“How’s the ABI?”

It’s weird, but, I expected that. Right now the sound is very much just beeps, boops, clicks and clacks. The hope is that over time my brain will be able to process the sounds with more pitch differentiation, which will allow me to recognize different sounds.

Good news on the technical side is that we were able to map 17 of the 21 electrodes – which the audiologist thought was very good.

The first session was spent checking to see if the electrode would function, then finding the right level for it. Because the device is ‘plugged’ into my brainstem, turning the level up on a specific electrode might cause side-effects – which is basically the electrode stimulating another part of your body, along with the auditory pathway. In some cases, my head would buzz, other times my right hand and arm would tingle. It felt like a very minor electrical shock, which is essentially what it is.

After this was done, he set the highs and lows. This was achieved by simply taking each channel down to its least recognizable level. Similar to a hearing test.

The second session was spent searching for electrode pairs. I’m not exactly sure how and why this is done, I need to look into that, but he had to deactivate four pairs because they were causing side effects. Even with the four pairs deactivated, he still felt that I was in good shape.

He also tested me with some simple voice recognition and I did well with that. He shielded his mouth so that I wasn’t able to read his lips and I was able to identify when he said ‘beep.’

I did not hear him say the word ‘beep’ but I heard a beep when he said it.

Because we were able to map so many electrodes, he hopes that I will be able to make out some speech in the future. This is actually very good, most of the ABI users are not able to have this happen.

The exterior device is a little strange looking. It’s the same set up as a cochlear implant – a microphone that sits on the ear, similar to a hearing aid with a small disc that is connected to a wire that attaches magnetically to the side of my head, on top of the device under my scalp.

Unlike a cochlear implant device, which has a magnet under the skin, the ABI has no magnet.

The reason for this is that almost all ABI users have NF2, which requires getting repeated MRI scans. Having a magnet under your scalp is going to be a problem when they flip the switch on a machine that functions with giant magnets.

So, the work-around is connecting the retainer piece to my head with a small Band-Aid with a magnet inside. It’s a little awkward since he had to shave a patch of my head so that it would stick properly. I need to figure out how I’m going to manage with odd grooming procedure in the future. Plus I’m going bald as it is, so I don’t need any help losing hair.

The other small problem with the Band-Aid magnet is that I have a tendency to sweat like a wild boar, even when it isn’t 100 degrees, which it was the day I walked outside with the ABI on my head for the first time. I made it about four blocks before the magnet came loose off of my scalp.

So, that’s my report after day four of wearing this crazy space-age thing. My plan is to just keep the device on and let my brain adjust to this new way of ‘hearing.’ I have another appointment with the audiologist in a month, so I’ll meet with him for a tune-up and check on my progress.

Signing off,
RoboDan