I got my BAHA today!!!

[lori67]

Hi everyone.  I know a few of you were anxious to hear about the BAHA, so I figured I'd start a new topic...

Anyway, I saw my surgeon today and got my BAHA! I thought I'd have to wait until next week when i see the audiologist, but I didn't.  Fortunately, the site had healed well enough that he just snapped it right on and I was able to hear him talking to me on my AN side.  I still have to see the audiologist who will fine tune it for me and show me all the different components and features, but today's doc said there's no reason I can't start enjoying it now!

It's a lot smaller than I thought it would be - I expected about the size of a matchbox - but it's even smaller than that.  Even if you wear your hair very short, you'd never notice it.  I was able to hear the rustling of my purse on my shoulder, the dinging of the elevators, the music coming out of the passenger side speakers in the car (drivers side for Cheza), and the cars in the parking garage.  When I got home I had my husband try talking and whispering to me on that side, and I heard it!  It's not perfect, but it's amazing. 

I thought it would sound different since the sound is going into the good ear on the other side, but it really just sounds normal to me.  I can't tell what directions the sounds are coming from yet, but I understand some people do learn to figure that out eventually to some degree.

I did notice that I felt a little more disoriented than usual walking through the parking garage and there's a long, narrow pedestrian bridge to go over at the hospital.  Those things usually make me feel a little more off-balance, but I felt like I had to really concentrate more on walking in a straight line.  Maybe it's from the increased input and I do think I'll adjust to that eventually.

So, all in all, after only having it for a few hours, I'm very pleased with it.  I'm looking forward to trying it out at the mall, restaurants and sitting at the dreaded round table.  What a great belated Christmas present for me this year!! 

Thanks everyone for "listening"!!
Lori
p.s.  Who knew my kids were THIS noisy???  Time to find the on/off switch. 

[1wareagle]

Hi Lori,

     Great News!!!!  If your Baha is like mine,  it will have 2 settings to choose from. It took a while to work all the kinks out but you will learn, in time, which setting to put it on in different situations.

Good Luck
Ellis

[sgerrard]

That sounds great, Lori, I am glad you are off to a good start. I especially like the idea of you walking around to various people, telling them to say something quietly on your AN side. They will think you have lost your marbles! Who knew that it was possible to miss hearing the rustling of your purse on your shoulder, or the dinging of an elevator. You should clap your hands with glee and say "I heard the ding!" every time you hear one - in this world people need a little bright spot in their day. 

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

Congratulatons, Lori.  I'm so glad to hear your positive feedback on the BAHA. 

I'm still awaiting my insurance company's ruling on whether or not they'll cover mine.  I have a request in and they have sent it out for "review".

Wish they would stop dragging their feet; I'm anxious to get things started.

Jan

[lori67]

Thanks everyone!  It's nice that other people can appreciate why I'm so excited!

Jan, my insurance company did the same thing - this should have been done months ago!  Then they messed it up and sent me the bill for it anyway - after the fact - they billed it as an experimental procedure instead of a prosthetic hearing aid.  Always something with my insurance company.  When we put in the request for the actual referral - the sent it back with a different doctor (mine isn't "in network") - but he was a pediatric thoracic surgeon!  HUH???

And Steve, I'm pretty sure everyone has already thought I lost my marbles!  I think they rolled right out of the hole in my head a while ago!  I still haven't figured the whole thing out, so  I kept getting feedback while I was in the supermarket yesterday - people near me could not figure out where that noise was coming from.   It got to be fun after a while.  Let them think they're the ones losing their marbles!!   

Lori

[jerseygirl]

Wow, Lori, congratulations! This is really exciting! I am sure BAHA is enormously helpful.

                  Eve

[leapyrtwins]

Lori -

glad my insurance company isn't the only one that's aggravating.  Misery loves company 

Mine conveniently didn't receive the first request my neurotologist sent them, so we had to send it again.  Sometimes I think they'll do anything to keep their money just a little bit longer.

Jan