Is there anyone who have Advanced Bionic in Auckland???

I am writing this blog wondering to myself - Is there anyone in Auckland have an Advanced Bionic cochlear implant? Am I the only one here? Ok I have been in Auckland for over a week now and have been busy setting up a photography studio for my cousin. Now that I am getting to know my cousins properly, I can't help wondering about the support that I may need incase I would have some problem with my implant.

New Zealand and Australia do have cochlear implant center but they only promote Nucleus Freedom. I find this very interesting because of our technology these days should be up to date. We have ipod, car, internet services and so on. So why not different brands?

A month ago, I had some problem with my implant. Four days after my 9th months tuning, I lost all my low frequency by 70% and could no longer understand what people were saying. I was still getting used to high frequencies which I haven't heard for 26 years so without the low frequencies I am lost.

Staff at the centre believed that I may have been stressed or ill. Of course I was stressed. I worry about lot of things. People were booking me for their wedding day and had to cancel due to losing their job. Not easy trying to find the next pay day. Another thing was moving to new location until I know where I would like to stay. I could move anywhere in the world could I?

Now that I am in New Zealand, doing some soul searching, wondering what I can do to support the cochlear implant center to improve their services and technology using my photography skill. Here me thinking..... I am an Advanced Bionic user and I can help Advanced Bionic to promote themselves to New Zealand.

My question to people out there........ do you want more than one choices on which cochlear implant brand to have? Please get in touch and I'll shall see what I can do for you.

Flying abroad - Hearing aids V Cochlear implant

This is something that most of us have been wondering what to do when going to the airport. Most of us have some frustrating time when going to the airport or the lack of entertainment on the flight. I was thinking about how I have compared hearing aids and cochlear implant. How are they any difference to each other? I decided to look back to my upbringing being a hearing user and often go abroad every now and then. I have now able to say that I have experience the journey with cochlear implant for the first time. Of course, the first time is nerve wrecking as the thought of having metal head is going to set off the security. Will it damage our programs? Will it hurt? Will we be arrested for having a microchip in our head that may hold important information to terrorist? Ok I may go over the top on the last bit but this could happen in the future!!

Anyway, I have been going through some notes to compare which device is useful in certain areas.

Checking in – to inform the cabin staff to be aware of hearing impaired abroad.

Most people know what hearing aids are and they can be visual able to other depend on amount of hair you have and how you wear them.

Cochlear implant - this is still new to some people who may not seen or heard of it. Although, the staff at the airport, have been trained to know what the cochlear implant are and what to do when there is any problem.


Security department –

Hearing aids - no need to worry about going through the security door. Some hearing aids do set off the beep

Cochlear implant – must have ID to show that you have cochlear implant. Some people have advised me to show the Id and take off the implant to show them to make them aware. But I found its best to show the card and not take off the processor, as I may need to hear what was going on. Especially when travelling alone.
Once showed the ID, you would go around the door and get body search by the staff.

In-flight entertainment – Some planes don’t provide closed caption for popular movie in English but they do provide subtitles for foreign films. I was on Emirates and I was impressed with choices!

Hearing aids - unable to use own headphone (shoe and lead to connect to in-flight headphone plug) unable to hear through the headphone. Painful ear aches due to ear mould. Had to take off the hearing aids to ease the pain. Everything sounds very loud. With no subtitles on movies, it’s easy to get bored so bring book!

Cochlear implant - able to use the headphone the plane provided, no pain in ears. Can feel the air pressure! Staff able to hear me at reasonable level. (with hearing aids I thought it was loud but I always speak quietly when it’s loud)


Long haul journey, rechargeable battery – take spare with you at all time and save power when not in use.


Its really interesting to see the difference!

By the way, I am in Dubai while waiting for the next flight to Auckland.

Happy reading while I am flying!

Difficult times

Here I am sitting here in the office wondering to myself - what am I doing? Many questions running through my head trying to decide what to do with my life. I can not sit here and wondering away. I have to make decision somehow.

In the last few months, I felt that nothing was gonna happen but the hole underneath me were getting bigger. Day by day, I struggled to climb up. I have many doors and I had no idea which to take. Ever felt like you will have to hold back and wait and see which door will shine the light, ready for you to take the step forward? I am still waiting for that.

It doesn't matter if it related to hearing new sound, or trying to find a job, new life, it could be anything.

My hearing have been better and there were times I wasn't too sure coz I was hearing too much of the high pitches again so went to the C.I centre to solve this problem. We got it fixed and few weeks later, my low pitches fade away (again) making the high pitches louder again. The sound of someone having their glasses in their hand and flick it while talking. That noise is very annoying! But it was not suppose to be loud. Even the sound of the running water is loud again.

I am due to my 9th months in a week and I hope we will figure out why this happen too often.

I was able to use the mobile phone for an hour but still feel like I need more practice with other people. I will test this with few people that I have in mind. I bet they will get the shock.


Going back to what I was saying about waiting for the door to shine it light for me to decide which to use. I have to say that most of the time in the past, I was told to go for it whatever the reason is. In this case..... I can't do that. I am moving out again and probably will move around wherever I will go. Its not the question of when I would settle down, its more to do.... will I be happy to have this kind of life?

There are many choices. Jobs, projects, social life, taking up sport again, a chance to go abroad again and see if my photography will wow these people. I should hope so.


I am sorry that I have not been keeping the blog up to date. It have been very hard lately. I will be moving to another friend who have cochlear implant and I am sure looking forward what will bring. I will soon have more time to write on the blog. I will be doing more work in Ear Foundation and Advanced Bionic before I take up New Zealand. yes New Zealand. Exciting I know.

Let hope things will get better.

AEGphotos photography Services

Some of you are wondering what kind of service my business, AEGphotos, provide. Well, I am happy to show you what I can do. Here are the sample:

Wedding:



Portraits:


Modelling:


Music:



Event:


If you are looking to capture your special moments, birthday party or any kind of photography, please contact me at info@aegphotos.co.uk

Ear Foundation Newsletter

The Ear Foundation's Newsletter have finally came out and after all this time I have been working together with them, helping each others to raise the funds for the charity as well using my services in Photography. The beginning of my career have only just began!

Please click on the image to enlarge.

You can see more images of the Sound inspiring at http://www.aegphotos.co.uk/Soundinspiring
Now you seen my advert and I meant what I said about giving donation to deaf charity. If you know anyone who would like subtitles on your wedding, home video, etc then get in touch.

Email Manda at info@aegphotos.co.uk

Drive thru test

Last night I went out to Southampton to go to the movie to see Terminator 4 with my mate, Charlotte. I arrived at the train station, waiting for her to meet me and get to the cinema together. I thought we would not have time to get some food before we head off to cinema. Charlotte arrived in her car. She must have read my mind somehow thinking we may not get there on time by foot. So she drove along on the way to the cinema, we spotted the Mcdonald. I told her to go in there. I know Mcdonald is not healthy but its just a quick fix.

For many years, I won't have dream on going through the drive thru as I was always nervous about whether people would understand me. Not that I have a poor speech just that I often speak quiet or not pronouncing the word properly. I was used to go into the building and ordered over the counter. Face to face was the easy thing to do. It make sense for everyone who have the same problem as me.

We were short of time and we looked at each others deciding what to do. Over the counter or drive thru?

We decided to go drive thru. yay I heard you applauding me! Charlotte was in the driver seat and I was at the passengar side. As we drove up the til, roll down the window. The staff automatic look at the driver to get the order. I had to lean over for the staff to see me so he would know that I am the one who is taking the order. I gave him my order and he asked me if I want it medium or large. I answered medium (who would want to eat large!!) Giving the order and answering the questions was very quick. But did they get the order right? Surely enough they did!

So why was it in the past that I always get the wrong type of food or drink and now get everything spot on? Was it the fact my speech have improved?

It was pretty nice not to be nervous anymore. I know me mam tried to do it with me at one drive thru that have intercom. I think I panic on that and end up messing up the order so me mam had to take over. Will I be able to do this myself in future? Sure, why not?

By the way, we went to see Terminator 4 and we thought it was quite good as it make sense fitting the stories to Tr1, Tr2 and Tr3 althogether. Don't worry about some gap of the story, just use your imagination. Isn't that what a movie or a story is all about?

Use your imagination. be creative!

How do you find me?

As I have been looking at my google analtyics latest, I cannot help but laugh at what keywords that people have found me via google search.

Who on earth would type this and find my blog with these keywords:

1) neville the meerkat
2) meerkat wedding
3) the meerkats subtitulos
4) cochlear meerkat blogspot

Now come on then, step forward and show who you are.