Surgery Date is Set!

...for May 12th!  Actually, they are trying to get us in sooner, so if there is a surgery cancellation between now an then, we're in!  Go ahead, you can start praying now for him...(*smile*)  I know I will be!!

signing 'candy' to me because he knows I cave when he's cute!

                                             After waiting too long for a hearing test, he slides under
                                             the chairs in the waiting room for some fun.

                                                     Pizza Hut waiting for food

                                                     REALLY tired of waiting for food...
                          

Final Appointments and Waiting

...on a date for surgery, that is.

Jace's surgeon is booked through the end of May, but he is seeking to borrow an OR to do Jace's CI asap. Yesterday we met with the psychologist who explained how hearing and the brain work early in life.  Unfortunately, Jace is older than they would have liked for implantation, but he's still a good candidate.  From what I gather they think he will in fact hear sounds, but just how much sound is unclear.  Cognitively, he is right where he is supposed to be.  Which is such a good thing!  In the meantime, I will continue to pursue any avenue I can to help him accomplish as much hearing and speech development as possible.  It doesn't help though when Jace pulls out his hearing aids and hides them under my bed.  haha..can you picture it?

I am just WAITING for Hopkins to call me with a surgery date!!!  Any day now...

Auditory Skills Appointment?

check...

So his audiologist did more extensive tests.  This time with the hearing aids (loaded with brand new batteries).  She talked to him and he was his usual fun self.  She gave him some toys to keep him busy, then beat a drum just behind his head. Nothing.

"Yea...", she said, "...He's definitely profoundly deaf."  Well, we knew this, right?

She quizzed him on pictures, gave him instructions on making sounds like, /b/, /p/, and  /sh/.  He did very well-which again, we already knew he would.  Then she informed me that the whole team has already unanimously approved him for surgery.  She told me that Dr. Stewart, his surgeon, is eager to do it asap.  When the coordinator asked when he wanted to schedule, his words were something like "How about now?!"  I am told that the administrator will be calling me to schedule surgery any day.  Woo hoo!

Now, here is what I am told about the cochlear implants:

~it is an outpatient surgery with little risks (whew)
~kids normally bounce back quickly after surgery (whew, whew)
~they will be turned on 1 month after surgery-a little at a time (bummer, I'm excited).
~not to expect a whole lot at first, as it takes babies at LEAST one year of hearing sounds (life) before
  they even speak a word.  For Jace, maybe the same.
~given Jace's assessments, and the determination from his team, his teachers, and us, he will more than  
  likely beat the statistic of deaf kids graduating high school with a 4th grade reading level(LOVE THIS-
  but I'm getting ahead of myself, as usual.)
~it is NOT a cure to deafness, but rather a tool for learning within the hearing world.  But, I have said
  before, I embrace his deafness.  We will always sign when speaking so that he may have complete  
  understanding without frustration (hopefully).

Next Monday are his final appointments.  The psych eval and the device discussion. I am quite sure that I will learn much more along this journey.  As I do, I will post!