Learning To Tolerate Sounds

Basically at this point I’m just focusing on tolerating sounds. Yesterday went so much better than Tuesday afternoon. I couldn’t really handle wearing it Tuesday afternoon and had to leave it off for most of the afternoon. I think part of it was just that I was so mentally drained from my brain working to rewire itself.

I started fresh yesterday morning and was able to work up from P1 to P3 (increasing volumes from P1 to P4). I did finally turn the sound back on my laptop; I had it off Monday and Tuesday. However I set the volume at about 35-40 when I usually had it at 100 with my hearing aids. That just goes to show how sensitive I have been to sounds. I was able to tolerate the CI all yesterday afternoon and evening. I did take a couple of breaks and took it off twice for about half an hour at a time.

I do have a bit of ringing for a few minutes after I take it off. Probably just from all the stimulation.

I actually have it on P2 right now and my laptop volume has been set at 80-100. I may have to take it off in a bit to do some work. I’m not quite to the point where I can tolerate it well enough to wear it while being able to focus on something else. It’s just too distracting. I can barely follow a conversation with someone when I have it on, let alone reading genetic stuff with it on.

As much as I want to take it off…at the same time I don’t want to. It’s just the worst feeling whenever I have to put it back on…the first few seconds are just such a shock to my poor nerve system. It’s almost easier to just leave it on so I don’t have to experience that feeling every time I put it back on after taking a break. Plus I have to start over again and work my way up from P1 to P4 every time I put it back on. I should be comfortable with P3 or P4 by the time I go in for mapping this coming Tuesday. I usually have it on P2 or P3 (P1 is the quieter program and P4 is the louder one).

This wears me out.