I need suggestions!   …  I got the Freedom (by cochlear co.) BTE sound processor for my ABI, back in November, but a few times recently I have noticed the batteries seeming to die like super-duper fast! i know my ABI program probably would use more power than most CI programs but still! So, it has happened exactly like this at least twice… arrive for practice. switch to new batteries, bc don’t want to miss something if coach needs to talk to me and interpreter is no-clue-where (other side of track, maybe) … go upstairs to bike / elliptical even though I’m on track team, bc i am injured now… gym is super-boring with cardio-machines, so plug i-pod into outlet on processor… listen to some techno, rap, or whatever… approximately 30 minutes later BAM… batteries indicate they are dead! (this happened today, and I took it off, and put it back on later with the same batteries and its still on now.)

I think this might be a problem with moisture, more than “stupid i-pod used up all the power!”. Anybody else out there that is athletic, sweating a lot, or whatever? PLEASE give suggestion or feedback.  What do you do about it? Oh, and I use the “dry-store” box each night also.

My family (and i agree) is even concerned about it as a safety issue, because well when I’m not injured, I love to run outdoors, often alone, but also with team. I keep my eyes open and alert to surroundings, but sometimes that is hard when you are nearing dehydration on summer runs, for example. (If you are distance runner, you will understand what I mean about losing full focus, especially if you have ever experienced ‘Runner’s High” or “hitting the wall”!)

If the solution is “don’t workout with it, if you sweat like a hog!”, i think there is better solution. The Freedom is made to protect from sweat, right?! I can explain an example why….

I ran NYC Marathon about 3 weeks before getting the BTE processor, and so I never wore the big one when I ran bc I found it to be too cumbersome and downright annoying. After the marathon, I was getting ready  to cross intersection, and saw the walk light signal change and began to step out into the street… about 50 yards away an ambulance was about to whiz through that intersection, with the siren blaring. I had no idea, since I couldn’t hear it, and then my dad pulled me back! … I’m 21, and my dad is not going to always be there to “pull me back,” every time I start to do something crazy like that! I need to get this figured out.

Please leave suggestions or feedback, positive and good advice only, please!  Thank you!