Two weeks gone by since the surgery (nearly) and the bandage and plastic cap came off today. So time for another grisly picture. Again, don’t click if you don’t like the sight of stitches in a wound (it’s really not too bad, but some folks are sensitive–until it heals a little more, and the stitches dissolve, I’ll probably be covering it up with bandaids at work), but it does give an idea of how quickly the healing can go, and now you can really see the metal abutment that is now a permanent part of my skull.
It feels fine, with no real pain, but it is a bit weird to touch that piece of metal and actually feel that it is a solid part of my skull. Hard to describe, but a weird sensation. I also had a few numb patches on my scalp for the first week and a half or so after the surgery, and in the last few days those stopped being numb, and as the sensation came back, they burned and tingled. Not too serious–about like a bad sunburn–and in only these few spots.
I have had my BAHA since 2006….I LOVE it! I was born with single sided deafness so to me I entered a whole new VERY NOISY world. I work as a patient care technician at a dialysis facility so being able to hear what goes on around me is necessary. Currently, I have a minor infection around my abutment (only the third time in 4 years and the other two were easily treated with just antibiotic ointment) and alas I can’t use my Divino as it hurts to touch the area around the post. (I miss it TERRIBLY!!!) Four years out, I still have a couple of localized areas of kind of vague numbness and itchiness (much like any scar will itch). I lost my first BAHA when I was walking home one day…now I do not step outside without it leashed. My second one went missing and was presumed to have fallen out of my backpack on the bike ride home from work, a year and a half (and $3500 later to replace it since my insurance would not cover it to begin with) I found it….in the dryer after going through THREE wash cycles and TWO full dry cycles. To remind myself to be more careful, I kept this now dead, very expensive lesson in the drying container as a reminder. Three months later it came back to life defying everything I ever learned about electronics! I now keep one at home for use at home, and one in my purse for use at work. Getting the BAHA was the best decision I have ever made and I am sure you will find it to be yours as well. I am used to the jokes….”Hi Frank” (as in Frankenstien…compliments of my kids and coworkers) and ceaseless “can you hear me now????” jokes.
With your surgery at the beginning of September, you should be getting fitted very soon! I wish the best…getting used to the volume control and switching between mics will take a little trial and error but once you are used to it it will become second nature. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have debster592@msn.com 🙂 and Happy Hearing!
Wow, thanks, Debra! Great to hear from someone with so much experience. And Yikes! I will be sure to learn from your experience about not losing the device.