A Broadway CI Moment

Wow! Oh, Wow! My husband and I recently saw the Broadway musical, “Wicked” at the Gershwin Theatre while on vacation in New York City. For the first time EVER, I was able to enjoy a show without missing a single word or action. Steve called ahead before he made our reservations to see if they had any assistive listening devices available for me. The person who answered the phone was very vague about what was available and didn’t seem to know too much about them. We decided to take the chance and go to the show because I figured I might be able to use my Cochlear audio cable cords that I use for listening to music on my iPod and FM systems. To my surprise (and glee!), I was able to use not one, but TWO assistive devices for the show. There was a gal in charge of the booth and they had an infrared unit with a neck loop, headsets (much like the TV Ears), AND a handheld I-Caption unit. I also overheard her telling someone else that they had a device to allow someone to enjoy the musical translated from English to Spanish. In order to get the units, I had to exchange my driver’s license and chose to use the infrared neck loop unit with my own cords and the I-Caption unit.

Wow! The acting & musical numbers were extraordinary, drawing both Steve & I (as well as the audience) into the story. We were totally in awe of the costumes and the different sets that moved quickly between scenes. Our seats were four rows from the stage so the orchestra was right in front of us! The plot of the story was very intricate and we loved how the life lessons were connected to the original Wizard of Oz, which was first produced in 1939. The characters were so loveable and emotional, leaving Steve & I speechless in our seats. We both had tears streaming down our faces by the end of the show.

I think Steve enjoyed the show just as much as I did because I did not tap his arm once during the musical production to ask him what was going on or what someone had said. I cannot remember a time when I did not have to ask a question about the storyline during a show or a movie. My earliest musical memory was seeing “The Sound of Music” when it first came out in the late 1960’s. My mother sat next to me and spent the whole time making sure I understood what was going on. She was my earliest “transcriber” and was so patient with me.

There are only three theatres in NYC that provide assistive listening devices for those persons with hearing loss. (I didn’t catch the names of the other two.) The Gershwin Theatre definitely has a place in my heart and I plan to visit again the next time we come to New York City. This Broadway experience was definitely a special CI moment for me. In case I haven’t said it yet, “Wow!” What an experience! I love New York!

To Cochlear and those persons responsible for the advances in technology today so I can hear & enjoy music & shows with my cochlear implants, I just want to sing “because of you, I do believe I have been changed for good….” (lyrics from the last song “For Good” in the musical, Wicked).

He Calls Me MeeMa!

This week I heard the best new word coming from the sweetest little voice!  This year was Destination Christmas for our whole family and we spent it on the beach in Florida.  A week with our whole family is a rare occasion but spending it with our grandson is DOUBLE the joy and fun. The day after Christmas we were all together when I heard him call me "MeeMa!" for the first time. My heart just melted and jumped for joy and it really made my day! Actually, it has made my whole week, Christmas, and all!

I have had many names in my lifetime.  I am a daughter, sister, friend, wife, mommy, Mom, mother, mother-in-heart, granddaughter, cousin, niece, etc. just to name a few.  I've wondered for years what our grandchild would call me (he calls Steve, "Papaw").  Just to hear his sweet little boy voice call me "Meema! Meema! - over and over again is music to my ears and totally priceless!  I just wanted that moment to stop in time for just a little longer....it was the best Christmas present ever!

As I wrote in my journal this week, I reflected on Psalm 139 where God knew our names long before we were conceived or born.  He knew a long time ago what Jackson would call me.....

"You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit.

How I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day..."

(from The Message)

I really didn't want to be called a traditional name like "Grandma" or anything like that but I love "Meema!"  It would probably change over time to something like "MeeMaw" as he gets older but this is perfect!  We've enjoyed our time together playing with his new toys, going for walks, eating together, shopping, etc.  He doesn't sit still for long!

Soon it will be a brand new year with new sounds, opportunities, and changes....

Happy New Year to you.  And may 2010 be the best yet!

What Will You Give Him?

This is one of my favorite Christmas items that I get out every year when we start decorating our home for the holidays.  It was given to me by my very good friend, Claire, who passed away several years ago to ovarian cancer.  She knew how much I loved the Little Drummer Boy at Christmas time and found this for me.  I haven't seen anything like it since.

I know I have not been actively writing in this blog for the past year and hope to resume some regular posting after the first of the year.  This year has been an extremely busy one and has gone by so fast. But, I'm still hearing beautifully with my cochlear implants and am so grateful that I can hear, especially at this time of the year with Christmas music, messages, and the love, laughter, & joy of friends and family.  I just talked to my Dad on the phone just before writing this!

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My favorite theme and song surrounding Christmas is "The Little Drummer Boy." This song takes me to the manger where Jesus laid and I am at a loss to explain why, exactly, this song stirs my feelings so much. The fact is, this song, like no other of the season, fills me with quiet hope and joy. Maybe it’s because it lets me view God and Jesus with the same sense of wonderment as the little drummer boy, himself. He didn’t have anything to give but his music, and he gave that willingly and without hesitation.

Those who know me know that I collect ANYTHING that has to do with a little boy who plays his drum. Our Christmas tree is decorated with drums and drummer boy ornaments. I have various displays such as music boxes, plates, knick knacks, pillow, and even a flag with the little drummer boy. Why do I treasure this symbol? I have pondered and asked myself that question many times. Even though the Bible doesn’t say anything about a drummer boy playing for Jesus, the song has been special to me because of the beautiful message that in it. . .

Come, they told me, pa rum pa pum pum. . .
Our newborn king to see, pa rum pa pum pum. . .
Our finest gifts we’ll bring, pa rum pa pum pum. . .
To lay before the king, pa rum pa pum pum. . .and so the tune goes. . .

Do you know the song? Do you know the story? Do you know the message?

The message is about a little boy who thinks he has nothing to give to the Savior. He apologizes in the song by saying, “I am a poor boy, too, pa rum pa pum pum. . .I have no gift to bring, pa rum pa pum pum. . .that’s fit to give a King, pa rum pa pum pum. . .

I read an American Indian quote the other day that touched my heart and it goes like this: “The drum must be the Great One’s favorite instrument because He gave all of us a heartbeat.” Isn’t that beautiful? You know what? It wouldn’t surprise me if the drum was Jesus’ favorite instrument because the little drummer boy gave his heart and soul when he played his drum. When he played the drum, the music that beat inside him brought a smile to the face of the baby in the manger. The little drummer boy in his own way was showing us what we should all do ourselves. We should share the beat and rhythm of what is inside of us. For God wants our hearts and the things that make our hearts beat. I truly believe that what is inside of us is the most sacred and holy gift of all.

So, my question to you is, what will you give when you come to Jesus at the manger? What will you bring when the time comes? Will it be the things you have? Your money? Stuff you have accumulated over the years? I have said this before and will say it again . . . the best gift you can give to anyone is yourself. Don’t wait. Because if you do, you will deny yourself and others the blessings the God has for us. Whatever is in your heart should be shared with those you love. We all have a heartbeat and a rhythm. When we share what is deep within our hearts, then our light will shine before others. Our “drumming” will be spread throughout the world, just like it did when the Little Drummer boy played for his Savior.

So, as you treasure and ponder at Christmas time, think about what you will bring to Jesus? It is time for you to give your heart and play your best for Him. Then, he will smile at you, too!
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The above post was originally written December 27, 2006 but I wanted to share it with you again.  I love the Little Drummer Boy, his trusting faith, and his willingness to give what he had....his love.  These last few weeks I've heard several different variations on the song "The Little Drummer Boy" and am reminded over and over of His gift to Jesus.  What will you give Him this Christmas?

Merry Christmas to you, my faithful readers!  See you next year!

A Spooky CI Moment...

Here is a question for you:

If a car alarm goes off in the garage and no one is around, does it make a sound?

The other day I was working in my office upstairs (I work at home for our consulting business) and heard a car alarm go off. I had my window cracked a little bit so I could hear the birds and thought that maybe it was my neighbor's car going off but didn't see anything or anyone. Then it stopped a few seconds later.

I continued working for a few more minutes.....then I heard it AGAIN. Before I could get up from my chair to investigate, it stopped. Now, whenever I hear an unusual sound or one that confuses me, I find someone to tell me what it is. But this time I was alone in the house and had to figure out for myself this time. I thought that maybe Chris had come home for something and was in the driveway messing around, teasing me. (As a mother of boys I've had my share of "pranks" and "jokes" played on me before!)

Then, I heard the car alarm go off AGAIN! And this time it stayed on (and Riga was going crazy barking and pacing in the kitchen). So, I got up and went downstairs because it sounded like it was coming from the garage. Sure enough, it was coming from MY CAR and the lights were flashing on and off, all by itself. No one was around, nothing was touching the car or had bumped it, and I was pretty sure the keys were in the house. I just stared at it for a few minutes with my jaw open trying to figure out what to do. As I started to turn around to go back inside to locate my keys, the darn thing shut off by itself.....RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!

By now I was really starting to get confused (and a little spooked) because this had never happened to me before and I was alone in the house. I sent Chris a text message to his phone and told him what was going on. He said that maybe my door alarm system was going bad and that maybe I should call the dealership to get it fixed. I found my keys on the hook in the kitchen where I usually hang them and I heard the car alarm go off AGAIN! And it shut itself off about 30 seconds later. I took my keys out to the garage, pointed my keys at the car, and pressed the buttons a few times to see if I could deactivate the alarm. The car stayed quiet after that so I went back upstairs to continue working.

But, later, I transferred Steve's laundry from the washer to the dryer and found my EXTRA car key in the bottom of the washer! He must have left it in one of his pockets! He is usually good about emptying his pockets and almost always puts the car keys in the same place in his office. So, while the key was being "washed" it must have set off the sensors to activate my car alarm! I just had to laugh and realized that was why the car alarm was being set off. I immediately took the key and put it in my cochlear implant dryer to dry it out and keep it from being damaged any further. We had just gotten new keys for my car and they were not cheap. I've used my Dry-N-Store for my CI to dry cell phones before. If it can "dry" a $7,000 cochlear implant processor, it can certainly dry an electronic key or cell phone which costs a lot less!

I was relieved that I was able to figure out why my car alarm was going off. I was afraid it had gone off in the middle of the night, waking my neighbors, when I wouldn't be able to hear it at all. And no one would have been able to get a hold of me to tell me to shut it off. There are times when I don't have my processors on and do not hear a thing, like when I'm alone, in hotel rooms, fixing my hair, etc. Which brings me to another post later regarding my thoughts about considering a hearing service dog in the next few years for my next dog....

Four Years Ago Today...

Four years ago today my first cochlear implant was activated...

Four years ago I heard the sound of a little boy's voice as he talked to his mom....sounds I had missed when our children were little...

Four years ago my four children surprised me with my very first iPod.... (I'm on my second one now!)

Four years ago I heard the beautiful sound of 19,000 women singing in acapella, the faint sounds of 19,000 Bible pages turning in complete silence, and 19,000 women worshipping together at a Beth Moore Conference in Knoxville...

It is hard to believe that I've been on this wonderful "Dance with Sound" for the last four years. I never dreamed it would be possible to hear this well in my lifetime, going from a severe/profound hearing loss to normal hearing in both ears. (I went bilateral with my second ear in January of 2007.) I still continue to discover "new" sounds in different environments but not as frequently as I did in the beginning. Getting a cochlear implant (or two) is not a "quick fix" to a hearing loss and it took much hard work and perseverance on my part to get to where I am today. I spent over a year in therapy just learning to hear all over again because I never heard those high pitched sounds that are such an important parts of speech. I had family members read to me and practiced listening to books on tape. I practiced on the phone even though I dreaded it. But it has all been worth it worth it and I'm still "practicing" today.

My cochlear implants have given me a new lease on life and connected me to another world of deaf and hard of hearing friends from all over the U.S. and the world, through the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) and through this blog.

One of the best parts of this journey is being able to hear the precious & sweet "little voice" of our grandson! And it has increased my faith....for NOTHING is impossible with God! He always has a plan...in His timing...if we only ask...

And I couldn't help but smile and say "Thank you, Lord" as I listened to the sound of the rain above me in church this morning as we sang "Grace Like Rain...falls down on me.....Alleluia!"

A Cochlear Implant Journey Video

This is a must see video! It describes the hearing loss journey of Josh and Sam Swiller, their cochlear implant surgery, activation, therapy, and life afterwards perfectly....and is almost identical to my hearing loss experience and results. It is captioned, too!

What a gift technology has given to the deaf and hard of hearing....Enjoy!



Soundproof Trailer created by filmmaker Rebecca Haimowitz.

A Lotte Update

After I sent a response to Lotte's father about "the experiment," I received the following response. Lotte's father has given me permission to share it:

"Hi Laurie,

Thanks for that experiment. And a thorough job you did...Was great to hear how you perceived the sound. "Distant and nasal" is a description we can use. With this we will try to have Lotte to wear it on the ear. With the battery still on the shoulder perhaps. We'll do some experimenting ourself. Thinking of it, the fact that the BTE is not just hanging on the ear, but also hugging the bone of the head, might be a reason for a different sound. Like we, and you said, Lotte will decide for herself. And with her being used to the current sound, changing might not be the most popular thing to do. But we'll try in the weekend. I don't think the distance between face and microphone makes the difference, but who knows. Lately Lotte has been talking louder. We feel that it has to do with the vacation. Being outside for so much (weather in Holland and Italy was great) might require more sound in order for her to hear her voice in the same way. Another factor might be the fact she has been excited 24/7 during the holiday... Happy bunny...

By the way... Have you found ways that you benefited from it? Again, thanks for your help. It has been very informative."

Lots of love, Onno & Marieke B----, on behalf of Lotte

I wrote back and said this:

As far as benefitting from having the processors on my shoulders, I can see where it might help in certain situations, like if I was in surgery or in bed for an extended period of time, doing an outdoor activity like boating, skiing, or something active where I would not want to lose my processors if they fell off....

And later, another response:

"This weekend we tried it on the ears. With the batteries on the back, and with the complete BTE on the ear. Lotte doesn't mind, but still prefers them on the shoulder. So do we.... after she came back with a broken BTE. It had fallen off, and 2 of the 3 little pins of the bayonet-closing thingy (how on earth do you call that) broke, making it impossible to close it. Well, it's on tape now. Duct tape will be the next move..Anyway, we put it higher on the shoulder than before... not much change though..."

Poor Lotte, she now has a broken processor after trying it on her ear...I feel bad for her. Hopefully she will get a replacement processor soon!