Envoy Esteem Activation

My post of January 4 discussed the anticipation of activation of the Envoy Esteem implant.  It seems that hearing with one ear has become progressively worse over the past seven plus weeks so activation cannot come too soon.

I am familiar with the facility near the Tampa Airport where this will occur and head out at 8 AM for the 9:30 AM appointment with Allison, the Envoy Esteem technician.  An easy drive over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and a beautiful morning.  It always feels better in Florida when there is cold and snow up north and they had a good dusting over the weekend.

We arrived early and Allison was set up and ready to go.

I have been on an Envoy Esteem Patient Facebook group for some time and the experiences of the other patient activations prepared me for the process and the sounds I would hear.  The peer support has been both enlightening and uplifting.

Would it turn on?  Would it have feedback?  Zap, beep and bingo – sound!  As expected, my voice was strange at first as well as a number of sounds I had not heard for some time.  Some audiogram tests were done to set the sound below optimum level as the levels are to be increased by increment over the next few weeks as I learn to hear again.  No feedback issues occurred.  Everything worked well.

We did some sound level instruction on the personal programmer and the process went efficiently and exactly as expected.

Judy and I  then went shopping  next door at the International Mall.  We went to the Apple Store as I am now addicted to my IPAD2.  I offered to buy Judy some $30,000 ear rings at Tiffany’s since this would make our ear costs even but she declined (if you believe that one, I have some Florida properties to offer you).  We had a light lunch and I experienced the expected chewing sounds but actually heard the server for a change.

Driving back, I could listen to talk radio.  This has been difficult since road sounds are so loud with hearing aids that I cannot get enough volume to hear over the highway noise if I have a passenger (volume is no problem if I am driving alone but the car vibrates due to the level of sound I set it at).   I listened to Envoy Esteem’s #1 benefactor of advertising revenue talk about the Florida Primary this week. I am not a happy camper with Republican choices so I will write in Gov. Mitch Daniels as my little protest and encourage others to do so.  Nonetheless, off to a big Republican event tonight, a short rally with Newt tomorrow and more political events this week.  At least I will hear what they are saying.

The follow up appointment for adjustment will be in early April and I will keep copious notes of my hearing experiences but so far, so good.