My EAR in His hEARt....

Well, got my implant activated today! I've been nervous for days. Couldn't sleep last night. The closer we got to Houston, the more my blood pressure rose and heart pounded. Got to Envoy Medical and was honestly scared I'd pass out before they could do anything. Lol. They did a few tests first to make sure the device worked. I had to sit in 'the box' while they did all sorts of beeps and whistles to make sure the device responded accordingly. Then came time to turn it on......I kept moving the remote (I have a remote! I'm part cyborg according to Sloan.......all cyborgs have an on and off button right?!?) Anyway, I'm supposed to hold the remote up to the device implanted in my skull to activate it and I kept moving it which delayed it being turned on. Just about fainted, then 'viola!' it was on. For you mothers out there.......it was like that moment where time stands still as your baby slips into this world.......I just started crying, then crying more because I could hear myself crying. Then laughing, then freaking out over my laugh. That lead to the shakes and partial hyperventillating. Sloan's boisterous laugh and the grins from the docs was the icing on the cake. Then the tapping of the keys as the nurse lady did something on the computer, followed by the remote being set down on the counter.......I could HEAR it!!! Felt like quite the idiot as I left the center (OMG, Sloan just sneezed in the shower, too funny!) grinning ear to ear.........worse case of 'perma-grin' I've ever had! Stepped outside while Sloan was telling me I was whispering, and walked to the car taking it all in. Foot steps, car doors, engine starting, already tired of hearing myself swallow. Lol. I kept asking "Is this normal? Do you hear that? Does that always do that? Is there a cup rattling around in the back of the car? (WHOA). Made my first phone calls. Called Lari and immediately heard the girls in the background. *Let me take this time to apologize to anyone I've ever called while the girls were chattering..............how the heck do you 'normal folks' hear anything with them in the background?!? Lol. She had Oli tell me "I love you Mommy", then Elise said "I ove you".......I started bawling and had to hand the phone off to Sloan. THAT was an awesome moment. Called my Mom and she was like "Are you talking to me now with the new ear?!?" Called my Dad and if I'm not mistaken I think I heard him get a little choked up. Got to Outback to eat with Alexis and was blindsided by the road noise upon stepping out of the car. The place was on a service road and WOW the highway is NOISY! Hurried up and got inside to get relief from the noise. Could actually hear the servers speaking instead of doing my usual routine of smiling politely and praying to God that they haven't said something I've ignored or not answered. When the waitress brought our drinks on the table I asked Sloan "Do you think she'd find it funny if I asked her to stop slamming the cups and plates on the table?" (I of course knew she wasn't actually slamming anything, I just found it amusing) Real shocker was when she brought my salad and I started to eat. WOW was that loud..........eating a crouton is like fireworks going off. I was certain people 5 tables over were thinking 'you hear that cow chewing?' Sloan and Alexis assured me that no one could hear me chew. Sloan got much satisfaction out of the fact that I promptly started eating with my mouth closed. I've been an avid 'smacker' my whole life..........Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, etc. Mr. Churman.....I shall not smack again! Sat through dinner amazed at all the new sounds. Ate slow and methodical and started trying to sort out hearing while eating. My brain is a little confused on how to sort out doing those 2 things at once. Would it be rude to say "Let me eat this roll real quick, then you can talk?" Anyway, got done with dinner and hopped back in the car to head home. The road noise sounds like a plane just before liftoff, or at least what I hear when I'm on a plane just before liftoff. Sloan was listening to Lonesome Dove on CD (thanks Josh Weathers! *said with sarcasm*) I gritted my teeth as he turned it up to 10 on the volume. 10! I was happy at 5 thank you very much. He swears 10 is low. I guess time will tell. We stopped to use the restroom and gas up and the toilet in the gas station about gave me a heart attack! The nurse warned me of this but I had already forgotten and totally freaked. Oh, and this reminds me, earlier when they first turned it on and I burped, totally freaked me out. I've been given a remote and I'm supposed to turn it up a notch every 4 days. Right now I'm at a low setting and they said if they were to turn it on full force my brain would freak. It's like cold water in a pool.........gotta slowly acclimate I guess? Oh, and on a sidenote.........Lady Gaga sounds horrible on the radio! Just sayin. Sloan just kissed me good night........kisses sound all smacky like....weird. I'm currently waiting on my video to upload with YouTube. Just wanted to write this down while it was all still fresh on my mind. As I sit here beating the keys on the keyboard (not really, it just sounds that way), Skittles the Lovebird has been chirping, it's so cute :) I guess I'm keeping her up. Well, my hubby is in bed........guess I should join him. I'm thinking I'll leave the device on and listen to him snore. I have to be the only wife that's looking forward to that. God IS good. Thank you to everyone who has kept up with me on this journey........thanks for the prayers, support, etc. Can't wait to get up tomorrow and hear the girls giggles <3