Practicing with the radio

During my commutes, I listen to NPR ripped to my iPod, and use a patch-cord to jack directly into the BTE. I'm following 90 percent of shows and even higher when I re-listen to difficult passages with foreign accents or noisy recording; after a second passage, comprehension goes to the max. When jacked in via the patch cord, and the sensitivity set to 0, there is no interference from noises around me. To teach myself to listen in noisy surroundings, I'm slowly increasing the sensitivity wheel, thus increasing ambient sound.

Happy Birthdy to Mark

The Borg are linking!

Happy Birthday to Mark Stern, a fine man, a leader, amd a fellow CIer.

Mark was in my thoughts today. His courage, insights, and support motivated me to pursue one, then bilateral implants. He shared wholeheartedly his personal cochlear implant research, listing the pros and cons of each device. He introduced me to Dr. Joe Roberson and Becky Highlander, such passionate care providers. I am ever so grateful that he came into my life, and to have shown me to way to a world where sounds have meanings without limit. They form the rainbows of my ear.

I went to a fundraising event for the AIDS and Breast Cancer Fund (http://www.aidsemergencyfund.org/body_events.html), and I was able to follow so much of the speakers so well, with only an glance at the interpreter for names and occasional missed words. I was touched by the speakers points and in their own words, I laughed at their jokes, even when the lips were not in my line of sight.