Run Mark Run!
My Second Ear Dear reader: I hope this blog post finds you well. As some of you may know I have taken to running over the past year, but have yet to take part in any formal races. I decided to change all that this year! On August 14th, 2011 I will be running the Falmouth Road Race which is a 10 k race (roughly 6.2 miles). So at this point, you may be thinking “Well Mark, that’s gr...
Mon, Jun 20 2011

Run Mark Run!
My Second Ear Dear reader: I hope this blog post finds you well. As some of you may know I have taken to running over the past year, but have yet to take part in any formal races. I decided to change all that this year! On August 14th, 2011 I will be running the Falmouth Road Race which is a 10 k race (roughly 6.2 miles). So at this point, you may be thinking “Well Mark, that’s gr...
Thu, May 19 2011

Apple, AT&T partner to assist deaf with iPhone 4 and...
My Second Ear I love Apple and all Apple products... I have the new iPhone 4 and love it. I know there have been some issues, but nothing that would have me retreat back to my iPhone 3GS. Since getting the iPhone 4, I have used Hamilton CapTel. Now there is buzz that Apple and AT&T are going to partner with ZVRS to bring video relay calling for deaf and hard-of-hearing users v...
Sun, Jul 11 2010

Cochlear Announces FDA Approval of the Cochlear™...
My Second Ear Yay! Now an environmentally friendly option for the US. Granted these batteries have been available in non-USA markets, but FDA finally approved the Rechargeable Batteries. Source: [link] Also, I mentioned about my experience with the pool earlier this week... The is an email I received from cochlear announcing the batteries and then also takes about the flexibili...
Sun, Jul 11 2010

One more thing - the phone!
My Second Ear Another pool related triumph (sort've). I was wearing only my new Nucleus 5 because of the water resistancy thing... Well I got out of the pool and realized my phone was ringing. I didn't have enough time to get my Freedom processor on, so I used the my new ear to talk on the telephone and it was great! I was able to understand 95% of the conversation! I missed a few ...
Mon, Jul 05 2010

Another update - from the pool!
My Second Ear Hope everyone had a great 4th of July... just wanted to write that I spent the past two days at my parent's pool and decided to wear my new Nucleus 5 processor in the water since it's supposedly very much water resistant. Anyways, I have two great little second cousins ages, 3 and 6 (roughly), who wanted to play in the water. Well they were splashing about, and I even...
Mon, Jul 05 2010

Long Overdue Update!
My Second Ear This update is so long overdue! I apologize! I have really been wanting to update, but just finding the time and energy has been challenging! Been so busy lately... Anyhow... on 6/10/2010, Mandy and I did my two month optimization of my Nucleus 5, and I am now at 82%! Mandy and I... Love her! I have improved from 52% at week 1 to 82% at month 2! I am so ...
Sat, Jun 26 2010

Hamilton CapTel
My Second Ear I've been hearing about this iPhone App called Hamilton CapTel. This is basically a real-time captioning application for your telephone conversations. You download the app, set up an account, and enter the number you want dialed. The operator on the other end calls you, and calls the number you wanted. The person you want to talk to is then connected to your cell phon...
Sat, Jun 26 2010

First Human Is Infected With Computer Virus
My Second Ear Pacemakers, defibrillators, cochlear implants... and many other medical devices on the implant track, are at risk for hacking, just as the medical community and patients with implants feared. But it was reported today that an implant hacking actually took place, when a British scientist became the first human to be infected by a computer virus through his implant...
Mon, May 31 2010

This is quite something...
My Second Ear Jonathan at 8 months old was deaf, and had never heard his mother's voice; therefore, he never responded to her voice. In this video, Jonathan's father is video taping Jonathan as the doctor turns on his cochlear implant for the first time. Watch the joy in Jonathan's face as he hears his mother's voice for the first time. It's heart rending. A...
Mon, May 31 2010

Age Related to Improvement with Cochlear Implants
My Second Ear Older and younger adult patients both derive benefits in speech perception from cochlear implants, but the gains are less substantial in those 65 and older, a case-control study showed. On average, regardless of age, patients showed improvement with cochlear implants in distinguishing elements of speech as observed in two tests that measure the ability to understa...
Sun, May 23 2010

A little late... one month update!
My Second Ear So I know this is a bit late, but I had my one month CI session on 5/14/2010. I was somewhat nervous at this visit because at my 1 week session we made the maps slightly softer since I was perceiving everything to be "brighter." I was hearing everything with my new side, and was always jacking the sensitivity up on the old side, to get it to almost compete with the ne...
Sun, May 23 2010

Tales from the City
My Second Ear A friend of mine sent me this link: "Come Again?" Boston Globe Magazine Thanks to some brilliant Mass. Eye and Ear doctors, my 86-year-old father recently got a cochlear implant, an amazing device that provides sound to the profoundly deaf. Unlike a hearing aid, the implant includes a small round gizmo that attaches to the side of the head via a surgically implant...
Mon, May 03 2010

Spokane father won't force deaf daughter to wear required...
My Second Ear A deaf Washington man faces a contempt charge in Kootenai County 1st District Court for refusing to force his deaf daughter to wear cochlear implants in a case that has attracted national attention. Emma McLaughlin-Orton was born to Jennifer Orton Miller and Shaun McLaughlin in February 2002. The child had surgery to install a cochlear ear implant on the right side wh...
Sat, May 01 2010

Its been a month!
My Second Ear Today, without almost realizing it, marks the one month since I have had my second surgery on April 1st. Isn't that amazing that a month has already passed since that surgery? The new and old ears keep surprising me. The new ear makes the old ear want to hear more. I have been increasing my sensitivity and volume just so that I can feel more "full" with sound. While t...
Sat, May 01 2010

MyLink+
My Second Ear Got the MyLink+ yesterday, and started using it today. I was glad that it came fully charged from Phonak. I started using it today with my patients for word recognition. It was kind've cumbersome. The Cochlear Freedom has an awesome integrated FM receiver built into the battery rack. The Freedom processor recognizes the receiver and automatically syncs to the FM trans...
Tue, Apr 27 2010

LA Times article - Follow up
My Second Ear The LA Times article that I posted generated some feedback about the articles beliefs. I just wanted to state that this is not a political blog, and that I am open to all opinions from all people. I grew up oral, was a late-ID, wore hearing aids, and now have since gone bilateral with cochlear implants. I also know that there sign language, and Deaf culture, and I als...
Tue, Apr 27 2010

Deaf children with cochlear implants reap benefits
My Second Ear Deaf children with cochlear implants reap benefits What we all know... but anyways, LA Times is reporting new research that shows the benefits of cochlear implantation. One of the article tackles a very important and controversial issue about the age of implantation. Here is a quote from the article: "The younger the child was at the time of the surgery, the bet...
Mon, Apr 26 2010

Call2Recycle
My Second Ear I'm late on the earth day band wagon, but for all those of disposing batteries (with my two processors, I go through an average of 2 batteries a day, now!)... here is a great link: [link] where you can enter your zipcode and it'll tell you where you can dispose of your batteries! I had no idea that the Radio Shack 3 blocks from my house takes the batteries!
Mon, Apr 26 2010

Zoo's caution keeps new deaf gorilla segregated, off view |...
My Second Ear Zoo's caution keeps new deaf gorilla segregated, off view | The Columbus DispatchA cute and sad story!
Mon, Apr 26 2010

Small panic!
My Second Ear It's so funny, i'm going on just 12 days with my new processor, but I'm already relying so much on it. I was in the middle of testing a patient, and I went to get up to counsel the patient her results, and my new processor died (the batteries ran out). I didn't have a chance to change the batteries, as I was basically in the booth about to give the results. It was fin...
Mon, Apr 26 2010

Amusing Comic!
My Second Ear source: [link] was posted on the "Association of Audiologists with Hearing Loss" facebook group. The part about the deaf audiologists is funny, as I am one, and there are 33 members of the facebook! Granted with having a hearing loss and being a practicing audiologist there are some challenges. However technology has come so far that it's entirely possible for peopl...
Sat, Apr 24 2010

One Week Update!
My Second Ear So today was my one week mapping session! Let me just update first on how things have been up 'til today and then I will update on today. It's been awhile since I blogged bout this so bare with me if I'm redundant! First off... the tinnitus is GONE! Thank goodness! When I do have it, it's very very minimal and I am able to forget about it. The new ear is so powe...
Thu, Apr 22 2010

Netflix adds subtitles to some titles for PC/Mac
My Second Ear Netflix adds subtitles to some titles for PC/MacFinally! This has been the bane of my existence! We use Netflix Instant Queue however, we never are able to get captioning for one reason or another! Looks like Netflix is going to launch captioning for gaming consoles by Fall 2010. We have PS3 so that will be great for us! There is also a movement out there to try to ge...
Sun, Apr 18 2010

Not much of an update...
My Second Ear So not much of an update here really... it's been a few days since I was remapped. I am currently on progressive map #3 (out of 4, which is the loudest program). I still hear a high pitch hum when I wear the new "ear." It's hard to say if the hum is coming from the map that I am hearing with, or if my hearing with the new processor causes the hum, or tinnitus, to occu...
Sun, Apr 18 2010

Today was a good day!
My Second Ear So I just woke up today, super excited for today, just because I now have my new processor. Things are just going so well with the new ear. I can hear so much, and so well. It's just amazing how it all sounds to me. I was talking to Mandy this morning about how, even with my voice, I can hear and understand myself well because of the old processor, but the new process...
Thu, Apr 15 2010

Last Day!
My Second Ear I go back to work tomorrow so today's the last day of my stay at home recuperation. I'm looking forward to getting back to work, however, I'm still anxious to do it without a hearing aid. Should be fine though. So it's funny... now that I have had this week off I have adjusted to not having the hearing aid.I've done a lot of different things with various people, and a...
Thu, Apr 15 2010

Whoa! I'm ACTIVATED!!
My Second Ear Without realizing it, today became my activation day! I have been itching to go "back on the ear" with my left ear. I haven't felt lost without my hearing aid, but I definitely missed my hearing aid. I'm at peace that the hearing aid is gone, I now want the new processor! So the Associate Director, Mike, asked me today at work, "why not activate you today?" Well isn't...
Thu, Apr 15 2010

First Day Back!
My Second Ear I'm beat, but I promised if I would do this blog I would write on pivotal things... going back to work today after the surgery, without a hearing aid is pretty big! Well needless to say, i'm EXHAUSTED! Work itself was great. I work with wonderful people, and have wonderful patients. One patient made me cookies today! Anyhow, like I mentioned in a previous entry, I don...
Thu, Apr 15 2010

A week and a day...
My Second Ear ...since surgery! It's amazing how time how flown by! So I waited for a week and a day to update this because today was my post-op with Dr. Smullen. It was wonderful to see her again. I had butterflies, and I'm not sure why. It's not like it'll be my fault if I didn't heal well or something? However, everything went swimmingly. She said my incision site is healing wel...
Thu, Apr 15 2010