Got my BAHA sound processor today!

[1wareagle]

After 3 months of waiting I got my BAHA device hooked up today. The sound is great! At first I couldn't even tell a difference but when I put my finger in my good ear I could hear everything. With my finger in my ear it sounds like a radio but when both ears are open it sounds normal. We stopped on the way home to eat and at the next table a baby was crying and I had to cut it off because the noise was so loud. 

Well tomorrow will be my first day at work with it and I will let you know how it goes.

Ellis

[Jeanlea]

Ellis,

Congrats on your BAHA.  Must be nice to "hear" again on that side.  Let us know how it works for you.

Jean

[1wareagle]

Hi Jean

It is nice to "Hear" again. This was my first day to wear it to work. For the most part I never notice I had it on. The sound blends in so well with my good ear that I can't tell it till I put my finger in my good ear. I'm hearing thing now that I haven't heard in a long time. I also didn't have to ask people to repeat what they had said as much. So far so good, I'm loving it!

Ellis

[1wareagle]

I went to church yesterday and hear the preacher good with my new BAHA. But when my daughter tried to whisper to me during services, on my BAHA side, I couldn't hear a thing.
I went to a very noisy retirement party today and I had a hard time having a conversation with the person next to me. I have read that it gets better with time but I have also read that the BAHA does not work good in noisy enviroments. It seems to work best in a one on one situation where it's not so noisy.

Ellis

[Boppie]

Ellis, I can hear a person whisper next to me in a quiet room with my TransEar.  But in a noisy environment I can only hear normal speaking next to the aid (as I can hear the waiter on that side now).

I use the setting for a whole group environment and never change it.  Thank goodness I can hear something on the deaf side!

Sometimes our pastor speaks too loudly in my church and I have to plug my good ear.     He grew up on a farm working next to a thrasher; can't hear much at all.  He says they yelled at each other to be heard.  Wow!  We always get his message!

[Jeanlea]

Hi Ellis,

Have you tried plugging your good ear when someone whispers into your bad ear?  I've done that with the TransEar and it works.  I think the gain in hearing is hard to distinguish sometimes.  I've noticed that I can have someone on either side of me and I hear them now.

Jean

[1wareagle]

Hi Boppie and Jean,

I didn't try to plug my good ear when my daughter was whispering during service Sunday. I will try that next time. I hear normal talking great when my good ear is plugged but today was my first time to be in a noisy environment and trying to have a conversation with someone. I work inside in sales and have no problem now hearing the customer clearly. I have read that the abutment is still bonding to the bone and with time it gets better. The BAHA does have 2 setting. Program 1 has an omni directional microphone, which means that the sound processor picks up sound regardless of which direction the sound comes from. This setting is for quiet surroundings. Program 2 uses a directional microphone to emphasize sounds from the front. This setting is recommended for noisy surroundings. I had it set on #1 today. I'm still learning how to use it. I'm sure with time I will get all the bugs out. I have only been totally SSD for 3 month and I know I'm expecting too much too soon.

They mailed me my first BAHA from HEI in LA the wrong color. I have brown hair and somehow I got a blond unit. I wore it for 2 weeks before I got them to mail me the right color. I looked like I had a white price tag on the side of my head but I didn't care. Just wanted to hear.

Ellis

[luv2teachsped]

Hi Everyone-
     I had my BAHA abutment implanted yesterday!  When I got home, the pain was horrific and I asked my mother" Why did I do this again?"  But today, I'm feeling pretty good and can't wait to wash my hair!!!!  I'm looking forward to getting my processor in 3-4 months!  Good luck to everyone!! luv2teach

[1wareagle]

Hi luv2teach

I got my abutment at the same time as my AN surgery. When I woke, in ICU, my head was killing me too. I always wondered if I had only one surgery at a time would it have been less painful. But if I had to do it again I would still elect to have both at the same time. I had my abutment  put in 3 mth ago and my head is still totally numb around the BAHA site. I hear that it will slowly come back. I'm still trying to grow enough hair to cover it and i am about half way there.

Good Luck
Ellis