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| Orange Marmalade! |
Twelve days ago, my second cochlear implant was turned on, or "activated" as we CI insiders like to say. No heavenly chorus sang, but I heard the phone ring in the adjacent reception area. Could that have been God working through AT&T or Verizon? Nah, I didn't think so, either.
Because this is my second implant (the right side was done last year), I know my hearing will improve bit by bit for the next six months. Who knows? In ten years, I may hear better than Hubs since Father Time doesn't hold much power over metal and plastic replacement parts.
One day after activation, I had to enter the soundproof booth—my least favorite place in the world because it represents all the hearing tests I've failed over the years. With only the new sound processor turned on, I flubbed bits of the first two sentences the audiologist read to me, but the third came through loud and clear: "They like orange marmalade."
The marmalade message was special for two reasons. One, I didn't get it via my ear. A CI bypasses the damaged ear and directly zings the auditory nerve. The auditory nerve sends the signals it got from the implant right to the brain, which recognizes them as sound. In other words, within 24 hours of my implant's activation, my brain pieced together the signals and gave me back an intact sentence. Cool, huh?
Two, the message resonated emotionally because my mom's an orange-marmalade junkie. We had a jar of the shredded orange stuff on our breakfast table every morning when I was growing up. Nowadays, she opts for the low-sugar versions.
The upshot of last week's activation and subsequent tweaking (we insiders call it "mapping") is gratitude for the advances in medical science that made the implant and mapping possible--and for the people who work to deliver better hearing to those of us who might catch one word in ten without it. Cochlear implants changed my life.
Have advances in medicine or medical science changed life for you?
Do you like orange marmalade?
22 comments:
How wonderful, Pat!! Modern science really does perform miracles!
And I adore orange marmalade although it's been a while since I had any because I no longer eat toast or bread (except occasionally in a restaurant). Which doesn't mean I can't eat it with a spoon, right? :-)
What an uplifting post, Pat. I can't imagine how amazing that feels like, to hear those sounds and I love that it was 'orange marmalade' because of the emotional attachment for you.
I'm grateful awe-inspired with all the medical miracles we have at our disposal. Sometimes it's frustrating because I want everything to be fixable. Like my son's back, or cancer, etc etc. But I will be grateful for what can be done and pray for the rest. :)
Great post, Pat. And it certainly sounds like a miracle to me!
Lark - Orange marmalade is lovely in ice cream or even yoghurt!
Yes, Pat! An eagle-eyed lab technician found my cancer when they weren't looking or expecting to find it. Saved my life that day.
I've never been a fan of marmalade, but this post makes me want to dig in! Foods can be very nostalgic and healing, as it seems you well know. Thank you for this post. :)
Wow, that is so amazing. Pat, how very wonderful for you. Congratulations. No a marmalade fan myself, but my partner loves Robertson's Thick Cut.
I can relate to this on so many levels. I hate those sound proof boxes and always get upset because this is a test you can't study for:( 2 years ago I received a new eardrum and the doctor thought I'd also need prosthetic inner ear bones. Turned out I didn't need them, but how amazing that I could have and I'm still in awe that my old battle scarred eardrum has been replaced! I'm so happy for you and all the new sounds you are hearing:)
What a terrific miracle to hear sounds and words again, Pat! I believe 'marmalade' will always hold even greater significance for you now.
The only medical miracle for me is restylane and botox...poof--I look years younger.
LOL I totally read the title as "soundproof BATH" at first! Yes, bifocals are in my not-too-distant future.
I had no idea how CIs worked - amazing! I can't imagine how wonderful it must be to hear clearly after not being able to. As for me, I'm very nearsighted, so imagining life without glasses or contacts - which I had to do for my books - was really scary. So corrective lenses are my not-so-recent medical advance I'm truly grateful for!
Hey Pat, that is absolutely terrific! I guess the big deal about modern science in my field is the understanding we now have, thanks to PET scans and such, regarding psychological disorders. So many of them that we always assumed were strictly mental we now know have a biological or even genetic basis. Nice to know I'm not totally crazy, just bipolar!
I admire your ability to pass up bread, Lark. Good bread's my weakness. (Okay, it's one weakness among many) Hey, I like Christine's idea of adding marmalade to yogurt or ice cream.
Hi, Ginger! If you can hang on to that grateful attitude until medical science fixes your son's back, the wait will be a lot easier. Help him focus on all the things he can do.
God bless that lab technician, Christine.
Exactly, August. Marmalade represents my mom, healing, and second chances.
Hi, Prudence! I'm going to see my mother later this month and think Robertson's Thick Cut would be the perfect gift. Thanks for the idea.
I'm happy for you, Kara! So glad you got a new eardrum and can hear your children's voices.
Sarah, I didn't know 28-year-olds were candidates for Botox and Restylane? Looking good!
Haha, Jennette. If something's smaller than 12 pt type, chances are excellent I'll misread it despite the reading glasses scattered all over the house. Whoa! I would have clicked on soundproof bath, too.
Glasses and contacts are miracles.
Hi, Kassandra! I hope the knowledge that psychological disorders can be rooted in biology and genetics prods people to seek help, just as they'd seek it for diabetes.
Congrats on your new grandbaby!
Pat, I love orange marmalade, but better than that, I love that you can hear so much better. Congratulations. I wish I was there beside you so I could whisper into your ear ... And watch your expression as you heard the words. :)
Sorry, Pat but I can't abide orange marmalade. (see me shivering just considering it) but i'm so glad the first sentence you heard was emotionally important for you.
thanks for sharing this journey - I knew nothing about CI and feel I've learned alot, through your experience
Orange marmalade (and crispy toast and tea)reminds me of my grandmother. :)
Science is so amazing--I am in awe that we have the knowledge/power to do this! Congrats on this miracle milestone Pat :)
"Could that have been God working through AT&T or Verizon?" LOLOL Pat!
I just love your sense of humor girl! And I am so, so happy for you! Hooray, for modern science!
You've been granted a whole new outlook on life Pat. This is wonderful news!
P.S. Got to love that orange marmalade!
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