Four little ears

Could have been worse...

Gman has no problems behaving, finding something to do, staying on task as long as he's on his ADHD meds which are working great. He worked hard while sister got both her ears MAPped which only took about an hour (wish B had behaved as well while he was mapped but that wasn't happening). She's still on every 6 months and we had not noticed any issues with her hearing but since it was time, since we were going anyway, she got a quick 'run thru' and she's good for 6 more months (maybe even a year)...

B played with doll house toys while she counted the tones. At one point, she didn't hear the tone and growled at the Audiologist "Hurry up and make that weird sound!!" My apologies to our audiologist! She was in a horrible mood.

Gage decided he'd occupy himself while he counted tones as well with the dolls...

...only he needed more accessories...like a piece of paper to make a newspaper for the dad who had to take care of some business (lol)

So that's it, 2 hours and we were finished, quick tune up for both kids and they are hearing great!

I'm trusting

5 hrs...that's how long it took us to get finished with an annual appointment Gage has at a hospital clinic an hour and a half away. I'll be honest, I suffered complete anxiety over this from the beginning. I knew it took us 4 hrs last year so the waiting was expected. If you have not read last year's story He Had No Legs(Click Here) because my child did amaze me while we were there, so there are rewards behind life's inconveniences.

I prayed before we left, and realized that I had to trust the Lord more, and my kids too. I always worry my kids will say something inappropriate (as many parents do) when you go to a clinic full of special children. I realized from our own experiences that it's not the children's comments that are rude, out of line or shocking...it's the parents' reactions when their child DOES ask or say something that is usually quite age-appropriate. So, I knew I wouldn't be one of THOSE people and God would give the words if my kids did speak out loud about someone's physical appearance. I didn't harp or threaten the kids this time, I only asked that they save their questions for the ride home, and play with the children as they would anyone else...AND THEY DID. The young man from my previous story was there, and Brook had not met him last year.

And then she walked in. The most beautiful sight ever. She was pulling her bag of supplies behind her and I've never been so glad to someone in my life. It was "Sue Sue"!!!!!!!!! "Sue Sue" is a lady who volunteers at the hospital and is wonderful. For almost 3 hours, she (and her big bag of art supplies) entertained the children. Many kids were older but the handful of smaller ones like mine were thrilled that the Art Lady showed up (she was there last year). The whole way to the hospital they kept asking me over and over and over and over and over "Mama, is she gonna be there? Is the Art Lady coming? Hmmmm, is she?"

And she came. I had to tell her as we said our goodbyes, "Thank you, you make these 4/5 hour appointments not seem so long!" So I read her name tag and I want to give a big SHOUT OUT to VSA! Apparently they are a group who specifically volunteer to share their gifts with those who have disabilities. I can not tell you how Sue Sue helped turn a potentially disastrous waiting room into bliss! And we have art!

Now back to Birmingham we go today to get four little ears tuned up. Yes, I'm a pro! I can do anything, and that includes getting both bilateral children MAPping in one appoinment. Good thing our HEAR Center are pros too! They may be having group prayer this morning before we arrive but we'll get through it, I'm trusting...

ASD Summer Camp

Gage had a wonderful time at the ASD Summer Camp (Alabama School for the Deaf). He met several new friends, and paired up with a little boy named David who was about his age. Rumor has it, the two got their flashlights taken away...

Brook missed her brother severely but we've been working hard from sun up til way past dark on updating the house we are buying (the one we currently live in). Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we'll have finished and all can go back to normal-maybe my husband and I won't be sleeping in the kitchen-Brook can go back to her room and it'll all be worth it, 'cause the old hardwood floors are lookin' good!
I'm so proud of my little man who was gone for a whole week. I knew he'd be fine managing his ci's and all but I'm sure these memories will last him a lifetime. Brook says she may even go next year! We shall see....

2 more days

Only 2 more days til my Gman comes back home! I miss him so bad but I called to check on him last night and sent out a spy his former speech therapist who works at the campus once a week where he's staying...she has good reports and says he's enjoying being around other hearing impaired kiddos. Brook is counting down the days til she can see her big brother again. He'll have lots of Summer Camp stories I'm sure when he returns.

Let us Pray

Oh man, I had secretly hoped for a small miracle when I took her to our favorite Doctor in the whole wide world yesterday. Our lovely Dr. W. However, he agreed with the local E.R. Docs and Ped. that she needs her tonsils removed and possibly adenoids as well. HOWEVER, I did find out that he uses a different technique than he normally does on his patients without cochlear implants than he does on the ones that do have the internal devices. Certain instruments can't be used on the head/neck (at a minimum) with people who wear cochlear implants. Most of us received paperwork from the companies that made our children's devices that list cautions about such...monopolar instruments in particular.

He will use the laser on her which will possibly make her recovery a little easier (he doesn't know her very well, lol) BUT it increases her chances of a re-bleed from 1% up to a 3%. I know these small chances mean nothing to some people but we take them very seriously because in the past, with the other child, we typically fall in those small percentages. He will also have her tested for the Angioedema we had Gage tested for. (Read here about the blood disease that runs in my family). So we wait about six weeks or so and let her enjoy her swimming (no swimming for 2 weeks after) and the big chunk of her summer before she goes in.

I so dread this. She's way more dramatic because she's just like me and she's not been thru near as many surgeries as her big brother, so I'm sure this will call for extra support from the nursing staff to drag her back there when it's her turn to go into the O.R. She's a fighter so I hope they start working out now! But we have several weeks before we have to worry about all that! She should be all better by the time school starts on August 15.

The Beach

Yes, I have tons of stories I'll probably never get around to posting but between this blog and my other one (Click Here) I may get around to posting what all went down at the beach this year.

And yes, I let my kids wear their cochlear implants at the beach. I simply tape them on real good with the double-sided tape and when they actually swim we stick the processors in Otter boxes and we are good to go!

And yes the reflection of me in her glasses is all you'll ever see of me in a swimsuit...unless you were down at the beach this weekend. In that case, I apologize for all the time you are spending cropping me out of your pictures!