Benefits of Listening to Italian as hearing declines

I have become nearly deaf over the past year. I am getting a cochlear implant in 2 days. My ear neurologist surgeon has said that my daily practice in Italian has kept the auditory portion of my brain active despite my hearing loss. He expects that my relearning to hear with the implant will be improved because I have spent so many hours for over a year now listing to Italian. I have been listening with 2 speakers attached to my computer so I can boost the sound. I am hoping that after my auditory rehabiliation, which takes weeks to months, I won't have to struggle so hard to hear with my head between the speakers. I am getting a benefit from doing my Italian that is probably not one most people think about. 

All the very best with everything, and well done!

Hi CEHartman

I have been thinking about you, and am really happy for you. Hope all goes well with the implant and rehabilitation.

Sebongela

HI CEHarman

Wonderered how you are doing. Assume you have had the surgery. Hope it went well and the training getting easier.

Regards

Sebongela

I am just back from activation of my cochlear implant. Most people cannot hear voices at first, but I can!!

I rushed to finish Travelogs before today and I did that. Now I am going back to Level 1, lesson 1 and listening. I am amazed that I can hear it, but if I did not have the written words in Italian and English in front of me, I would not know what the speaker is saying. Actually, the fact that I can hear it at all is amazing. I will be doing slow, easy lessons again as part of my auditory rehab. Eventually I should be able to hear it all well. 

Excellent - great news, and hugely rewarding for you!

Hi CEHartman

How lovely for you and must be an amazing feeling. Am so glad it all went well and that you can hear the lessons, when many people can't. Best of luck and I can't rtell you how happy I am for you. You have been in my thoughts and I have been wondering how you are doing. Thanks for keeping us in the loop. You are an inspiration and I admire your tenacity.

sebongela

I had a hearing test 4 weeks after activating my implant. I got 75% comprehension in the cochlear implant ear. After adding my hearing aid in my other ear, my comprehension was 86%. That is amazing for just 4 weeks in. I have been doing Italian Level 1 at first, then moving on through the other levels. I practice hearing with my implant only for several hours a day. That is my auditory rehad and it has worked supremely well for me. 

Catherine

Hi CEHartman

I think of you often and the challenges you have faced. Am really glad that it is working for you. Was wondering how you were doing. Must be a relief as well that the implant was and is successful

Ciao

Sebongela

Congratulations, CEHartman! Very well done.

HI CEHartman

I am not quite sure how you mange several hours. Take my hat off to your dedication. I know I am rabitting on about Coffee break Italian, but they have some excellent italian  podcast which are free. Subscription gives you full notes and bonus episodes. Have not subscribed to the Italian lessons, but have subscribed to Italian Magazine and the diaries. The notes are extensive with good explanations. Using those as for more intermediate learners and have found them amazing for vocab and grammar.

You may want to try the free version for auditory work

Take care 

Sharon