Right middle ear implant for sensorineural hearing loss with the Envoy Esteem



Tuesday, December 20, 2011

C 2, As Good As It Gets

I am still incredibly itchy all around the implant!! This can't be normal. The incision is still terribly tender but I think most of the scabbing has healed. My mom found two spots that are black and probably sutures. Maybe I am allergic to the sutures used? But why would the entire area around the implant itch like it does?? I really hope the Envoy rep or Dr. Seidman can reassure me when I see them in January. I'm also just resigned to the fact that I'm unable to go any higher than C 2. I tried one last time to go to C 3 (even jumping to C 5 just to see what it was like) and any higher pitched noises, my voice included were just painfully amplified. I'm not getting feedback of any sort, which is fantastic, but the sound is just not comfortable for my ear above C 2. It's like when you are listening to headphones or the car stereo way too loud and your ears start to ring and get irritated from the noise, or almost like your ear drum pulses or throbs from the sounds, which can be almost painful.
On another note, swallowing isn't as noticable anymore:) It's still loud, for sure, but I think I'm getting used to it finally. And my right ear has been my "go to" ear for everything now - the phone, people whispering things in my ear, listening to You Tube on my computer, etc. It's amazing to me as I was always used to my left ear being dominant.
I also haven't needed to turn the implant off during the time I blow dry my hair! And that one really loud toilet at work doesn't seem as loud anymore when I flush it. I do feel that is a good indication that I am becoming much more aclimated to the Esteem.

And at my audiology appointment my audiologist sent my right H.A. in to be switched to a left H.A. This will be great, as I now will have a back up aid! I'm pretty happy I thought to ask for that to be done!!

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