I underestimated the impact of the Cochlear Implant surgery on my body. I was told "it's day surgery, you'll be discharged the same day, and you'll be fine to go home on the train as long as you have an adult with you". So I took that information and assumed, maybe a day or two of sleeping late and then I'd be back to normal. I've never had General Anaesthetic before, and certainly never had my skull drilled into(!), so had no idea how I would react.
The reality is that five days after surgery, I no longer feel woozy, but I still feel so tired. I still have a numb left ear plus area around it (which is no doubt helping with the pain from the incision just behind the left ear!). My sense of taste is yet to return (occasionally I think I can taste something, but it's very fleeting), and about half of my tongue is still numb. I can't tip my head too far in any direction or I feel dizzy or have a strong uncomfortable feeling of pressure in my left ear. My left ear "pops" frequently, as the pressure adjusts. And if I do too much, the discomfort in and around my left ear increases quite rapidly, sending me back to bed for another rest!
All that sounds a lot, but really it's not much. The pain is much less than feared, the wound is clean and healing well. And all of these issues mentioned above should resolve themselves with time (anything from a few weeks (for the internal discomfort) to a year (numbness and taste)). I'm thankful that I didn't react in any way negatively to the anaesthesia, no nausea or dizziness, etc. It's just taking longer than I had expected. And that is a bit tricky when I have two small children depending on me, and a mother and husband who have done a huge amount to support, and allow me to rest, last week but who both need to get back to work now.
I'm grateful for friends who are going to help with looking after Cameron this week, and other friends willing to step in for the school run if need be. I'm grateful for good friends who took the boys to church this morning (I went back to bed and slept two hours when they'd gone!), and a husband who has taken them out for the rest of the day so I can have a day of rest at home. I'm grateful for a glimmer of sunshine coming through the windows from outside as I type, and warming me up. Lots to be grateful for! :)
I've taken advantage of the empty house to make some (very) loud noises and see what my ears can hear, without hearing aids. Slamming doors and playing notes on the electric piano on max volume. I'm impressed to find that there are still some sounds I can hear with my left ear, although it is noticeably less good than the right (especially with the higher notes on the piano), so there is clearly some damage - which I expected. I actually expected not to be able to hear anything at all in my left ear after implantation, so I'm impressed the surgeon has been so skilled as to cause minimal further damage to my defective cochlea (the cause of my deafness since birth) during insertion of the electrodes. When my left ear has fully healed I will try putting my hearing aid back in just as an experiment to compare before and after surgery. I am an engineer/scientist at heart, after all...
I'm now in a time of limbo, with regards to my CI. On Tuesday I go back to the hospital for a one week checkup, and then my next visit will be just over four weeks later, when I go on the 1st May for the big "switch-on". One advantage of having a young family at this time is that I won't have much time to dwell on this big event coming up, as I re-immerse myself in their lives and big emotions over the next few weeks! I may manage another post during this time, or I may not. For those of you who requested it, an email alert will let you know if I do!
The reality is that five days after surgery, I no longer feel woozy, but I still feel so tired. I still have a numb left ear plus area around it (which is no doubt helping with the pain from the incision just behind the left ear!). My sense of taste is yet to return (occasionally I think I can taste something, but it's very fleeting), and about half of my tongue is still numb. I can't tip my head too far in any direction or I feel dizzy or have a strong uncomfortable feeling of pressure in my left ear. My left ear "pops" frequently, as the pressure adjusts. And if I do too much, the discomfort in and around my left ear increases quite rapidly, sending me back to bed for another rest!
All that sounds a lot, but really it's not much. The pain is much less than feared, the wound is clean and healing well. And all of these issues mentioned above should resolve themselves with time (anything from a few weeks (for the internal discomfort) to a year (numbness and taste)). I'm thankful that I didn't react in any way negatively to the anaesthesia, no nausea or dizziness, etc. It's just taking longer than I had expected. And that is a bit tricky when I have two small children depending on me, and a mother and husband who have done a huge amount to support, and allow me to rest, last week but who both need to get back to work now.
I'm grateful for friends who are going to help with looking after Cameron this week, and other friends willing to step in for the school run if need be. I'm grateful for good friends who took the boys to church this morning (I went back to bed and slept two hours when they'd gone!), and a husband who has taken them out for the rest of the day so I can have a day of rest at home. I'm grateful for a glimmer of sunshine coming through the windows from outside as I type, and warming me up. Lots to be grateful for! :)
I've taken advantage of the empty house to make some (very) loud noises and see what my ears can hear, without hearing aids. Slamming doors and playing notes on the electric piano on max volume. I'm impressed to find that there are still some sounds I can hear with my left ear, although it is noticeably less good than the right (especially with the higher notes on the piano), so there is clearly some damage - which I expected. I actually expected not to be able to hear anything at all in my left ear after implantation, so I'm impressed the surgeon has been so skilled as to cause minimal further damage to my defective cochlea (the cause of my deafness since birth) during insertion of the electrodes. When my left ear has fully healed I will try putting my hearing aid back in just as an experiment to compare before and after surgery. I am an engineer/scientist at heart, after all...
I'm now in a time of limbo, with regards to my CI. On Tuesday I go back to the hospital for a one week checkup, and then my next visit will be just over four weeks later, when I go on the 1st May for the big "switch-on". One advantage of having a young family at this time is that I won't have much time to dwell on this big event coming up, as I re-immerse myself in their lives and big emotions over the next few weeks! I may manage another post during this time, or I may not. For those of you who requested it, an email alert will let you know if I do!
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