Back in the loop

Me? Deaf? Oh yeah, that's right.

2011-08-25T21:19:00.001+10:00

@font-face { font-family: "Verdana"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Was it only last year that I used to deliberately seek out strangers so I could practise my listening skills? Wow. All I need to do now is head out of the

Just how loud can little Oliver cry?

2011-06-21T22:33:00.002+10:00

@font-face { font-family: "Verdana"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } * Loud enough for two different nurses in neighbouring ICU units to come rushing in to his room at the Children’s Hospital one night to see what was going on. (His

NICU babies and hearing

2011-06-08T15:10:00.002+10:00

@font-face { font-family: "Verdana"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } A visit to a different audiology clinic this week – the one at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Oliver passed his newborn hearing screening test with flying colours,

Out of (brain) practice

2011-06-03T09:00:00.002+10:00

@font-face { font-family: "Verdana"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } So … it’s wonderful to be able to play the piano again but I have to confess something. I did not have a grand “oh-wow-this-sounds-amazing-again” moment the first

Hypnosis with cochlear implants?

2011-06-01T13:30:00.000+10:00

@font-face { font-family: "Verdana"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } I was watching a documentary on SBS the other night about the way brain research has evolved over time. There was a segment on hypnosis and it got me wondering …

Do your dreams have sounds?

2011-05-30T09:00:00.002+10:00

@font-face { font-family: "Verdana"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } It's a question that is often asked to deaf people. For late-deafened people like me, people often ask if our dreams stopped featuring sound after we lost our

The sounds of Oliver

2011-05-27T09:00:00.008+10:00

@font-face { font-family: "Verdana"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } I always knew that getting cochlear implants would help me hear, and therefore respond faster, to my baby crying. Little did I know they would also help me monitor

Impending labour symptom # 2

2011-05-25T09:00:00.001+10:00

@font-face { font-family: "Verdana"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Second note to self: if, in a future pregnancy, your hearing suddenly starts to return for no reason at all, be very wary. Again, about two weeks before I gave

Impending labour symptom # 1

2011-05-23T09:00:00.002+10:00

@font-face { font-family: "Verdana"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Ollie was born one month premature, as I think I might have mentioned on here. It is tricky, in a first pregnancy, to recognise genuine labour symptoms. For me,

Tuning time

2011-05-20T09:00:00.001+10:00

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Spicks and Specks ... with CIs

2011-05-18T15:24:00.000+10:00

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Introducing ... Oliver Jason

2011-04-05T22:16:00.000+10:00

Can you hear that? It's the alarm bells ringing. That's what you hear when an almost full-term pregnant woman stops replying to emails, phone messages and, er, stops blogging! Well you'd be correct in assuming. Our little boy, Oliver, was born four weeks early by emergency c-section. He has had some complications but is out of the NICU and in Special Care. We are completely in love with little

Toys!

2011-03-11T16:40:00.000+11:00

I can be really bad when I’m let loose in a toy store. You know how you walk past those plush toys with little tiny stickers on them that say ‘push here’? Yep. I’m one of those people. The ones who feel compelled to push. Pretty sure I’ve always been annoying like that, but I used to just ‘push’ and keep walking. Since losing my hearing and ‘regaining’ it, I tend to hang around to hear the sound.

Michael Buble’: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne 2011

2011-02-23T14:06:00.001+11:00

@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } The first time I heard this man live in concert was back in September 2005. Hamer Hall, my favourite Melbourne venue for music. The acoustics were incredible. Of course, I had full hearing back then

BEI concert review (coming soon!)

2011-02-23T10:14:00.000+11:00

Of course I’ve got lots to report on the BEI concert! Has been a crazy couple of weeks juggling CICADA deadlines with medical appointments, but don’t think I’ve forgotten! My review of the concert will be published in the autumn issue of CICADA, and I haven’t wanted to repeat myself here or duplicate the text prior to publication. BUT, I am working something out with the team and there’s a

Media publicity: Bionic Ear Institute's Interior Design Concert (UPDATED)

2011-02-13T15:04:00.002+11:00

Some amazing sounds coming from the Fairfax Theatre at the moment - just listening to the performers getting ready for the show! We just wrapped up our interview with ABC TV. Be sure to tune in to the 7pm national news on ABC 1 tonight, if you're interested! UPDATED ON 14/02/2011: Here's the link to the online news story! http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/02/14/3137688.htm

Music for bionic listeners - concert day!

2011-02-13T01:04:00.004+11:00

It’s ‘Concert Day’ – sort of! It’s after midnight anyway. And I should be in bed resting up, but am feeling a little flat after watching my football team lose twice in the one night. Should be used to it, I suppose, but with football only just starting up again for the year, I need to slowly wean myself into the disappointing losses once more. For my Aussie readers: I’m a mad (in all senses of

Interior design: music for the bionic ear!

2011-02-07T12:33:00.000+11:00

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Musings of a bionic mum-to-be

2011-02-04T15:36:00.002+11:00

@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Recently my mother-in-law gave me an interesting newspaper clipping about the sorts of things new mums stress about when it comes to their babies. The top 10 list of worries included things like how to set

Welcome waves

2011-01-25T13:09:00.004+11:00

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CI moment # 114257

2011-01-11T10:46:00.000+11:00

I vacuum the entrance hallway while Jase stands in the adjoining dining room. Me (turning off the vacuum cleaner and facing Jase): could you please do me a favour? Jase (cheeky grin): maybe Me (poking tongue out): could you please bring me the mop? Jase (disappearing towards the laundry already): sure I turn around again, switch the vacuum cleaner back on, and continue.

The end of an era

2011-01-05T11:19:00.000+11:00

Today I say good bye to my sporty little two-door coupe; the Mitsubishi Lancer I’ve been driving since the age of 20. It was a wonderful car, never left me stranded, never had any mechanical issues. But alas, a two-door car is not very baby-friendly so it’s time to say farewell. One comforting thing about the Lancer though – I knew all of its ‘sounds’. I drove this car

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T12:01:00.002+11:00

Yes, I’ve emerged from a happy, dreamlike state of Christmas splendour, New Year’s festivities and family birthday parties! So many happy moments to lose myself in, but I confess there were moments when I stepped back from it all and quietly marvelled at how far I’d come. The Christmas season was how I used to remember it. Except with a greater appreciation for sound. It came without the

Christmas cheer!

2010-12-02T07:38:00.001+11:00

Of course I have been waiting all year to decorate my processor covers for the Christmas season. My friends and family who know how much I love Christmas would have been completely disappointed me in me if I didn’t spread some Christmas cheer come the 1st December. Now I haven’t yet written a single card (getting there, getting there), and my tree isn’t up because our bed is in the lounge room (

The calm before the storm

2010-11-23T12:04:00.000+11:00

Tap tap tap. Tuh-tuh-tuh-tap. Tuh-tuh-tuh-tap. Tuh-tuh-tuh-tap. Ignore that, if you can. Or give me A Look, whatever. That’s what Jase does. It’s the sound of me tapping my fingers on the table and I’m told it’s Annoying. Why am I tapping? Because I’m waiting. We have finished the two back rooms and there’s nothing more we can do on the house until Sunday. Our house looks reasonably normal aside

Adam Hills – better (three years) late than never

2010-11-19T10:00:00.001+11:00

A pretty cool thing happened to me a few weeks ago. Have been meaning to blog about it. You see, I’ve always been a big fan of comedy. (Surprised? Seriously. It’s true!) Every year in April, we celebrate the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. From the age of 17, I was a regular patron. And not just a regular patron. An obsessed one. I used to pore over the guide in The Age on the day it was

My new favourite sound

2010-11-15T11:00:00.002+11:00

OK, people keep asking me … yep, I’ve heard the baby’s heartbeat now! A sweet little sound that I’ve burned into the memory but can’t wait to hear again. The obstetrician had just shown us the baby on the ultrasound. Jase, my sister and me had all clearly seen the gender (it’s a boy, by the way!), so there were happy smiles all round and we were all making jokes and laughing. Then, the doctor

Inspired by David Helfgott!

2010-11-14T10:36:00.001+11:00

When it comes to playing the piano, no living person inspires me more than David Helfgott. So what a treat to see and hear him perform live in a solo piano recital at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Friday night. I’d never been to this venue before – it opened while I was deaf. I used to walk past it a bit sadly, wishing it had opened during the years I had normal hearing. I never thought I’d be

Bionic Ear Institute – the television interview! As promised!

2010-11-04T13:50:00.000+11:00

A few blogs ago, I mentioned our meeting at the Bionic Ear Institute had been partially filmed by the ABC, for a program called ‘Art Nation’. I’ve mentioned the concert project plenty of times, but in case I have new readers ... the Bionic Ear Institute have teamed up with a group of composers, lead by Robin Fox. The composers are learning all about cochlear implants and are trying to create

What being pregnant 'sounds like' so far

2010-10-25T12:24:00.000+11:00

Just thought I’d share with you the 10 most common sounds I’m hearing during the pregnancy so far, in no particular order. (And the morning sickness sounds aren’t frequent enough to make it to this list, thank goodness.) 1. The happy shrieks when you announce the news. 2. The quiet, gentle voice of my obstetrician casually explaining things like the birth plan … how nice to

Why did I do it?

2010-10-18T11:53:00.001+11:00

‘A cochlear implant?’, I thought to myself. ‘A piece of metal drilled into my skull? Electrodes in the inner ear? And an eternal reliance on a piece of computer hardware never sending me back into the depths of oblivion like Algernon and Charlie? I don’t think so.’ Some people think the decision to get a cochlear implant is a simple one. To hear or not to hear, right? For me, and probably most

Music updates … and other activities

2010-10-04T13:06:00.002+11:00

Can you believe it’s October already? My cochlear implants have been activated for six months now, and life is so amazing. Better than it was before because I’ve had the chance to meet so many wonderful people, and explore things I’d never be able to otherwise. You may not know that I’ve changed career paths … have left behind a career in editing to develop a career in writing instead. It is,

The Nutcracker ballet

2010-09-20T11:57:00.000+10:00

Do I have self control? Sure! I wait until we get to double digits before I start counting down to Christmas. That’s September 17, everyone. 99 sleeps. OK … so I’ve kind of been banned from counting down any earlier than that, so maybe ‘self control’ is the wrong terms. You may as well know now (if you don’t already) that I’m one of Those People who adores Christmas.

Note to self

2010-09-08T16:26:00.002+10:00

Next time you decide to sing from The Beach Boys Golden Hits at the top of your lungs while you’re preparing dinner, you might want to check that the front door is shut, first. Else those musical sounds might suddenly be accompanied by the door bell, a loud cough (which I’m willing to bet was actually a chuckle), and your own voice saying ‘oh crap’. No, Avon lady, I don’t

Winter sounds

2010-08-30T08:00:00.011+10:00

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a lover of sounds. I’ve just been having a lot of trouble finding a favourite winter sound to blog about. Some people like the sound of rain against the window. They find it soothing. I have nothing against the sound of rain. I just don’t particularly like rain. And I know it’s Not Politically Correct to say that in a drought-stricken place where it doesn’t rain nearly

The 2000th Cochlear Implant Celebration - Melbourne

2010-08-27T14:30:00.004+10:00

I do love balloons. So when I got an invitation to attend a balloon release, to celebrate the 2000th cochlear implant surgery in Melbourne, I was like a kid at Christmas. I’d been sent a name tag and was asked to write on the back, in 25 words or less, what having a cochlear implant means to me. That tag would then be attached to a balloon and released at an afternoon tea on the 26th August,

My speech for the '2000th Cochlear Implant Celebration'

2010-08-27T14:20:00.000+10:00

For the family and friends who wanted to know what my speech was. And for anybody at the event who couldn't hear it properly. Here it is ... Hi everyone! I'm Daniela. And only five months ago, I was a completely different person. I’d lost my sense of identity. Lost my place in this world. At a social event like this, I’d be hiding in the corner somewhere, silently hoping that nobody would

My first musical: West Side Story

2010-08-24T16:26:00.000+10:00

So I went and saw West Side Story on Saturday night, my ‘mildly ambitious’ event of the year! Couldn’t seem to get any sound from the telecoil though – turns out our seats weren’t in the hearing loop after all. Either that, or they hadn’t switched it on. Given that was the case, I fared better than I could have hoped. The problem for me was simply that I was tired and

West Side story – my 'Mildly Ambitious' event

2010-08-19T08:55:00.006+10:00

In my second-ever blog on this site, I pointed out that I'd booked tickets to West Side Story. The full blog is here (http://back-in-the-loop.blogspot.com/2010/03/theres-mildly-ambitious-far-too.html) but the part I'm talking about is this: Shh … I’m booking tickets for musical events taking place later this year. If my audiologist finds out, I fear she’ll send me for a pre-implant

"Cochlear music" – the ABC Radio National interview

2010-08-17T08:55:00.001+10:00

Very happy to take part in a national radio interview to spread further awareness about the work the Bionic Ear Institute are doing here in Melbourne. Can I just point out the not-so-obvious but overwhelmingly amazing fact that this interview was conducted over the phone? Imagine that! Only five months ago, I'd pick up the phone and not even hear a dial tone. For about 14 months prior to that,

The Impostor

2010-08-16T08:55:00.002+10:00

I promise you, I'm not a creepy Bird Lady. Honest. But the mean, mean café owner* has scared away my sparrows with none other than a statue of an owl. It's about 40 cm high and it guards the table near the front entrance of the café. The sparrows no longer come inside. They are completely freaked out by its, well, owlish eyes. And to be honest? So am I. :-( OK, I should explain. Every

A moment of deafness

2010-08-13T12:32:00.001+10:00

'Would it be OK if I check your processors, please? ' 'Both of them?' I felt my heartbeat quicken. He nodded. I was at the Cochlear office, in the waiting area. I'd stopped in to help out with some research. The technician wanted to make sure the processors were in full working order before we got started, which made perfect sense and seemed a logical, professional thing to do. But I

A plea for Tony and Julia

2010-08-10T22:30:00.000+10:00

I had been hoping for a little more, you see? I was rather hearing impaired during the last federal election, and so I was really looking forward to being able to hear what’s going on in this one. You know, listening to you speak in interviews instead of reading the transcripts in the papers afterwards. I’ve heard the sound of your voices, that’s true. Cochlear implants don’t exempt me from

Inspired!

2010-08-04T11:35:00.002+10:00

I’ve been haunted by Rachmaninoff’s third concerto over the past few days, since discovering it for the first time while watching Shine on Saturday night. This piece has me completely captivated, from start to finish. I’ve never heard anything like it. How I didn’t know about it in my days of natural hearing is beyond me, but, never mind, I know it now. And I can’t let it rest. I’ve been

Red, red wine

2010-07-25T20:35:00.000+10:00

Clunk. Clunk. I smiled. Such wonderful sounds to enjoy while being a passenger in the car. Clunk. Clunk. This one was a new one! Clunk. Clunk. Jase gave me A Look. ‘You didn’t put those wine bottles in the boot, did you?’ ‘Er … yeah?’ Clunk. Clunk. ‘So that’s what that noise is. They’re rolling around in the boot.’ ‘Sorry! I thought there was only one bottle in that bag!’ ‘No.’ ‘Oh.’ I

Surround sound

2010-07-22T19:30:00.003+10:00

One of the first pieces of advice my hearing aid audiologist gave me was 'go into the settings on your TV and change it from "stereo" to "mono"'. I'll admit, I never did that. I thought life had been hard enough on Jase as it was! But his words did stay in my mind and, as a kind of compromise, I stopped using the home theatre system while I wore the hearing aid. The other week, we decided to

Being a friendly neighbour

2010-07-20T20:30:00.002+10:00

There wasn’t much light, OK? That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. It was early evening. Pretty dim outside. I went out the front to get the mail and saw a shape across the road. My neighbour walking his dog. I smiled nervously. I used to dread leaving the house for fear of having to chat to my neighbours who (unless they've made some educated guesses based on some appalling piano-playing

Three-month evaluation

2010-07-18T22:26:00.004+10:00

I certainly didn't need formal testing to confirm I made the right choice in dropping the Prednisone and opting for cochlear implants instead. But it sure is mind-blowing when you see the results formalised on paper. Below are the results for my speech perception with a hearing aid, prior to the surgery, compared to with the left CI only, right CI only, and both CIs together. Prior to

Triple J radio publicity

2010-07-15T22:13:00.004+10:00

And the media publicity for the Bionic Ear Institute's 'concert project' continues ...! I'm so honoured to be able to help them out with this. What an incredible way of overlapping the arts with the sciences! And anybody who knows the importance of making music FUN is going to get my firm seal of approval. ;-) Here's a link to the Triple J interview played earlier this week: http://

Piano video, as requested ;-)

2010-07-14T21:19:00.003+10:00

(Note: Flash player required) Have been asked by a couple of my CI buddies to post a video of myself playing the piano, so here I am, playing Debussy's Clair de Lune. This was my concert piece last year, but there are still parts I hope to improve. Hope you enjoy it. PS: I don't know much about video. Apologies for the poor resolution. And if you hear a hissing sound in the background, it

Interview: BEI concert project for cochlear implantees

2010-07-12T20:53:00.001+10:00

Jase chuckled at the first line. I waved the newspaper at him and said, 'you see! It's official! I don't like to complain! The newspaper says so! That means it's true!' He shook his head and gave me the 'oh-if-only-they-knew' kind of grin. OK, so I might be the Complaining Type when it comes to stuff around the house. Mostly temperature-related stuff. (‘It’s too hot in here’ … ‘it’s too cold in

Where did she go?

2010-07-05T20:32:00.001+10:00

Investigative reporters have been forced to go on a search around Melbourne for that ever elusive blogger known simply as ‘Daniela’, after questions concerning her whereabouts grew to an all-time high last week. (Well, to some she’s ‘Daniela’. To others, she’s ‘the strange Aussie one with a fascination for cuckoo clocks’.) We pocketed the following clues about her recent habits. First stop,

Enjoying orchestra

2010-06-24T13:45:00.001+10:00

In the early days of CI activation, I remember hearing a radio stunt asking listeners to call in and sing the tune of the most annoying song of all time. We got the ‘Super Mario Brothers’ theme song. (It is in my head as I type this.) We got ‘This is the song that never ends’. We got '500 Miles' by The Proclaimers. But I fail to understand how we didn’t get … (drumroll) … the VB (

Pod People

2010-06-18T23:18:00.000+10:00

Just so you know, I can't sew to save myself. My stitches are crooked. I sew snags into all my fabrics. And ten thimbles couldn't stop me accidentally pricking a finger with the sewing needle. It must have been deeply disappointing for my mum, who had a talent for dressmaking and design, but I just get no enjoyment from sewing whatsoever. Which is why I find it so very entertaining that, as of

Conquering the work phone

2010-06-08T17:21:00.004+10:00

OK, I’ve been really lucky in being able to use the telephone again, I know, but part of my success is from being in a position where I can pick which phone I use. The landline at home is great. It has a volume switch that can be boosted up quite a bit, and also has a telecoil. The cordless at home is not so good. No telecoil, and voices sound really muffled. (Cordless phones in general are

Splash!

2010-06-04T18:25:00.000+10:00

Introducing another metallic surface for my CI magnet to play with: The kitchen sink. I keep the CI drying case plugged in to a power point near the kitchen sink. The other night, I reached up to my left ear and took off the sound processor, coil and cable. I was just about to put it inside the overnight container when, through the right CI, I heard a: TING! Then a: PLOP! Then a: SPLASH!

Being a fridge magnet

2010-06-01T19:00:00.000+10:00

Have I tried sticking things to my head yet? Of course. Those little magnets that came with the Doodle sketcher. They were the first to go on. (They fell off.) Why not have a little fun, eh? (Jase, if you are reading this, that does not mean I’ve warmed to the idea of you sticking a bottle opener on my head. Sorry. ) But imagine my surprise when I first experienced the sticking of myself onto

My buddy doesn’t care

2010-05-29T16:00:00.001+10:00

Friendship. When times are rough, it is something that can be realised, discovered or lost. One friend, my dancing buddy, has been most forgiving of the silence. In fact, I think my dancing buddy actually preferred the silence. But now music is BACK. And this friend endures my poor taste in music once more. Oh, and my poor singing. Not to mention the lack of actual

Colouring-in for grown-ups

2010-05-26T18:30:00.002+10:00

A while back I mentioned changing my zebra stripe Nucleus 5 processor covers to tiger stripes, by colouring in with a waterproof marker. Last weekend, my waterproof markers got another work-out. I have a pair of those soccer ball covers – do you know the ones I mean? They are blue, with white soccer ball covers. Here: Well, on Monday night I attended a soccer game for the first time ever. I

Save the last dance

2010-05-23T21:11:00.000+10:00

I tend not to blog about the things I’m disappointed about, as I try to stay positive and put them behind me. It’s why there was never a blog about the group anniversary dinner I went to a week and a half after switch-on. I had a great night, and coped OK with most of the group discussion, even though the restaurant was very loud. What I'd been disappointed about was the music. Jase had

Music improvement for CI users (the Bionic Ear Institute)

2010-05-21T19:45:00.004+10:00

I never used to know East Melbourne all that well, but I seem to be spending more and more time there! The little pocket I'm spending lots of time in is known as Melbourne's 'hearing precinct'. It includes the Eye and Ear Hospital, the Melbourne office of Cochlear and the Bionic Ear Institute. There's more to it than that – it also includes the offices of my surgeon, and

Stranger danger!

2010-05-19T19:30:00.000+10:00

‘Don’t talk to strangers!’ They drilled that into us as kids, didn’t they? Our parents, teachers, older siblings … I still hear their voices in my head. As we became adults, we developed the instincts that let us choose which strangers were OK to talk to. And then we were able to go one step further and decide which strangers we wanted to talk to. Thanks to a little

Waiting for Godot!

2010-05-17T21:54:00.020+10:00

Over the weekend, Jase and I went and saw Waiting for Godot, the two-act play famously described as one 'where nothing happens – twice'. I studied this play at university and it remained a favourite of mine for much the same reasons as everyone else – you can read into it what you will, and apply its symbolism to your own life. (Let's describe it as a high-brow version of Dr Seuss' Waiting Place

Piano score

2010-05-14T17:45:00.009+10:00

One of my favourite all-time quotes is by Victor Hugo. He said: "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." I've been very silent on this blog about what music actually means to me. And should I tell you my complete musical 'story', you'd be reading for days. ;-) Let me just say that there are some childhood dreams we leave behind, and others we

Elevator capades

2010-05-10T22:00:00.001+10:00

My dearest work colleagues, and anybody else who works in my building … did you ever see me 'texting' somebody while in the lift, or fumbling around with some settings on my mobile phone? Sorry to say, but I was bluffing. This ‘mobile phone pretence’, as I fondly named it, is one of the many techniques people with a hearing disability will utilise to avoid unnecessary public conversation and

Hunger for sound

2010-05-04T21:45:00.001+10:00

The office I work at is far too quiet. It’s not, really. I mean, all the sounds I heard today, on my first day back after the six-week journey, were amazing. It wasn’t so long ago that I was longing for these simple sounds. Elevator commentary. Kitchen chats. Bluff-free conversations with my colleagues. Problem-solving via face-to-face chats instead of carefully drafted emails. I heard all that

Deer Pheebs

2010-04-29T23:03:00.002+10:00

Dear Pheebs (the cat), Please accept my sincerest apologies for this morning’s rude awakening. I realise I encouraged you to hop up on the bed yesterday evening, but I truly did not expect you to stay there all night. (I guess you were trapped by the same Furry Lump that stopped me from rolling over also. Did you find yourself on the very edge of the bed this morning too? And is your back sore

Ring, ring!

2010-04-26T16:33:00.001+10:00

The sound of the phone ringing could always spark so many emotions. Annoyance, if I’d just sat down to dinner and it was likely to be a telemarketer. Hopefulness, when I was waiting on news of a job offer. Anxiety. Curiosity. Happiness. Excitement. When my hearing had deteriorated to a point where my aid wasn’t giving me much benefit, the sound of the phone ringing could also spark: Fear.

Fun, fun, fun … Chuck Berry style

2010-04-22T23:39:00.001+10:00

OK. I’ll admit it. It’s true. I have become Quite The Little Show-off lately. It seems I sometimes take that need to announce my presence just one step too far in a move that has me rapidly progressing from Cute … to Obnoxious. Take this for example. Me: dining room, middle of the house, tapping away at this very keyboard. Jase: study, back of the house, doing an elusive Something. (Jase

Tigers lost … but the sound wasn’t

2010-04-20T15:52:00.000+10:00

So the Tigers lost again. Thought I called in a favour with those guys, but I guess it fell on deaf ears. (Groan!) But even though I didn’t get to hear 40 odd thousand voices singing ‘Tigerland’ in victory, on Sunday, I did get a better auditory experience than I could have hoped for. When we first arrived, I said hello to a fellow member before settling down in my seat.

When hated sounds become loved ones (well, 'liked' ones)

2010-04-19T17:45:00.007+10:00

On Sunday morning, when our car pulled out onto High Street, we noticed some police lights flashing up ahead. Hmm. I couldn’t hear the siren, despite the fact that it looked like the car was moving – that was strange, and a bit disconcerting. But as we got closer, we realised there was no siren, only flashing lights. Phew! There were several police cars escorting a marching band of soldiers,

A drive to the library … and a rundown on MAP # 2

2010-04-16T15:44:00.000+10:00

Yesterday, with car battery nicely charged again, I decided to drive to my local library and pick up some new audio books to listen to. The first thing I heard, when I turned the key in the ignition, was the familiar hum of the engine running (only it was more of a bellowing hum than a quiet hum). The second thing I heard? Squeeeeeak. Oh the brakes! Not good! I bet that’s the first time I’ve

Don't care for Cher

2010-04-14T21:33:00.001+10:00

Cher. In high definition. Prancing about in fishnet stockings on a 3 x 2 metre television screen. Stereo sound. Babies crying. Kids shrieking. (Did that have anything to do with Cher? Quite possibly.) Phones ringing. Names being called out. This is the scene I was met with at the doctor’s waiting room on Monday. I had been determined to go on my

There's no place like home

2010-04-13T10:56:00.000+10:00

Well, after three years of adjustments in our house (mainly on Jason’s part, I’ll admit), we are now entering a new phase where some of our previous household rules no longer apply. So, here’s a new set of eight rules to help us all along.* *** 1. I owe Jase about three trillion phone calls and promise that, in future, I will be the one who hangs up on foreign telemarketers, calls customer

Day 6 post-activation

2010-04-12T15:13:00.000+10:00

It was a hallucination that I knew would come to an end. For the last year, in particular, I’ve been fortunate enough to drive a luxury car. You know the ones. Where you feel the engine instead of hear it because it purrs so quietly. Where you don’t notice the roar of the other traffic because the door seals are just That Good. Today, with sound processors on, I prepared myself for reality: it’

Day 3 post-activation

2010-04-09T22:28:00.001+10:00

Some random audio observations and milestones from me, at the three-day mark. The cuckoo clockI can now decipher the two melodies well enough to recognise which one is playing! I can hear the cuckoo clock from any room in the house, even when there is background noise (eg a television) turned on! Music vocalsWas listening to one of my Michael Buble playlists with a huge smile on my face because

A long time ago in a galaxy (not so) far away ...

2010-04-08T21:19:00.003+10:00

A new planet is born. It’s a cosmic sort of place. One where R2-D2 commands authority over all sounds. Where chipmunk voices are often heard. Where males sound like females, and females sound like children. It’s a place where coffee grinders sound like helicopters landing overhead. Where a human blowing their nose sounds like several pigs in a pen. Where the shake of a water bottle produces

Switch-on!

2010-04-07T23:59:00.002+10:00

Well it was ‘Activation Day’ today and I’m grinning from CI to CI, but before I tell you about it, please welcome a little friend of mine who is staying with me at the moment. The friend’s name is R2-D2 and you might know him (it?) from those Star Wars movies way back when. Yeah. Not sure how long he’ll be staying with me, but he’s punctuating every word, every sound, with those cute little

Grand slam success results in Easter abuse

2010-04-06T09:06:00.001+10:00

Visitors arrived to a devastating scene at Jason and Daniela’s house on Saturday 3rd April, where it was discovered a beloved Easter egg had tragically been destroyed before its time. ‘It’s my fault,’ said Daniela, sniffling. ‘I’ve developed this habit of slamming things over the last few weeks and, well … look.’ Chocolate was found smeared all over the inside fridge door.

A tribute to Dr Seuss ... Live from the Waiting Place

2010-04-02T21:49:00.003+11:00

Five sleeps to go!(I've behaved, from here in but it turns out my patienceis starting to thin.) When restlessness setsthe techniques one deploysmake a pesky, pestiferousnoise that annoys! Be it pen clicking, feet tapping, zippers that snag! Tongue ticking, nails rapping, footsteps that drag! Sniffs of the nose, and sighs from within. (Thank goodness I can'thear this horrible din!) But good

A late afternoon lap around a silent house

2010-03-31T17:43:00.013+11:00

The screen door clangs shut behind me. I shuffle down the front steps carefully as my sandals lightly plod on each step. Bees busily buzz away in the smelly unidentified bush beside the porch. (Jasmine?) A car edges its way into the court and the tyres grip the road with a whirr as it completes its u-turn. The driver’s window is down and a radio advertisement escapes. (Actually, scratch that. It

The sounds of time

2010-03-30T09:58:00.004+11:00

Last year, we purchased a cuckoo clock in Germany. It was not an easy purchase to pre-approve with Jase. I spent months convincing my sceptical husband that it would be a delightful little addition to our lives. What a lovely lifelong hourly (and half-hourly!) reminder that we didn’t just dream our entire trip! But apparently my having a readily available ‘mute’ button rendered me Unqualified to

The noisy silence

2010-03-28T11:21:00.004+11:00

Over the last three years, I’ve come to treasure sounds. Most sounds. Not bagpipes. Don’t miss them, sorry. ;-) But I have tried to embrace all other sounds, even the badly distorted ones. No surprises there. Since the silence following CI surgery? Sure. There are (temporarily) fewer sounds to treasure (told you about the cupboard slamming, right?). But I’ve started to discover some new sounds

Tiger stripes: earned!

2010-03-26T16:32:00.001+11:00

Fear not, my fellow Tigers supporters! I’ve called in a favour. You won’t be hearing Tigerland until at least Round 4 … when I can hear it. ;-) At last night’s game we farewelled our favourite player, and one of the AFL greats, Mattie 'Richo' Richardson. I was most upset about missing the game, but wasn’t physically up to it so soon after surgery. Naps are still too frequent … large public

And on the eighth day … there were cherries

2010-03-25T16:43:00.007+11:00

Yesterday I told you about the smell of smoke and petrol. Today I’m sitting here enjoying the smell of cherries! The fruit? No. My shampoo! Aaaah … I made it to the one-week mark and was allowed to wash my hair. So now, every time I swish it around (and I’m doing that a lot), I’m greeted with the scent of fragrant cherries. Mmmm. Today was my one-week follow-up appointment with my surgeon, Dr

(Temporary) silence is thy friend

2010-03-24T09:26:00.002+11:00

Yesterday I discovered that if I slammed one particular cupboard door, I could hear it! I then felt compelled to slam it again. So, armed with a stupid grin on my face, I did just that. Several times in a row. Then I tried some other cupboards. Nope. Nothing. So why that one? Turns out I’m hearing it slam against some misaligned coffee mugs, so the sound is higher pitched. I probably have no

The 5:22 am brainwave

2010-03-23T07:36:00.001+11:00

Well they say that when the portion of the brain devoted to hearing is no longer in use, the dispensable brain cells reallocate their attention. I can confidently say that my brain, in the last couple of days, has devoted these neglected cells to finding a comfortable sleep solution. And at 5:22 am, it did me proud. It started when I realised Jase was also awake, just prior to this. Thank

To sleep, or not to sleep?

2010-03-22T17:02:00.003+11:00

I woke up feeling so good yesterday that I was alarmed when I saw my husband staring at me with a look of horror on his face. “Are you OK??” his lips worded. I was totally confused. Must be my face – maybe some bruising or further swelling had shown up. I started patting my cheeks and he nodded, indicating I was onto something. Nope … no swelling … but one of my cheeks felt a bit warm. I got

Good omens … and April Fool’s Day

2010-03-21T10:47:00.003+11:00

I’m not usually a superstitious person, but there are some things that I see a pattern in. On the day of my surgery, I had three good omens that all would go well. The First: For the last couple of months, I’ve been playing a game called ‘Spot the CI wearer’. The only rule to this game is that the CI wearer can’t be in the CI clinic waiting room or foyer – that doesn’t count. Up until the

Post-op reflections

2010-03-20T18:21:00.003+11:00

Happy New Year! Seems a rather fitting welcome for my “new ears”, even though the comment is actually inspired by the noises I heard in my head when I munched on my first post-op Vita Wheat biscuit. (Hard foods are still a 'no go'! When I munch it sounds like firecrackers going off in my head!) Well I am home from the hospital, and up and about for the moment. Every few hours or so I go and lie

The truth hurts ... my Mii

2010-03-15T21:22:00.003+11:00

The Wii quite regularly gives me this cheery assessment: My husband smirked when he first saw it, and said I've always been 'Unbalanced'. This particular score here came about after a rather intensive left-to-right balance-shifting session. I had to use my balance to hit virtual soccer balls being thrown at my on-screen character's head, and artfully dodge the random sneakers and, er, panda

Project Tiger Stripes

2010-03-11T21:35:00.004+11:00

I'm not very artsy or crafty. Creative genes I may have, but they do not extend to this area. (At this point, I think of the wonky-looking clay blob I made for my parents when I was 12. It still sits in my dad's display case. We tell people it's a paper weight.) My creative mind has all sorts of ways of devising projects that are out of my league but I think, for this next one, I just might take

Oh nouns, oh nouns ... where can you be?

2010-03-08T16:30:00.004+11:00

Dearest Nouns, I fear your visits to my ears are becoming few and far between. 'Twas once a time when those party conversations were graced with your presence, but I'm afraid I've missed you at the last couple of large social gatherings. Take Saturday night, for example, at my nephew's birthday. The following Clauses came along, naturally and willingly, as they always do: "... rather than ..."

Post-surgery entertainment

2010-03-05T20:32:00.004+11:00

Tony sings: "Tonight, tonight, it all began tonight …" Yes, well after tonight, it’s official: West Side Story is well and truly off the list of movies I’m allowed to watch when I’m recovering from my CI surgery in a couple of weeks. (*sniffs*) Why? Because I've just remembered we are not supposed to blow our noses for two weeks after the surgery! Oh dear … and I thought the three weeks of

There’s Mildly Ambitious … Far Too Ambitious … and Insanely Ambitious

2010-03-03T21:30:00.004+11:00

Shh … I’m booking tickets for musical events taking place later this year. If my audiologist finds out, I fear she’ll send me for a pre-implant psychological assessment, quick smart, to quash those Unrealistic Expectations. Let’s start with Mildly Ambitious, scheduled for around 4.5 months after switch-on. (August 2010) I am really, really excited about this one! Last night, I took advantage

Sorry, Dr Seuss!

2010-03-02T19:25:00.006+11:00

OK, so everyone says that listening to children's books is a great way of training yourself with your CI, right? So, given that I'm itching to move ahead with this whole thing, I decide that I should fill in these last two weeks before the surgery with a new project: collecting some aural activities (in this case, audiobooks) so they're all ready to go for me after switch-on. My husband