Wendy's BAHA gotcha day

[leapyrtwins]

Maureen -

did your doc say how long it will take for the skin to grow back over the abutment?

I recall my doc telling me that out of 200+ BAHA surgeries he only had 1 patient who didn't like the BAHA.  When I asked what the patient did, he said she just didn't wear the processor and eventually the skin grew back over the abutment.  At least I think that's what he told me.

Karen -

thanks for the battery tip.  I never take mine out of the processor until it's dead.  Like Lori, there are some days that I don't even bother wearing my processor - mainly if I'm at home.  I tend to wear it more at work and when I'm out in public, so sometimes my batteries last more than the average 2 weeks. 

I've found that if I purchase my batteries in quantity at Sam's Club they are extremely cheap and as Lori mentioned, there were some great coupons in the Sunday paper recently go I bought some more at Walmart.  I've been wearing my processor for almost one year (6/4/08 was my gotcha date) and I've only purchased batteries twice now. 

Jan

[wendysig]

Hi all,

Today was such a beautiful day -- it's been in the mid 60s here -- I decided to go for a walk.  I have to say I did notice a lot more sounds than usual, birds; kids playing; cars and maybe best of all, the ice cream man!  Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately depending on how you look at it, I couldn't figure out where the music from the ice cream truck was coming from.  One of the reasons I'm walking is to lose weight, so I guess not finding the ice cream man was a good thing (I really didn't try too hard anyway).     I am finding it very strange to hear things on my right but in my left ear.  I guee I'll get used to that in time. 

Jan - Today when I got up the battery in my processor was good, so I must not have turned it off all the way the night before.  My hair is long, but cut in medium length layers.  I have already managed to get hair caught when I put the processor on and it does hurt.  I tried your method of taking it off by popping it off with my thumb and it works like a charm -- much easier than putting it on. I'm sure I'll get the hand of it eventually.   I haven't knocked it off yet but I have made it squawk when resting my head on the headrest  in the car or on the back of the couch.  I also never noticed that I tend to play with my hair and that made it squawk too.  I haven't driven with someone sitting next to me yet, but I'm sure I'll be able to hear them a lot better than I have in a very long time.   Since this week it's my turn to drive the kids to school (I carpool with another mother) it should be interesting.  I haven't figured out where I'm going to buy batteries yet, but as you mentioned, the Sunday papers do sometimes have coupons.  We don't have a Sams Club in Staten Island but we do have Costco and there is a BJ's and a Walmart right across the bridge from me in New Jersey. 

Lisa -  Congratulations on your upcoming BAHA surgery!    Since you're hoping to have the processor in August I guess you're about a month away from the surgery.  I hope the time passes quickly.  I am so excited for you!      As for eagerly awaiting a medical procedure I could hardly wait after mine was scheduled and would have done it the next day if that was possible.  I know you've heard it before, but the BAHA surgery really is a very simple procedure and next to nothing compared to AN surgery.


Maureen - Thanks for your good wishes.  I hope one day you are able to use BAHA -- I thnk you would love it.

Lori -- I don't think Rob would talk into his shoe for me -- he's not that much fun.  I have been thinking that since I am home alone a lot during the day, I would probably not wear my processor then.  The only one around for me to hear is the cat and I can hear him fine with one ear -- besides he doesn't seem to mind repeating himself if I don't hear him the first time.   

Karen - Thanks for the tip on putting the battery back on the tab -- I'll have to try that.  What is a powerone battery though, is that a brand name?

So, my third day with BAHA has been great -- I'm sure it will just keep getting better.  I have to get AA batteries for the camera and will post pictures, hopefully tomorrow.

Wendy

[sgerrard]

If you are battery shopping, you might want to check out http://www.microbattery.com/

Most brands and good deals, especially if you buy 60 at a time. I like the PowerOne brand too. They carry the sizes needed for BAHAs.

Steve

[sgerrard]

I have been thinking that since I am home alone a lot during the day, I would probably not wear my processor then.

Based on my experience with a regular hearing aid, you may want to consider wearing it most of the time anyway. Even if you are not listening to anything in particular, it helps your brain learn and adjust to it. Although I was doing pretty well with my hearing aid after the first month, I noticed that after a year I was doing better. Now it feels less like I turned a hearing aid on, and more like I turned "normal sound" on.

One example: at first I could not locate the source of high pitched sounds, just as you couldn't locate the ice cream truck. Now I am much better at it. I don't notice myself hearing something different, but my brain has figured out how to interpret the sound better, and I often look in the right direction.

Steve

[kmancini]

Wendy

The powerone is th battery that came with the BAHA.  My doctor told me that the powerone is a little more powerful than a regular hearing aid battery.  If you look on line you can call call up powerone battery and you will get different sites you can order from.  They are a little more money but last longer.  I found that run about 30$ for sixty.

Karen

[wendysig]

Steve and Karen

Thanks for the battery information.  Microbattery.com has great prices for PowerOne batteries and I plan to order some soon.  For now, I have the batteries my BAHA came with and the ones Jan sent me with my BAHA Recovery Kit, so there's not rush.  No new news on the BAHA front, but we are leaving for a week-long Florida vacation tomorrow which is why I haven't had much time to spend on the forum the last few days.  Getting summer clothing down from the attic, cleaning the house and last minute shopping have taken up most of my spare time.  I probably won't post here again until we get back, unless I finally get to take those pictures -- still haven't gotten batteries for the camera.

Wendy

[EJTampa]

Hi Wendy,
 
Briefly a little off topic here, but where abouts in Florida are you going?  Anywhere near the Tampa area?  Today is only going to be about 65, and we may drop below 40 tonight (38 or 39).  It will be near 70 on Wednesday, but cool 40s again Wednesday night.  Then it starts to warm up after that .
 
To be honest, we like it when it cools off like that in April.  We are about to enter our hot and humid season, which sometimes feels like it will never end.
 
To get on topic, I see my physician in May, and he suggested I try out the baha demo.  I told him I wanted to wait a while to see what SSD is like first.
 
Ernie

[moe]

Probably a good idea to wait and see how the SSD goes, Ernie. No rush. You just had brain surgery.
Do you have tinnitus?
We here in the NW are entering the beautiful time of year with wonderful temps.
I used to live in Corpus Christi and used to dread this time of year coming up with high heat and humidity so I know what you mean, Ernie.
Maureen
Oh must stay on topic.
Hope you had a good BAHA day Wendy

[EJTampa]

I do have tinnitus.  It seems to have two parts to it.  One is an "always on" high pitched tone that is annoying.  The other part is variable, and is completely dependent on the level of noise coming in to my good ear.  The louder the environment, the louder (angrier, really) it gets.  It's also more like static and hissing than ringing.
 
That is one of my concerns with baha, of course.  If I put more sound in my good ear, then it only stands to reason that I will get more static in my bad ear.
 
Ernie

[leapyrtwins]

Briefly a little off topic here, but where abouts in Florida are you going?

Congratulations, Ernie.  Now you are an official hijacker   

[wendysig]

Hi all,

Well, we are leaving shortly for our trip to Florida, where, as well as having a wonderful vacation, I am hoping to meet up with our very own Ernie and his lovely wife, Isabel (hope I spelled her name right)..  I guess we'll see if we can get our schedules to mesh. I promised him a private BAHA demo by bringing my test rod with me.  (I had to mention BAHA or I would have been hijacking my own thread)  We are not bringing the laptop, so I'll bring you all up to date on my latest BAHA adventures when I return. 

Wishing everyone a happy holiday!
Wendy

 

[lori67]

Have a great trip Wendy!

I hope you're able to meet up with Ernie - and if you do...we like pictures!!   

Lori

[leapyrtwins]

Wow, Wendy's going to give a Ernie a BAHA demo of sorts.  Wonder if she can bill him for that? 

Note to Lori, Wendy might prove to be very valuable in our garage surgery business.  Sign her up   

Happy vacay, Wendy 

Jan

[lori67]

Now wait a minute... Wendy gets to travel to show off the BAHA and we have to be stuck in the garage?

Maybe Wendy can bring back Ernie's Keg-erator and make our time in the garage not so bad!

Lori

[EJTampa]

Now wait a minute... Wendy gets to travel to show off the BAHA and we have to be stuck in the garage?

Maybe Wendy can bring back Ernie's Keg-erator and make our time in the garage not so bad!

Lori

I'm going to try to meet Wendy and try out the demo.  Not sure of what day though, as my parents are in town.
 
And if the kegerator goes, I go with it
 
Ernie