The period in between op and switch on...

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I wrote a new post. I've been going through an intense experience since then. I had a check up with Mr Gray on the 9th September and all was fine, I had an X-ray and got yet another sick note for work! I started back at work on the 16th September and it's been difficult managing with one hearing aid. It took a long time for me to be ready for work as I couldn't drive as this involved turning my head quickly and I couldn't do that without losing focus for a few seconds. Another thing that affected my speedy recovery was my tinnitus. If I overexerted myself or heard a loud sound this would trigger off a noise resembling a plane taking off in my ears or drums beating over and over again. I found it very difficult to be in Tesco in the first few weeks as I couldn't distinguish between all the different sounds - children talking/screaming, people talking, trolleys and general hubbub. Based on this, I knew that a classroom experience was going to be difficult and it was but I have slowly got used to not being able to localise sounds and tried to relax a bit. Apart from now battling a cold I'm feeling almost 100% and it's nearly 5 weeks since the operation. My scar is healing very well and my hair is about 8-10mm long and growing far quicker than I expected it to! I have taken photos but I'm not able to put them up on here, sorry.

My switch on date is 29th September! I had hoped it would be sooner but I just have to be patient. I'm worried I've made the wrong decision but I've done it now so I'm commited - ooops, bit late to decide that! I'm only worried because I've no idea what I'm going to hear when they activate the implant. I hope that people's voices sound normal. That will be the hardest thing to cope with, I think, if people sound different. I'll be patient and I'm not expecting miracles or for it to sound like I expect it to sound like. I'm quietly optimistic about the long term future though, it's so exciting to think I might be able to hear without lip-reading, talk to people through closed doors and maybe even hear on the phone. :o) We'll see.. It's going to be so weird having a magnet on my head (I can feel where it is) and I'm not sure I'm going to be happy with the fact I've chosen a rainbow coloured cap! But as Anthony said, I should be proud of it, not want to hide it... Haha! Watch this space!