Activation Day: Bouncing Forward

Six Years Later, Stepping Into Bilateral!

Yesterday was activation day, and I’ve had some time to listen—and reflect.

There are many emotions moving through me, but above all, there is a sense of certainty that I made the right decision to go bilateral. Having gone through the cochlear implant process six years ago, I am ready for my next CI marathon. I know that moving forward is not a question of if success will come, but when. This marathon is rooted in progress, and I am well-trained for this race.

Activation Day Recap:

I began the day with a hearing test to assess my residual hearing, and the results confirmed my “unofficial” listening test. I have excellent low-frequency hearing preservation. There is still fluid present, which means there is room for even more improvement when I return next month. Dr. Adunka is pleased with the healing and remains optimistic about continued hearing improvement!

Then it was time for mapping.

I asked my CI audiologist, “What do most people say when they activate their second implant?”
Her answer was straightforward and honest: “It usually sounds pretty bad.”

We mapped loudness across each electrode— detection, comfort, and upper limits. Then came the moment of activation with the full electrode array.

Yes—it sounded awful—robotic, mechanical, almost like high-pitched Morse code. I wish I could let you listen inside my brain for just a moment.

But here’s what was different this time: I could hear speech. I could discriminate between sentences without visual cues. Even in the robotic distortion, my brain was actively working to make sense of sound, and my residual low-frequency acoustic hearing was helping to fill in the gaps.

In my head, I had hoped it might sound more like my first ear—already acclimated to cochlear implant listening. Instead, it reminded me of the importance of auditory training and my new ear requires new learning.

Dr. LaPrete, my CI audiologist, had more confidence in my new listening ear than I did—and she was right. She turned off both processors so I could listen with residual hearing alone, then activated only my new CI and asked me questions—no visuals, just speech.

Even though it sounded awful, I was able to repeat common sentences like “How is the weather?” and “What did you eat for breakfast?”

At that moment, a wave of emotions hit me. I knew I had made the right decision to move forward with side two.

When my left ear—the one with six years of CI experience—joins my right ear, the signal makes sense. I know my left ear is currently doing most of the understanding, and my right ear will need targeted auditory training to fully integrate the vibrant hearing world.  Even so, I can already feel improved balance and awareness between my ears. Hearing from both sides is going to be a meaningful gain.

I remain in awe of the brain—its ability to rewire, adapt, and make meaning from sound. As many of you know, I was born with significant hearing loss and never heard sounds above 1000 Hz until six years ago. I became a cochlear implant candidate later in life—and I learned how to listen with lots of practice and training.  This gives me confidence moving forward with side 2. 

As I reflect on activation day, I also want to say thank you—to the researchers, engineers, clinicians, and scientists who continue to advance cochlear implant technology. Your work is not just scientific or technical; it changes lives. You may not always see the moment-to-moment impact, but please know this: your work matters.

Will I one day say, “I wish I had done this sooner?”
Probably.

But I also know this: I did it when I was ready.

In my faith journey, I trust that timing matters. This was my moment to Bounce Forward!

         I’ll leave you with this reflection:
     Where might bouncing forward be                         waiting for you?