I said I was getting things going and all I can say now is that the ball is definitely rolling!  In the last couple of days I’ve had 6 or 8 emails setting up appointments, answering questions, and requesting records and info.   I met with my audiologist today to look at the cochlear implant products I am most interested in and to see the various parts and accessories up close and in person as I make my choices for the official order form.  Honestly, I needed her help getting that done.  There are so many choices to make and some things come with it and some are optional accessories….I was very glad to have someone with experience there to explain it all to me and get the proper order made.  I ended up going with a metallic silver processor, with a black cord and black magnetic piece (that is the part that is on your head instead of behind your ear).  I seriously considered the red – there was a very classic red color that I liked a lot, but ultimately the shiny metallic (sort of sparkly?!) looked better and made more sense for daily use.  I can still change my mind up until surgery day on that choice, but I think I’m likely to keep it.  I chose to go with a company called Advanced Bionics (AB).  Looks like I will actually be a bionic woman!  (You knew that was coming, I’m sure!).  The  processor I chose  is a new product recently released  and there are quite a few features that I like.  It’s small and lightweight (we’re talking in the world of CIs here – so similar to the bigger behind the ear hearing aids only thinner) and has bluetooth capabilites!  You need an accessory for that, but it is something you wear around your neck and then you get bluetooth input directly into your CI. Because I am ordering two, and you can choose an accessory with each (both control both units simultaneously for bilateral users) I was able to choose the ComPilot which is the accessory for bluetooth with one, and a remote control with the other for changing programs and giving info like battery status, etc.   I also got a second color for the magnetic piece – it’s sort of a metallic brownish bronze color.  When you order a CI at my clinic, you get 2 processors instead of one, so you always have a backup.  That means that for me, a bilateral candidate, I will have two pairs of processors to use.  One reason I chose AB is that they are the only company right now to offer a completely waterproof processor, and they allow you to choose that as your second one if you want to.  We spend enough time around the water, that I loved that idea.  It can be worn in or out of the water.  Perfect for snorkeling with the family or for a water aerobics class at the gym.  It would even be great on a rainy day.  There were more color and accessory choices to make with that one and I had more freedom to have a little fun with it!  One portion comes in only black or white, and they require one color for the entire unit to match that.  I chose black for that.  Then I had the option to choose 2 more colors – I went with red and teal!  Also had to choose more colors for 2 waterproof magnets and 2 non-waterproof ones.  I think I chose one black and one white, but I can’t really remember!  Too many choices to keep up with it!  The cool thing about the waterproof one is that you don’t wear it behind your ear.  The magnetic piece is there and you have a cord to connect, but the processor is worn wherever you want it – I had to choose 3 accessories for that.  I went with a clip (it allows you to clip it to a bathing suit strap or a pocket or lapel if you are wearing it out of the water), a lanyard, and an armband.  In addition to all of that, there were choices to be made for both sets of processors with length of cords, a pouch to keep it in, etc….  Lots to figure out but kind of fun. I didn’t realize that the magnetic pieces only came in basic colors. I thought I could match both parts with whatever color I chose. It was kind of fun picking everything out and nice to have that done.

My new doctor did not want to wait until Nov. 1 to see me.  They got my records from the specialists I have seen for the blood clots and sleep apnea and I just got a note from a nurse saying that the doctor wants me to have a consult with their PAC team – pre-anesthesia consult.  They will be contacting me to schedule that soon.  Meanwhile, my pre-op meeting with my surgeon has changed from Nov. 1 to Oct. 22.

As far as how I am feeling, yesterday I reviewed more of the info about what to expect that was given to me by the clinic back in April.  I still have times where I wonder if this is really the best course of action, but most of the time I feel certain it is.  What I found interesting was an article they gave me that was written by an audiologist who lost his hearing and ended up with cochlear implants.  He talked about that very thing!  Apparently it is quite common (probably normal) to have some doubts and wonder if you are making the right decision.  He expressed some of the exact feelings I have had about this and said that he felt that way the entire time leading up to surgery and during the interim between the surgery and activating his devices.  He also said the minute they were activated he knew he had made the right decision!  It made me feel better.  It seems to be a normal part of this experience.  At my appointment today it was obvious once again that my hearing hasn’t really improved and that was actually reassuring as well.