On August 2, I met up with my doctor for a post surgical follow-up. He removed the tape covering my stitches and gave my ear a look-over. He said everything is good and healing well.
My doctor asked how I was feeling/doing since the surgery. I mentioned to him that I was having a case of vertigo and experiencing random popping noises in my ear. He said that it is normal and would go away as I become more active. Well...since that day, I have started my running routine and to my surprise, the vertigo is pretty much gone! :-)
The next visit will be August 25, in which I will visit my audiologist and have the cochlear implant activated. I can't wait for that day!!!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Post Surgery
I regret it has been a while since my last update...so here is a recap.
The morning of July 22, my beautiful and loving girlfriend, Sara, drove me to the hospital. I was feeling a bit nervous and didn't know what to expect. Upon entering the hospital, we headed straight to the receptionist desk and the receptionist asked me a bunch of questions in regards to HIPAA, billing, and such. After answering the questions...we sat down and waited in the waiting room.
After a period of waiting and twiddling my thumbs, a nurse came in and escorted us into the preparation room. There, Sara helped me get scrubbed down, a nurse inserted an IV in my arm, and I was asked tons of questions: Name? Birthdate? Allergies? Which ear do you want surgery performed on? And so on. I was so glad Sara was here to help me answer the questions as I had a hard time understanding the nurse...therefore, I'm very, very thankful for her. After prepping was complete, my anesthesiologist came in. Again, he asked my name, birthdate, etc. I answered them and then he gave me a general overview of what to expect from anesthesia. Then my doctor came in...and he asked how I was doing, which ear, etc.
Then it was time. Another nurse came by to escort me to the operating room. On my way to the operating room, she asked me the same questions: name, birthdate, etc. I was like "Geez...lets get this done with already."
When I was parked underneath a bright light in the operating room, I saw my anesthesiologist behind me and saw him smile. Next thing I know...my eyelids became heavier and heavier. I tried with all my strength to stay awake...but alas the drugs were simply too much.
Next thing I know, I woke up. Vision was a bit blurry...but was slowly starting to come into focus. I didn't know where I was, what the heck was going on...but there was a nurse/worker/whoever holding me down as he didn't want me to get up. I gave him a bit of a fight as I had something in my mouth which was restricting my breathing...as if I was dealing with a ball of food in my mouth. He realized that I was having trouble breathing and allowed me to slightly get up and swallow...much to my relief. I managed to blink and rub a eyes for a bit until my vision came into full focus...I then realized that I was in some sort of room (a recovery room, if you will). I didn't care to identify who or what was in the room, or even know what time it was, as I was groggy, albeit very groggy from the surgery. I didn't want to do anything but sleep...so sleep I did.
I woke up again and found out that I was being moved down the hallways to another room. I was being transported from the recovery room to the patient room (in which visitors were allowed). The nurse asked if I wanted a drink or something to eat...but I declined because I was not in the mood. All I want to do is sleep. Before I dozed off, I realized that my head was in a bandage and I wasn't experiencing any pain...so life was good.
Later that day, I woke up to see my first and only visitor, Sara. She asked how I was doing...but really, I had a hard time lip-reading as I was still groggy. So she repeated and then I said "Good". I asked her if she saw my doctor and if she did, I asked her how the surgery went. She said the doctor didn't experience any complications and everything went quicker than expected (about 30-45 minutes quicker). So everything went very well.
For the rest of the day and into the night, Sara stayed by my side. During this time, I ended up taking naps, taking pain medications, talking with Sara, and watching Sara read a book (I like to watch her read). I really wanted to go home that same day, but the nurses strongly advised me not to, as I was groggy and experiencing pain. About 11 PM that night, Sara left to go home and get some sleep and I was already looking forward to seeing her the following day...so I managed to get some shut-eye to make the time pass.
So the next morning, my doctor woke me up and asked how I was doing. I said "Oh...I've had better days". He smiled, took off my bandage, and inspected my sutures. He said everything looks good and I am free to head home and get some rest. I was very elated to hear that and waited for the nurse to come to me. She brought me breakfast and I took my time eating the meal and savoring every bite. After finishing up my breakfast, I managed to pass the time by reading a book, taking a nap, and such.
About mid-morning, Sara arrived at the hospital. I was very happy to see her and I told here that my doctor has cleared me to head home that day. The nurse offered me some materials to clean up before I was released. So with the help of Sara, I washed up and put on my clothes. Then she helped escort me out of the hospital and into her car. Upon arrival at her house...I ended up crashing on her bed.
The next few days, I spent a lot of time sleeping and resting. The pain has subsided four days after surgery, but I have been dealing with some side-effects: ears popping and vertigo. My experiences with vertigo was no doubt a wall-clinging experience. If I would try to get up out of bed, I experience vertigo. If I walk a short distance, I experience vertigo. If I tilt my head, I experience vertigo. If I lift something heavy, I experience vertigo. You can say that it drove me a bit nuts as I like to be active...and it was NO fun to deal with it.
But as time went by, my vertigo experiences have subsided, but today, I'm still feeling it here and there. But I know over time, it will go away
Later today, I will be visiting my doctor for a follow-up appointment. But I will not get the device activated until August 25th. So I have some waiting to do before I enter the wonderful world of sound.
Also, here is a picture of my ear after the surgery:
Also, I want to end this blog on a very special note. I could not have done this without the support of Sara. She supported me on the day of my surgery and she helped me during the recovery phase. Again, I could not have done this without her help! I love you very much, Sara!!!
So until next time, have a good one.
The morning of July 22, my beautiful and loving girlfriend, Sara, drove me to the hospital. I was feeling a bit nervous and didn't know what to expect. Upon entering the hospital, we headed straight to the receptionist desk and the receptionist asked me a bunch of questions in regards to HIPAA, billing, and such. After answering the questions...we sat down and waited in the waiting room.
After a period of waiting and twiddling my thumbs, a nurse came in and escorted us into the preparation room. There, Sara helped me get scrubbed down, a nurse inserted an IV in my arm, and I was asked tons of questions: Name? Birthdate? Allergies? Which ear do you want surgery performed on? And so on. I was so glad Sara was here to help me answer the questions as I had a hard time understanding the nurse...therefore, I'm very, very thankful for her. After prepping was complete, my anesthesiologist came in. Again, he asked my name, birthdate, etc. I answered them and then he gave me a general overview of what to expect from anesthesia. Then my doctor came in...and he asked how I was doing, which ear, etc.
Then it was time. Another nurse came by to escort me to the operating room. On my way to the operating room, she asked me the same questions: name, birthdate, etc. I was like "Geez...lets get this done with already."
When I was parked underneath a bright light in the operating room, I saw my anesthesiologist behind me and saw him smile. Next thing I know...my eyelids became heavier and heavier. I tried with all my strength to stay awake...but alas the drugs were simply too much.
Next thing I know, I woke up. Vision was a bit blurry...but was slowly starting to come into focus. I didn't know where I was, what the heck was going on...but there was a nurse/worker/whoever holding me down as he didn't want me to get up. I gave him a bit of a fight as I had something in my mouth which was restricting my breathing...as if I was dealing with a ball of food in my mouth. He realized that I was having trouble breathing and allowed me to slightly get up and swallow...much to my relief. I managed to blink and rub a eyes for a bit until my vision came into full focus...I then realized that I was in some sort of room (a recovery room, if you will). I didn't care to identify who or what was in the room, or even know what time it was, as I was groggy, albeit very groggy from the surgery. I didn't want to do anything but sleep...so sleep I did.
I woke up again and found out that I was being moved down the hallways to another room. I was being transported from the recovery room to the patient room (in which visitors were allowed). The nurse asked if I wanted a drink or something to eat...but I declined because I was not in the mood. All I want to do is sleep. Before I dozed off, I realized that my head was in a bandage and I wasn't experiencing any pain...so life was good.
Later that day, I woke up to see my first and only visitor, Sara. She asked how I was doing...but really, I had a hard time lip-reading as I was still groggy. So she repeated and then I said "Good". I asked her if she saw my doctor and if she did, I asked her how the surgery went. She said the doctor didn't experience any complications and everything went quicker than expected (about 30-45 minutes quicker). So everything went very well.
For the rest of the day and into the night, Sara stayed by my side. During this time, I ended up taking naps, taking pain medications, talking with Sara, and watching Sara read a book (I like to watch her read). I really wanted to go home that same day, but the nurses strongly advised me not to, as I was groggy and experiencing pain. About 11 PM that night, Sara left to go home and get some sleep and I was already looking forward to seeing her the following day...so I managed to get some shut-eye to make the time pass.
So the next morning, my doctor woke me up and asked how I was doing. I said "Oh...I've had better days". He smiled, took off my bandage, and inspected my sutures. He said everything looks good and I am free to head home and get some rest. I was very elated to hear that and waited for the nurse to come to me. She brought me breakfast and I took my time eating the meal and savoring every bite. After finishing up my breakfast, I managed to pass the time by reading a book, taking a nap, and such.
About mid-morning, Sara arrived at the hospital. I was very happy to see her and I told here that my doctor has cleared me to head home that day. The nurse offered me some materials to clean up before I was released. So with the help of Sara, I washed up and put on my clothes. Then she helped escort me out of the hospital and into her car. Upon arrival at her house...I ended up crashing on her bed.
The next few days, I spent a lot of time sleeping and resting. The pain has subsided four days after surgery, but I have been dealing with some side-effects: ears popping and vertigo. My experiences with vertigo was no doubt a wall-clinging experience. If I would try to get up out of bed, I experience vertigo. If I walk a short distance, I experience vertigo. If I tilt my head, I experience vertigo. If I lift something heavy, I experience vertigo. You can say that it drove me a bit nuts as I like to be active...and it was NO fun to deal with it.
But as time went by, my vertigo experiences have subsided, but today, I'm still feeling it here and there. But I know over time, it will go away
Later today, I will be visiting my doctor for a follow-up appointment. But I will not get the device activated until August 25th. So I have some waiting to do before I enter the wonderful world of sound.
Also, here is a picture of my ear after the surgery:
Also, I want to end this blog on a very special note. I could not have done this without the support of Sara. She supported me on the day of my surgery and she helped me during the recovery phase. Again, I could not have done this without her help! I love you very much, Sara!!!
So until next time, have a good one.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
CAT scan till Pre-surgery
Sorry folks for my lack of updates lately. I have been very busy (or if you know me...just plain lazy).
On the end of June, I underwent a CAT scan. The doctors basically wanted a picture of my head so they know what to expect come surgery time. Also they look for signs of ossification and such...but they said I'm 100% healthy and it's all systems go for the surgery.
I met up with my doctor after the CAT scan and he checked my ears and vitals. Nothing out of the ordinary. And he asked which ear I would like to have the CI inserted (I picked left ear) and asked if I had any additional questions. I didn't have much of any questions except on how they were going to perform the surgery. So basically, no surprises were encountering and we both felt very confident going into the surgery.
---
Last week, I met up with my audiologist. She asked me a series of questions on what I want with my CI...that is the color choices, adapters, etc. I am hoping that they would provide me with rechargeable batteries as it is economically friendly...but she doesn't know if I will get it as the FDA has recently approved of rechargeable batteries for the CI. So if I don't get it now, then I would get it sometime in the near future.
Outside of color choices, my audiologist asked me a series of questions on what I expect from the CI. Questions like: Do I expect the CI to make me hear like a normal human being? My answer: No. But I know with practice I can expect to hear a LOT more sounds than I can currently do. The keyword is "practice". So all family members, friends, animals (yes Dexter, I'm talking about you), etc... I need to work with you to help me improve my hearing skills as well as my understanding of sounds (words). I know it is not going to be easy, but I don't give up easy and I always work hard at my task to achieve my goals.
One thing I found out during this visit with my audiologist was the fact that I could have some really cool coverings for my CI. She even mentioned that I could have a "Jimmy Buffett" cover (my audiologist knows me too well)!!! Just how cool is that!!!
So all in all, the visit with my audiologist went well, and I'm not expected to get my CI hooked up until August 25, 2010.
---
I knew that when I have the surgery, the nurses would shave off part of my lovely hair so the operation could be performed. But...I have saved them quite a bit of work. This past weekend, I had my lovely girlfriend take the honors of using the hair trimmer and she gave me a nice buzz cut. My buzz cut looked a lot better than I anticipated... Yes, I have received comments about it, ghostly blank stares, you name it.
Here is a picture of me:
---
Tomorrow I will need to be at the hospital at 8 AM to commence Operation CI. I'm looking forward to it and I know that I would get through it and recover quickly.
So look for an update soon after I have recovered from my surgery.
On the end of June, I underwent a CAT scan. The doctors basically wanted a picture of my head so they know what to expect come surgery time. Also they look for signs of ossification and such...but they said I'm 100% healthy and it's all systems go for the surgery.
I met up with my doctor after the CAT scan and he checked my ears and vitals. Nothing out of the ordinary. And he asked which ear I would like to have the CI inserted (I picked left ear) and asked if I had any additional questions. I didn't have much of any questions except on how they were going to perform the surgery. So basically, no surprises were encountering and we both felt very confident going into the surgery.
---
Last week, I met up with my audiologist. She asked me a series of questions on what I want with my CI...that is the color choices, adapters, etc. I am hoping that they would provide me with rechargeable batteries as it is economically friendly...but she doesn't know if I will get it as the FDA has recently approved of rechargeable batteries for the CI. So if I don't get it now, then I would get it sometime in the near future.
Outside of color choices, my audiologist asked me a series of questions on what I expect from the CI. Questions like: Do I expect the CI to make me hear like a normal human being? My answer: No. But I know with practice I can expect to hear a LOT more sounds than I can currently do. The keyword is "practice". So all family members, friends, animals (yes Dexter, I'm talking about you), etc... I need to work with you to help me improve my hearing skills as well as my understanding of sounds (words). I know it is not going to be easy, but I don't give up easy and I always work hard at my task to achieve my goals.
One thing I found out during this visit with my audiologist was the fact that I could have some really cool coverings for my CI. She even mentioned that I could have a "Jimmy Buffett" cover (my audiologist knows me too well)!!! Just how cool is that!!!
So all in all, the visit with my audiologist went well, and I'm not expected to get my CI hooked up until August 25, 2010.
---
I knew that when I have the surgery, the nurses would shave off part of my lovely hair so the operation could be performed. But...I have saved them quite a bit of work. This past weekend, I had my lovely girlfriend take the honors of using the hair trimmer and she gave me a nice buzz cut. My buzz cut looked a lot better than I anticipated... Yes, I have received comments about it, ghostly blank stares, you name it.
Here is a picture of me:
---
Tomorrow I will need to be at the hospital at 8 AM to commence Operation CI. I'm looking forward to it and I know that I would get through it and recover quickly.
So look for an update soon after I have recovered from my surgery.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Vaccine shot
Today I went out to Redimed to get a vaccine shot. This vaccine is a pneumococcal vacine which serves as a preventive measure against meningitis, in which I can contract during the surgery. Now that I have this shot, chances of me contracting this virus is very low.
Tomorrow...I visit the doctor and get a CT scan.
Tomorrow...I visit the doctor and get a CT scan.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Cochlear candidacy till now...
In late April, I visited my audiologist to verify if I was a candidate for the cochlear implant program. For this verification process, I needed to go through an audiology exam as well as a medical exam:
* The audiology exam was performed by my audiologist. She placed me in an isolated booth and I underwent several tests on both ears (as well as individual ears) to check my hearing. My audiologist basically wanted to know what I can hear and what I can't hear and as usual...I could hear sounds in the low frequency range, but not in the high frequency range. After performing the frequency test, I had to perform another test...that is to repeat what was said on the tape. I ended up flunking this test...with a nice 0%...no surprise here. I'm hoping that the cochlear implant would help me improve on this test score.
* Next I ended up visiting my doctor for a medical exam. He basically performed simple tests like checking my lovely ears, checking my heart rate, pulse, breathing, etc. He was also checking for abnormalities...but he didn't find anything. So the end result...I passed both the audiology exam and the medical exam and thus I am a qualified candidate for the cochlear implant program! Woohoo!!! :-)
So the next step was to ensure if my insurance company would cover a majority of the costs of the cochlear implant surgery. I'm telling you...this surgery is by no means cheap. It can run in the range of $100,000. :-( But luckily after a month of waiting, I heard that my insurance company would pay for the majority of the costs as they have deemed this surgery as "medically necessary". :-) So basically, I only need to pay my annual out of pocket deductible. Not bad.... :-)
So what are the next steps before the surgery?
* This Wednesday, I need to have a CAT scan. This is necessary as the doctor needs to know what he should prepare for...as well as look for any abnormalities in my ear. I would also be speaking to my doctor AFTER the CAT scan on what I should do (and don't do) before the surgery.
* I would also need to get a vaccination for meningitis as this is only precautionary.
* I have another scheduled visit with my audiologist so we could finalize plans for the surgery. This visit mainly resolves any last minute questions, the color of the external device, etc.
I will keep you all updated and in the loop.
* The audiology exam was performed by my audiologist. She placed me in an isolated booth and I underwent several tests on both ears (as well as individual ears) to check my hearing. My audiologist basically wanted to know what I can hear and what I can't hear and as usual...I could hear sounds in the low frequency range, but not in the high frequency range. After performing the frequency test, I had to perform another test...that is to repeat what was said on the tape. I ended up flunking this test...with a nice 0%...no surprise here. I'm hoping that the cochlear implant would help me improve on this test score.
* Next I ended up visiting my doctor for a medical exam. He basically performed simple tests like checking my lovely ears, checking my heart rate, pulse, breathing, etc. He was also checking for abnormalities...but he didn't find anything. So the end result...I passed both the audiology exam and the medical exam and thus I am a qualified candidate for the cochlear implant program! Woohoo!!! :-)
So the next step was to ensure if my insurance company would cover a majority of the costs of the cochlear implant surgery. I'm telling you...this surgery is by no means cheap. It can run in the range of $100,000. :-( But luckily after a month of waiting, I heard that my insurance company would pay for the majority of the costs as they have deemed this surgery as "medically necessary". :-) So basically, I only need to pay my annual out of pocket deductible. Not bad.... :-)
So what are the next steps before the surgery?
* This Wednesday, I need to have a CAT scan. This is necessary as the doctor needs to know what he should prepare for...as well as look for any abnormalities in my ear. I would also be speaking to my doctor AFTER the CAT scan on what I should do (and don't do) before the surgery.
* I would also need to get a vaccination for meningitis as this is only precautionary.
* I have another scheduled visit with my audiologist so we could finalize plans for the surgery. This visit mainly resolves any last minute questions, the color of the external device, etc.
I will keep you all updated and in the loop.
Friday, June 25, 2010
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