Sleep Well? Hardly, but amusing anyway

So, I have a long history of having nightmares or downright bizarre (but usually amusing) dreams. It's like my subconscious really likes to regurgitate little thoughts and fragments from my day and spin out a really crazy vivid dream.

I thought I'd share all of the dreams I've had about cochlear implants so far. There's only been two, but when I think about it, I think that some of the regular dreams/nightmares (after the 2nd dream about implants) have had me with a cochlear implant. (Like it's a normal thing!) So I think my mind has somewhat adjusted to that aspect of "identity change" or whatever you would call it. It's really cool, because in the dreams I remember vaguely thinking, "Huh, I have an implant in...." and then just accepting it.

So, the first dream I had was very simple. It was Activation Day! So the audiologist told me to put the processor on, and I did. But it was odd because it hurt a little. The magnet was pressed against my head SO hard that it was ridiculous! The audiologist explained that it was normal and that I wouldn't notice after awhile. The processor was numbing my head a little! I asked, "Should it really be this magnetically tight though?" Then, I just said, "I don't care though. I'm glad because I'll hear! That's what matters!" So Tina turned on the computer and I heard long beeps and the implant pressed against my head even tighter and I woke up!

The second one was about two weeks or so after this one, and it was about two days or so after I had seen this really funny zombie movie called Fido. In it, zombies come to life but are capable of being controlled by wearing a special collar. There was a character in it who actually loved his zombie, but the rest treated their zombies as pets or slaves.

So, the dream was essentially like Fido, except instead of zombies it was robots/cyborgs. More robots though. And at one point, I informed my mom, "Some people LOVE their robots. You know, like actually love them..." and my mom went, "Eww! That's so wrong! That's weird."

I could understand someone becoming attached to anything.

But then somehow it turned into being a bit offended and going, "Well, Mom, I'm a CYBORG and you aren't complaining about people loving me."

Suddenly, all the people that had been around us gathered together and others joined a big MOB formed. They started getting crazy and shouting, "She's a cyborg! Collar her! Get her under control!"

My boyfriend showed up and said this line we both think is really funny (from an anime called Fooly Cooly). "Mixing robots and cyborgs up is a common mistake."

He then calmed the crowd down and insisted it'd make a good movie, so he and I grabbed video cameras and started filming people who, in turn, started "acting." Peace and understanding prevailed. :P

Note: I posted a blog for May 29th that I hadn't gotten around to posting yet! But a question in it was: other than recording what sounds used to sound like to you and keeping a blog, what else did you do or wished you had done, BEFORE you got the implant??

And if you don't wish you had recorded what sounds used to sound like to you, is it because you easily remember what they used to sound like? And are you now forgetting and having them replaced with what you hear with the CI now?

Also, I will comment you all back! Sorry for my lateness :) I really appreciate all your input/thoughts/experiences

Edit::: July 2nd, the first full day with the implant, I had a dream while taking a nap on my couch. I dreamed essentially, that my head hurt REALLY bad due to a bag of radioactive magnets (?!) that an "evil scientist" had brought into the room. I hung it up so I would know where it was and so I could keep away from it, and then I kept thinking, "The other side of my head hurts too! The magnet in my head is REALLY reacting badly, isn't it?" I woke up and realized my right side (non-implant side) was on the couch's sharp corner and that the fan was whirring which hurt the left side thus contributing to the all-over headache and head pain! No radioactive magnets here, folks.

Ipods and music!

So, all my life, the only music player I've owned is a CD player that my friend Stephen gave to me after I asked to borrow it for the long bus trip up to summer camp when I was probably 14 or so. I greedily soaked up whatever sound I could get from the CD player amplified, and fell asleep listening to songs. He gave it to me after we had gotten home from summer camp and I realized I still had his CD player. He smiled and said I could keep it because he had another. I insisted he take it back but he insisted I take it. So I took it and I still have it to this day!

I haven't seen the need to spend money on any other music player, even though I don't use that CD player much. With the advent of laptops playing cds and then finally, Limewire or youtube.com, I didn't find it too necessary. I don't mind not having music playing 24.7, because for me the sound of everything else is enough.

But I have often wanted to buy an ipod just so I could have the convenience of "music on the go!" and was always waiting for some opportune time or reason to arise. And it has come!

What better way to celebrate better hearing than to be able to hear some great music?! Notably, I will not be using the ipod too much at first though, as I want to give environmental noises/voices more priority in my brain.

After a week-long search for good deals on ebay and craigslist, I eliminated many music players. I had originally wanted an IRiver Clix (from Europe and plays movies, games, and music!) but then I heard about the ipod touch. It has wifi so you can download music on the go or access the internet! I'm not a big game player, so the fact it had games wasn't a factor. But my wonderful boyfriend showed me the other day that his iphone (which is nearly identical to the itouch, except that it has phone capabilties) could stream closed-captioned lyrics IN TIME TO THE MUSIC! (Google tunewiki)

I can see how this would potentially help me and even if I can never understand speech, I've always wanted something like this! So, I was sold. My search for an Ipod touch began!

And it ended today!! I won an auction for an ipod touch. Considering that they sell for $300 or more at top retail price and $285 on discount sites, I got a great deal! It is under $200, so I'm glad. I really dislike spending more than $30 on ANYTHING though so a big part of me says, "I really must get a lot of use out of this or I'll sell it!" I am really excited though to try my new ipod!! It should be shipped by at least 2 weeks or less! Whee!

Also? It is FINALLY June!! It seemed as though it would never come. Only 10 more days until the pre-op and then 5 more days after that is the surgery!!