Activation Day!

Here is video from Ben's first activation. Watch how he turns when he hears his name! After that, his responses were more subtle. But he did respond to a drum and noisy toys. We returned the following day for a second mapping appointment, and will go back after Thanksgiving for a third. Then we will start the mapping appointments for the right ear a few days later. We have been changing his maps each day and he is tolerating that well. At home, he seems to be taking everything in and not showing too many obvious responses, but we were told that this is common. The hardest challenge has been keeping the ear piece and magnet on his head! We have been using the pilot caps and we bought the Topstick toupee tape which has been helping. But he really resists when we put the ear piece on. I know we will get better at putting it on and that he will get used to wearing it, but it has been frustrating. But, when I look at this video I am reminded why we are doing all this and it makes it all worth it. The CI is nothing short of a miracle device.

Activation Day is Tomorrow!

Ben is going to be activated tomorrow morning!  The three weeks since the CI surgery have gone by so fast - I can't believe we are at this day.   It was exactly nine months ago that we found out Ben was deaf.  It felt like the whole world turned gray and out of focus that day.  My baby hadn't heard a thing I had said to him for the last 6 weeks and probably never would!  As the sister of two siblings with special needs, I knew that there were many more serious things that could happen, but I had never known the pain of learning that your child has a disability.  I worried about many things during my pregnancies, but the thought of having a child born deaf was never one of them.  Nathan and I were both shocked and scared and confused that day.  As I fumbled around trying to come to terms with Ben's diagnosis, I felt helpless and lost.  I prayed for the wisdom and strength to give Ben the best treatment possible, while at the same time being present, loving, happy and strong for my four older children.  I researched deafness for the next few days, ordering books and visiting web sites.  That is when I learned about the cochlear implant and what it can do for young children who are born deaf.  There was our plan for Ben - he could learn to listen and speak with this device and lots of therapy.  Now we just needed to make it happen.

Nine months later, we are on the eve of activation.  We have realized our dream for Ben of simultaneous bilateral implantation at 9 months of age.  But the hard work has just begun.  Now we must help Ben to interpret the sounds he will hear and translate them into language he can understand.  We are incredibly excited and nervous about tomorrow.  I don't know what Ben's reaction will be - we have heard that children's reactions range from no response, to head turns and smiles, to crying when they hear sound for the first time.  Whatever happens, I am sure I will have tears in my eyes, since witnessing my deaf son hear for the first time will be one of the most poignant moments of my life.