdrop and report on conversations that take place in public places when the speakers think they will not be overheard. One of our former prime ministers was caught this way talking to a European counterpart about how difficult it is to deal with the US, with a president who can agree to anything, but hasn't the power to implement what he has agreed on - stuff like that.

djm

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 9:42 am

..

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!!! ! W O N D E R F U L ! !!!
..

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Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:45 am

Ahhh Berti, I'm so happy for you!

Happy tears from Idaho to Holland!

Blessings, blessings, blessings!

Doc

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:23 am

That is super news!!!

--James

Aanvil · Post by **Aanvil** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 1:23 pm

HURRAH!

Such fabulous news!

We take it all so much for granted.

The cutting of broccoli... the kettle boiling...

I think I'll go over to the park and just listen for a while.