Many things have transpired since my last report on About.com. I've since been working for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services as part of the heavily publicized MECMS project. I also began a Basic Emergency Medical Technicians course with patient clinical to which I successfully completed this week. So many good things to report! Yes, I still do photography but time has become limited so I am currently taking portraits of graduating Seniors and families and have cut back on weddings to devote more time to State employment.
On my 3rd mapping visit in Boston back in November 2005, I reported a strange impression (dent) in the skin/skull behind my ear halfway up in the center. It was due to the healed surgery site and all was normal. Dr Shao cleaned the area and taught me how to take care of this. Unfortunately, this impression was due to the additional procedures that were performed during the CI surgery itself and not due to the Cochlear Implant surgery alone. It will always be there. So for those concerned with getting such an impression/indent, don't be unless you have other special conditions requiring additional needs during the surgery.
The right side of my head will forever be a "numb" presence and I can still feel the scar site but my hair has now come in to curling iron shape. In other words, the small part of hair that was shaved has come back about 4-5” in length since last July.
Every once in a while, if the magnet is too strong the site will feel “tired”. There are times I need to change the magnet strength depending upon the activity performed. The skull on that side will always feel different than it did before the surgery. This different feeling can be described in one word: numbness to touch. It doesn't hurt but I don't think things will ever feel the way the other side does which is exactly as always: normal. It is a constant reminder of the absolute wonderful gift I was given.
I have grown comfortable enough in my own skin to even wear my hair up and I am not afraid to show the Auria off to anyone. I also do not make a conscious effort to hide the direct connect wires if I want to use them. I do not pay much attention to what people think as far as that is concerned. It is quite fascinating however to see peoples reactions when I ask them to remove the magnet from my skull/skin "just to see what it's like". They get this magnet on the refrigerator impression with oddity. I get a lot of great questions and I enjoy answering them for all the educational purposes it can serve!
My humanity has come into question these past few months and like I said I often wonder what’s normal and not normal with distinct inquisitiveness. I came into the workplace denounced with extreme curiosity and I think I drove my co-workers completely nuts the first few months with all of my questions.
During mapping session #3 with Robert Buchanan, Senior Audiologist at Tufts NEMC, I played with the possibilities of utilizing a Cardionics stethoscope in extreme noise for the purpose of EMT patient clinical ride-time. Although I was forced to pay over $400 for a special stethoscope, turns out I can now take manual blood pressure by aus with full lights and sirens while in the back of a moving ambulance which is often noted to be an almost impossible feat for even the hearing to accomplish. This also holds true with listening to various lung sounds. What's even better is that my stethoscope is clipped to my waist and not around my neck! I do not have to fiddle with it or find the one in a jump bag.
Fearing college coursework is also a thing of the past and I have since learned that I can do almost anything I want to if I put my mind and heart into it.
Between mapping #3 and #4 I received a letter in the mail from Bob and Advanced Bionics regarding a recall for a certain percentage of CI's due to moisture existence and possible failure rate. Unfortunately I was targeted as one within that risk group (thus the reason for the letter) but was told I would receive a replacement in the event of failure and not before so. So far, knock on wood, I have not experienced this failure and I hope I never do! I was initially alarmed with the news but I have faith that Bob, Dr Shao and my insurance providers will take care of me in that event so I don't think about it much. I am not about to allow it to play a huge derailed part in my life. I do not regret my selection of the Advanced Bionics device still nor my reasoning for having this surgery done.
During mapping #4, I reported some feedback noise that was coming from the external CI whenever I hooked up to my laptop to listen to 94.9. Since it was an intermittent static noise and not occurring elsewhere we were able to decipher that this was caused
