This is the only simulation I have found and we showed to Sammie before her turn on day. Her CI has 22 channels and she says it sounds less and less like this every day. Music is starting to sound better. She is able to pick out some of the voices in some songs, like Guitars and Tiki Bars, and some instruments. When she starts therapy next week, she will learn how to listen with the CI. So we are excited to see and hear progress.
Even though Sammie has severe-profound levels of hearing loss:
She speaks well because of high powered hearing aid, speech, and 8 years of deaf education.
With her high powered hearing aid (and Jacob), she is hearing, at best, a moderate level hearing loss. Getting only 35% speech recognition. So she relies on lip reading and environmental cues.
The ear that was implanted, aided, presurgery, she only had 12% recognition.
Sammie cannot hear at all without her implant and hearing aid. She will most likely receive another implant by the end of this year if she decides she wants it.
I hope this helps those of you who are not deaf or hard of hearing to understand the differences in losses and how even a mild hearing loss can be very disorienting and difficult for people of all ages.
For a more in depth simulator, go to http://www.phonak.com/com/b2c/en/hearing/understanding_hearingloss/how_hearing_loss_sounds.html
Sammie visited the audiologist last Tuesday to get more programs on here processor. She says everything sounds a lot better.
Sammie updates us on how she is doing.
Sammie is tired…
Sammie explains the turn on and her first 24 hours after.
A happy, overwhelming afternoon!
