January 15, 2014

The Music Continues

January 15, 2014

Most of my friends who read my blog, have never known anyone with a Cochlear Implant. Few have been close to someone who is deaf.  We all seem to have friends and family members who are hard-of-hearing.  Lots of the readers let me know that some of the things I have talked about have helped them with those around them who have trouble hearing.  Speaking more slowly can really help those who are trying to figure out what you said.  The first time I ever went to a hearing aid center, I told the man that I felt like I was hearing a foreign language.  He said in some ways it works the same.  I would listen to a statement, figure out the words I thought I understood, and then I would fill in the blanks with educated guesses.  One of the things the audiologist recently told me was that when I can't understand a phrase, especially if I still can't understand it after it is repeated, I need to ask the person to reword the sentence.  In a foreign language, that can help.

Filling in the blanks still happens with me.  Tonight we had supper with our friends who we usually eat with on Friday nights.  We have other plans for Friday night so again, they rearranged their schedules for us.  Toward the end of the evening, the lady asked me a question.  I thought she was asking if I could hear the music in the restaurant.  I could not.  I was hearing a low rumble and I often hear that when music is playing.  Eventually I think we got it straightened out that she was asking if I still hear the music in my head.  The answer is YES.  Right now I am hearing a male soloist singing To God Be the Glory.  It is a rather slow arrangement.  Maybe he is tired.  The music is always there.  Well, when I wake up in the mornings, it may not be there, but within just a couple of minutes, it is.  It is softer than it was in the beginning and is sometimes rather like elevator music - non-descript.  It is rarely a problem except at times such as when I am in church and the music I hear in my head is not the music they are singing in the congregation. 

My friend Pat's question made me think that you may have questions.  I don't mind answering them if you want to ask them.  They can be about the hearing loss or the Cochlear Implant or my broken elbow.  Or something else I have mentioned may have interested you, so let me know either through the comment section or in an email if I can help you with your question.

Today was not real busy.  I had a very bad headache this morning which is kind of rare for me.  I often have headaches that I think are allergy related, and that may be what the one today was, but it was bad enough that I sent Ron a message to tell him I would be a little late coming to the office.  Once I got there I helped with customers and made a bill chart for the new year.  I list all the regular monthly bills for the office and that way I check them all off as they are paid.  I answered several emails and exchanged some with my daughter-in-law Vickey.  We love that Vickey is willing to laugh at herself and the last few days she has kept us entertained with some wild stories. 

Late in the day I wandered around our building and found that since the power company had trimmed the trees recently, I could see that a tree is trying to grow up right next to the building between the exterior wall and the downspout from the roof.

If I had planted that tree in the alley, I feel sure it would have died quickly since we don't water plants in the alley.  But this tree is determined to grow.  Too bad, because my husband will be determined to remove it before it does too much damage to the downspout or the wall.

I better get some sleep.  Our two oldest grandsons are coming over again tomorrow evening to spend the night.  I think we will need to do some baking.  Let the fun begin.