Windblock

Several times over the summer I said to myself, I need to blog about this when I get home! What am I referring to? Windblock! What is Windblock? WindBlock is a strategy that reduces wind noise in my cochlear implant to improve my listening experience in windy conditions.

This is a recently added technology to my cochlear implant hearing system that I didn’t really appreciate until I had the opportunity to enjoy the benefits. There were two different environments where I really noticed the difference this summer.

The first was when Paul and I were taking a boat ride in our fishing boat. I was comfortably leaning back in my seat enjoying the scenery when the thought went through my head, “This is great. There is something different. Why am I enjoying this more?” As the wind breezed across my face and blew my hair back, it finally dawned on me, it sounded different! Then I remembered the “windblock.” I smiled to myself and prayed a “thank-you.”

The second environment was on the golf course. We were out with friends on a slightly breezy day. I haven’t golfed much this summer but on that day, I noticed I was enjoying being on the golf course more than I had in the past when it is windy. I was also better able to understand conversation. Once again I thought, “What is different today?” Then I remembered, “Oh Yeah! Windblock!”

Activate your T-Coil and be ready!

When I found out our local theatre, Little Theatre of Owatonna, was putting in a new sound system with a hearing loop I was pretty excited. I have experienced using my T-coil setting in a looped environment and I knew it would certainly make going to the theatre a joy again. Since I had been to a new audiologist and had some adjustments made to my mappings, I decided I better check the documentation to make sure my T-coil was turned on in one of the programs. Oops! We missed it. I was glad I checked and had enough time to see my audiologist to get my T-coil turned on so I would be ready for the first production using the new sound system.

What is a hearing loop? A hearing loop is a wire that circles a room and is connected to a sound system. The loop transmits the sound electromagnetically. A hearing loop sends sound from the system microphones directly  to people wearing hearing aids or cochlear implants with a T-coil turned on.

I attended the play that was showing there this weekend and was able to use my T-coil setting. It was great to be able to hear the dialogue and the music clearly with the flip of a switch and not having to wear a special headset or some appliance around my neck.

In my community there are now two places that I know of with hearing loop sound systems. The first is the Gainey meeting room at the library and now also the Little Theatre of Owatonna (LTO). I look forward to enjoying many more plays and musicals at the LTO theatre! With my T-coil activated – I’m ready!