Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Polymer Polypyrrole plastics can help regrow hearing nerves

Interesting article about regrowing nerves, it can help those with nerve-deafness and spinal cord injury. It is reassuring news for the future cochlear implants.

Scientists are building a new bionic ear coated in a smart plastic that boosts the growth of nerve cells in the inner ear when it's zapped with electricity.

The technology, which also has potential for healing spinal cord injuries, is being developed at the Australian Centre for Medical Bionics and Hearing Science, part of Melbourne's Bionic Ear Institute.

Collaborator, Professor Gordon Wallace of the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute at the University of Wollongong, says the polymer polypyrrole is unusual because unlike most plastics, it can conduct electricity.

It can also act as a host structure for the molecules that stimulate nerve regrowth, known as neurotrophins.

Passing a small electric current through the plastic releases the molecules and helps to reverse the death and degeneration of hearing cells that occurs after prolonged deafness.

READ FULL STORY

Cochlear Welcome Kit

Hey, I got the welcome kit from Cochlear! As I mentioned that Cochlear already sent to me Freedom Personal Audio Cable and Freedom TV/HiFi Adapter Cable, that's because I asked for it and they sent it to me earlier! So it would come with welcome kit if I didn't ask for it. Thank God, I don't have to wait for audio cables until now!

Cochlear cloth bag and key chain were included in the welcome kit, my wife could make use of this bag! Kinda looks like a beach bag with Cochlear logo on it.

There's three-batteries key ring... Nice! I could keep these extra batteries in a 'apparently' watertight compartment.

Also, I got the accessory catalog.

So there!





Thursday, January 26, 2006

4th Activation Day

I went back to Johns Hopkins Listening Center for mapping session. While audiologist was rebooting her computer, said that she have some problems with the computer. She took me to the sound booth, if I hear any sounds then I should raise my hand. After it was finished, we returned to her office and sat down to look at the audiogram.

Wow!! What a progress! I am in average of 35 dB! My eyes couldn't believe in this audiogram! About 10 to 20 dB is where most normal hearing people hear. I was at 100-110 dB loss before I got the implant. A big status jump from profound deafness to mild hearing loss!

So we went ahead with the new mappings, so I hear better with new maps! She kept my old P1 map into P4 slot. She added new maps to P1, P2 and P3. Strange... I am using now new P1 map and later she asked me to switch to P4 map which has old P1 map... I hear nothing! She said to use all P1 thru P3 at every several days to compare the best map. So my next appointment isn't 6 months away! It will be 2 months.

Here's my new audiogram with implant:

Monday, January 23, 2006

Little progress here...

Thanks for the feedback on MP3 files! I used variety of MP3 music, talk show, and more... I seem to improve hearing on these things than before.

What I can hear myself typing on this keyboard, surprising that keyboard keys are making clicks everytime! Same thing with a mouse! How could you hearies live with that!? ;-)

Another thing, when I turn the pages of the book, I heard the paper making the sound as I turn it!

I will have 4th activation session at Johns Hopkins on Thursday the 26th. Will keep you posted soon!

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

MP3 Sound Files

I have PDA for since almost 3 years, my ultimate purpose for owning PDA was to use for reading Washinton Times news, using Bible software, and playing solitare/hearts games. But now, I am using it for playing MP3 and WMV files by using Windows Media Player. It works.

I am not familiar with MP3/WMV free audio files out on the internet. I am trying to find more clean MP3 files.

So far, I found these sites for downloading MP3 files:

Christian MP Free

Christmas MP Free

Free Solo Guitar

Free Solo Piano

Anyone know any other good free legal MP3 or WMV sites without userid and password? Please post at the comments box. Thanks!

Monday, January 09, 2006

Third Mapping Session

I have been to the third mapping session on Dec 28th. I was greeted with my audiologist and a representative from Cochlear. In a week before, I asked my audiologist for the cable to connect CD player or computer to my BTE speech processor. She told me that she would call Cochlear to get one for me. BTW, this representative from Cochlear seems to be there for just looking at my mapping problem as my audiologist seems to struggle at the 2nd mapping session. She seems to resolve issues with audiologist and told me she will make sure that my accessories for connecting to iPod, CD player, etc be sent to my address. Then she asked for my address.

BTW, after the mapping session was done and went home... I seemed to hear less than I heard before but I can hear on P1 much better than P2, P3, and P4. I contacted my audiologist that I can't do well on P2 thru P4... but only P1 is good. She suggested me to either go back for re-mapping or continue with P1 until next mapping session. So it gave me thoughts what to do...

On Friday, Jan. 6th, I recieved the package from the Cochlear. Whoopie! I knew what it is going to be in it! I opened up the package, yep! It's cable for iPod/CD player and another cable for connecting to computer or anything that is plugged into household electricity.

I had to help my wife finish cooking the dinner, no playtime for cables...

Until yesterday, Jan 8th, I finally started to play with the cables... I had portable CD player and put on Mozart music since his biography was attractive and interesting... Yep! I am hearing some of it... Not all are too clear but much better to listen to something than nothing! I started to experiment connecting to my computer, but I don't seem to hear anything out of it. I haven't put Mozart music CD into my computer to test as I have heard on CD player.

Umm my next session is on January 28th, I think I can just wait little more for re-mapping. Next mapping session is pretty scary because after that, the next mapping session would be 6 months away!