Question

April 13, 2004

I have to agree with Dan.

If Danny does indeed charge money for his services, as do other talent agents,

then there was no fabrication of the truth or a personal attack.

(take a breath Karolyn)

Bill

April 14, 2004

Philana,

The only thing I know to tell you to do is ask, ask and ask again, all your

friends and if they have any friends who need to get rid of some clothes

that would be the size you need. Maybe with summer coming on it will not be

so bad because you won't have to worry about wearing any pants that may not

be long enough. Also I would go to some surrounding cities that may have

some kind of consignment shop. The good part is when you get ready to sell

your clothes, you will not have a problem. Last summer I had bought all new

clothes and gotten a lot from my mother-in-law, who has a closet full, and I

can't wear any of them this summer because they were about 4 to 5 sizes too

big and I have already sold all of them just by word of mouth. This helped

tremendously in buying me some new clothes. I did not sell them for yard

sale prices because they had not been worn but approximately 2 months max.

Always stay on top of the clothes thing. When you see someone your size

(that you know), ask them if they have anything they want to get rid of.

And when you see someone who can wear the size you are coming out of, ask

them if they are interested in yours. You might could go online and see if

there is anything there, maybe ebay. I haven't checked, but there might be

something there.

Good Luck,

Suzanne

Question

> Hi!~

>

> Okay, my clothes are too big and I am not able to go out and buy new

> clothes. Any suggestions? I know we have one resale shop in my area,

> but it isn't very reasonably priced.

>

> I feel great, but I look sloppy. I am willing to take any

> suggestions. I am now needing size 24 clothes and due to my surgery

> loan finances are not looking too good. But i honestly would rather

> be naked and broke than fat, clothed and have money in my pocket,

> smile!

>

> Any suggestions? What did all of you do? I am hoping at our picnic

> on the 24th that I will be able to do some swapping, but being tall

> it is hard for me to find things used.

>

> Help ladies!!

>

> Philana

>

April 15, 2004

,

This is a very good question. I really can't say that I know the answer but

maybe someone else does. I believe it may be a little of both as I remember

that as my brain got used to the implant..the Darth Vader sound subsided. I

also know that mappings improve the sound quality.

Maybe someone else can add something to this for you.

Alice

Is the " Darth Vader " effect a brain function or a programming

function?

April 15, 2004

,

That's an excellent question and one I'm not sure how to

answer..hopefully someone will know..

I never had the Darth Vader experience.. I heard very clearly from

the start.

with my initial activation, I did have a little " mickey Mouse/

Duck " helium sounds, but they were quickly programmed out.. within a

matter of a days time voices sounded very normal to me for the most

part and with what I could hear. some sounds took me longer to

understand and I was always hearing something different for several

months. Now I occasionally still hear new sounds after 2 and a half

years of activation, but not at the speed I did in the beginning.

Not sure what processor you are using, but if you have the Nucleus,

one way to possibly come in clearer is by using the whisper feature.

I often use that for TV and it makes the voices much sharper,

depending on which tv I am watching.. Some tv's I don't need the

whisper and some I use it to sharpen voices.

Others have talked of looping your tv room or using portable

loops...this usually makes it seem if the tv is right at your side.

Do you know what program strategy you are using? I have an Ace 900

and an Ace 1200. the 1200 which is a volume map makes the sounds

more clear for me. I have the two programs as a personal experiment

for me, but I do believe that my 900 sensitivity program will be

changed back to a 1200 when I go for my next mapping this

summer..Just seems to have more clarity for me.

chances are that with further mapping and as time goes on, these

things will level out even more.

Hope this hasn't confused you, and if you have any questions, please

feel free to email me at any time either here on the forum or

privately.

If you don't have the Nucleus, I'm sure someone will be more than

willing to answer your questions no matter which implant you have.

Wishing you continued success,

Silly MI

In , " " <jusdoit91@c...> wrote:

> Is the " Darth Vader " effect a brain function or a programming

> function? I am understanding really well considering I have been

> activated for 11 weeks. Talk radio is good TV would be better with

> out all the music loudness. I have been mapped 5 times with the

most

> recent this past Friday. If the sound presentation were clear, I

> would be jumping in the streets. Would appreciate anyone's input.

>

April 15, 2004

In a message dated 4/15/2004 12:15:49 PM Alaskan Daylight Time,

thardy@... writes:

> But with my CI he is very much Darth

> Vader! I hope you get some input re the sound quality and I'll watch for it

> and hopefully it will be something that helps me too. Good luck to you.

> Joan

garsh you folks are lucky! I have no idea what Darth Vader sounds like..

lol! so I wouldn't know him if I heard him.. hahahahaha Right now my tinnitis

is all men talking at one time.. maybe that is Darth!

Which reminds me to ask about CIs and tinnitis. Does it go away after a CI?

Pam

April 15, 2004

The Darth Vader effect eventually dissipates. I can only guess that it is a

bit of both - programming and brain function. For me it took a much longer

time to hear those low frequency sounds with the CI than the highs. That's when

things started to normalize. At one point I made my audie give me such a

boomy map that I began to get headaches! I feel like because I forced myself to

hear more low sounds, I eventually got better at hearing them. Who knows

really. It could have all gone the way it did purely on it's own. Us

post-lings

are hard on our audies. Anyway, your auditory memory will eventually be

replaced and things will sound better.

In a message dated 4/15/2004 9:48:08 AM Eastern Standard Time,

jusdoit91@... writes:

Is the " Darth Vader " effect a brain function or a programming

function?

April 15, 2004

For most people, based on what I have read on forums, hearing with the

implant masks whatever tinnitus is there. For me, I have tinnitus whether I am

hearing or not but it is WAY louder when I am not hooked up.

In a message dated 4/15/2004 4:39:45 PM Eastern Standard Time,

plsav42@... writes:

Which reminds me to ask about CIs and tinnitis. Does it go away after a CI?

Pam

April 15, 2004

Hello. I tried clicking on the justdoit address to answer paul, but it came

back failed mail. I wanted to " talk " to him as I have complained over and

over about Darth Vader voices!! Was most interested to see if he finds a

solution. It seems we were hooked up about the same time and had about the

same number of mappings.....perhaps you can pass this along to him. I'm

amazed when I read that others have such good sound quality right off the

bat. It discourages me and makes me think I'm just not trying hard

enough...I can hear, I just don't like the quality.....Hopefully you'll pass

them along to . Thanks for your help. Joan

Re: Question

> ,

> That's an excellent question and one I'm not sure how to

> answer..hopefully someone will know..

> I never had the Darth Vader experience.. I heard very clearly from

> the start.

> with my initial activation, I did have a little " mickey Mouse/

> Duck " helium sounds, but they were quickly programmed out.. within a

> matter of a days time voices sounded very normal to me for the most

> part and with what I could hear. some sounds took me longer to

> understand and I was always hearing something different for several

> months. Now I occasionally still hear new sounds after 2 and a half

> years of activation, but not at the speed I did in the beginning.

> Not sure what processor you are using, but if you have the Nucleus,

> one way to possibly come in clearer is by using the whisper feature.

> I often use that for TV and it makes the voices much sharper,

> depending on which tv I am watching.. Some tv's I don't need the

> whisper and some I use it to sharpen voices.

> Others have talked of looping your tv room or using portable

> loops...this usually makes it seem if the tv is right at your side.

>

> Do you know what program strategy you are using? I have an Ace 900

> and an Ace 1200. the 1200 which is a volume map makes the sounds

> more clear for me. I have the two programs as a personal experiment

> for me, but I do believe that my 900 sensitivity program will be

> changed back to a 1200 when I go for my next mapping this

> summer..Just seems to have more clarity for me.

> chances are that with further mapping and as time goes on, these

> things will level out even more.

> Hope this hasn't confused you, and if you have any questions, please

> feel free to email me at any time either here on the forum or

> privately.

> If you don't have the Nucleus, I'm sure someone will be more than

> willing to answer your questions no matter which implant you have.

> Wishing you continued success,

> Silly MI

>

> In , " " <jusdoit91@c...> wrote:

> > Is the " Darth Vader " effect a brain function or a programming

> > function? I am understanding really well considering I have been

> > activated for 11 weeks. Talk radio is good TV would be better with

> > out all the music loudness. I have been mapped 5 times with the

> most

> > recent this past Friday. If the sound presentation were clear, I

> > would be jumping in the streets. Would appreciate anyone's input.

> >

>

April 15, 2004

Hello, . I tried to send a message earlier and it came back failed

mail. Also posted to so you may be inundated with messages from me!!

I was most interested to hear someone else mention the Darth Vader quality

of voices. That has been my complaint over and over. Especially my

husbands voice...He is soft spoken. But with my CI he is very much Darth

Vader! I hope you get some input re the sound quality and I'll watch for it

and hopefully it will be something that helps me too. Good luck to you.

Joan

Question

> Is the " Darth Vader " effect a brain function or a programming

> function? I am understanding really well considering I have been

> activated for 11 weeks. Talk radio is good TV would be better with

> out all the music loudness. I have been mapped 5 times with the most

> recent this past Friday. If the sound presentation were clear, I

> would be jumping in the streets. Would appreciate anyone's input.

>

April 15, 2004

Thankfully, for me, tinnitus is not a major headache. I have it,

in both ears but its quite tolerable, more so when the CI is on. Used

to be very annoying in the unimplanted ear until I cut back on

caffeine. Then only beef I have is, it now sounds like heavy traffic

and I always think trucks are driving thru our parking lot. LOL

Might be bad if there are fire trucks out there and I dont

investigate. Sigh.

*---* *---* *---* *---* *---*

I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.

--

& Gimlet (Guide Dawggie)

Portland, Oregon

N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup

rlclark77@...

http://home.comcast.net/~rlclark77/

April 17, 2004

philana, i doubt if it is any of your reg supplements. what about hormones?

maybe you should ask your dr about a blood test and get those checked. how

long has this been going on? talk to your dr if it doesn't improve soon.

cb in kc

April 17, 2004

Recently, I read that the Actigal should perhaps be taken in the morning or

afternoon with meals, since It has the potential to make some people have

difficulty in falling asleep in the evening. ( Hope this helps) Good Luck

! QUESTION

Hi!~

I have a quick question for all of you. I am taking Actigall, my

multi-vitamin 3 times a day. Vitamine E and Prilosec OTC and

calcium. I take them all throughout the day, but before bed I take

the Prilosec, Actigall and calcium at night. I get off of work at

3:30 and go workout and walk on an average of 3 miles 6 days a week.

My question is I can't fall asleep at night. I go to bed @ 10 p.m.

so that I have time to relax (watching a little TV), than come 1

a.m. I still can't fall asleep. I am almost in tears trying to fall

asleep. Last night my husband brought in lighter blankets, rubbed

my back and did everything he thought would help and finally I fell

asleep at 3 a.m this morning, but I am beat!

I have changed my vitamins just in case it was that, but nothing has

changed. I am not eating or taking in anything that has caffeine. I

am following everything by the book. I don't eat after 8 p.m. and

whatever that is it is very light.

Any suggestions? Or thoughts?

Your help would be greatly appreciated!

Philana

349/321.5/295

largest/pre-op/today

April 19, 2004

Philana,

How are your hormones ? Not being able to sleep is sometimes

associated with estrogen levels.....Call the CLOS office, maybe a patch

is required?????

It helped me.

Hope you are feeling sleepy very soon :0)

Kim Whitney

Dr. Hargroder 10-20-03

273-210

>>> love2life0426@... 04/14/04 07:13AM >>>