It's a New Life

so ... Bob's life changed pretty dramatically yesterday when his implant was switched on for the first time!

As you can tell it was a bit of a shock for him the first time it happened but he quickly got very brave and told her to keep turning it up and make the volume louder!

She told him that he would probably feel the need to take it off as he'd be tired or overwhelmed, but that she really believed that it would be better if he wore it all day. She said that it would take time and most of what he'd hear yesterday and for maybe a few days was likely to be beeps and not necessarily make any sense. That it takes time for the brain to understand what is happening!

Bob being Bob - there was no way you could get it off him :)

And by evening he was hearing everything we said - here are a few of yesterdays revelations

1. Jack, Anna, Bob and I were having lunch around the table and he found this little piece of plastic wrap ... he picked it up, scrunched it into a little ball and I swear - you have never seen such amazement in anyone else ... he just sat there, gently scrunching this little ball of plastic - never having heard the sound of that before! He looked so happy - SO happy!
2. I went to chat with our neighbor and walked in to tell him - he was playing ball with Casper - again ... utter amazement on his face - listening to the ball hit the floor and for Casper's little nails clicking on the wood as he ran to fetch the ball. The smile on Bob's face - priceless! 
3. As we went out for a celebratory dinner - he for the first time ever was able to listen to the children in the back of the car, without having to turn and lipread ... extraordinary!!
4. When the kids finally had gone to bed and we were able to watch MI5 he just sat there going - "wow, I can actually hear them talk" and "golly, was that a mobile phone?" ...
5. He also managed to listen to music - and for the first time ever really heard what was said and not just the music. Actually he was unable to hear the music itself, it takes time for the brain to understand it all and he only heard the words of the song. He was so impressed.

I swear - I have never been happier for another person in my life - I have never seen such amazement on another persons face. I have only ever seen Bob this overwhelmingly happy at the birth of our children. It is mind blowing what is happening - he is learning sounds for the first time in his life. He has never been able to hear "st" sounds or "ch" sounds ... and now he hears them clear as a bell!

So yes - it is a new life and he is embracing it fully. He does not want to take it off at all and his progress within the first day way exceeded what his doctor told him it would be.

... but I should have known that shouldn't I :)