Toby Bear Thompson held by Grandson Andrew

We learned of Toby quite by accident as Snert had died about 2 weeks before. We couldn’t bear to have another long-haired dachshund because we missed Snert so much. When we saw him, we fell in love with his laid back personality. He is larger now but I need to get another photo of him. Here our youngest grandson, Andrew, is holding him. We feel Toby is a blessing and a comfort. We got him 3 days before our Golden Retriever died of cancer, which was also very sudden.

Being fitted with speech processor

Yesterday my second cochlear implant, in my left ear this time, was activated. I will be adapting to the new sounds in my other ear and also learning to hear with both ears. It’s amazing technology! When the sound first was turned on, it sounded like something from outer space – oooeeeeooooeeeeo – and as I watched Laura Anderson’s mouth, I realized she was talking and I waited for my brain to catch on and it did!

This one is different than my last one because I was deaf in that ear 7 more years since my last CI, the technology is now digital and before it was analog, the array in the cochlea is a new design and hugs the cochlea better meaning hair cells will have better activation. I will be going in once a week for programming for awhile and it will improve each time.

My friend Sonja Stauch was with me and took the photos.

Also, I have the new speech processor on my right ear so my devices are the latest and greatest. I have 4 programs on each ear. #3 is for listening to music, which has sounded flat or “Johnny one note” for 7 years. We will see when I hear live music and when the new processor is brought up to speed.