Four weeks to the day...

well, it's been a month since my CI was first activated and BOY, has a lot changed!

i am thoroughly enjoying not being "tied down" with the wires of the SPrint body-worn processor, but i must admit that the sound quality isn't as crisp with the 3G. i know that each device has its advantages and disadvantages, so depending on the situation i'm in, i will change the processor i'm wearing.

regardless, i have experienced some more CI moments since i got the 3G:

• while driving to NYC with my husband this past weekend, we were listening to the radio in my car... i could barely hear the music, so i asked him if i could turn it up (i don't like "blasting" the radio unless i'm alone because then i worry about other people's ears not being able to handle the volume i like)... well, when i said i was having difficulty hearing the music, hubby said, 'i can barely hear it myself; it's turned down really low.' how amazing is that? i couldn't hear the radio, not because i'm deaf, but because it was too quiet... what a normal feeling!
• i heard a beep-boop sound the other day (and thought it was my cell phone letting me know i received a text-message), but because it was barely audible, i thought i was imagining the sound... it turns out that i did receive a text-message. this makes me realize that i don't trust my newfound hearing ability as much as i should
• while out having brunch with my mother at a diner, i had a really difficult time hearing her voice because i kept hearing other people's voices around me... this background speaking thing is very new to me -- i'm not used to hearing someone else behind me talking while i'm trying to have a conversation myself... it is HARD!

just a little side note: if i don't concentrate on really LISTENING to a person, i have a tough time picking up what they are saying if i'm not speech-reading them... it doesn't matter that i can HEAR what is being said -- i have to truly focus on listening to the dialogue. i'm sure normal-hearing people deal with this all the time and don't even think twice about it, but for ME, it's sooo new...

i realize that over the years, i became so used to just saying 'what?' all the time and basically "took advantage" of everyone constantly repeating themselves. this is exactly why i'm so lazy now when it comes to listening and is something i really need to work on. who would've thought that something so simple would be such a challenge!