Of French Horns and Bomb Raid Sirens

This new implant is wonderful. I am now able to use the phone with confidence at long last. I was forced into it really as I have had to ring around all the vets to see if my old grey girl has been handed in. Unfortunately - she's still missing and i'ts now 9 days. Her poor mate sits at the top of the stairs every night waiting for her to come up. Sad.

Anyway, for the past two weeks I've been pleasantly listening to a kid practising his trumpet or french horn. I figured this kid must be in a band or orchestra gearing up for a concert as it would simply go for hours.

Bron came over yesterday and we were having a coffee and chatting when the trumpet or french horn started up again. The conversation went something like this...

Bron: "Can you hear that"

Me: "Yes - this kid has been practising for two weeks now - very dedicated budding musician obviously"

Bron: "It's a dog howling"

Me: "Rubbish - it's a french horn or something"

Bron: "no it's a dog - I can hear the voice breaking, but it is very low, and quite weird for a dog"

Me: "Really?"

Bron: "Yes - it sounds like a World War II bomb raid warning"

Me: "I guess my implant needs adjusting again!"

So gone are my visions of this dedicated budding musician practising for all he/she's worth, and instead I have the vision of my neighbour's lonely dog howling mournfully for company.

Live and learn :)

I'm not alone in 'mishearing' with a new cochlear implant. A friend wrote.

"The first time I went running with my second implant I kept stopping trying to figure out what the God awful noise was. I was running on a wooded trail and started to get freaked out thinking something was following me. Seriously it took me a good mile to figure out I was hearing myself gasp for air."

I have this vision of monsters breathing down her neck while on her run - I'd be freaked too, as I've heard my own footsteps echo at night and wondering if someone is following me too.

I guess it takes time for the brain adjust all over again, but in the meantime, I'm sure I'll end up laughing a lot at my ear mistakes!