January 15, 2011

Yep, looks like there is a hearing loss.

Six years ago I dropped my older children off at preschool and took my new born baby girl to her first audiology appointment.  It was a few weeks to Thanksgiving.  She was one month old. I was not familiar with the ABR test they requested, so I had no idea what to expect. We went in and sat down. They started hooking her up to little wires and sensors. I gently rocked her to sleep and hoped she would stay that way till the test was finished. I had no desire to put her through this again.  As the test began, I assumed the monitor would do something to alert us to what she was hearing. A beep, a screech, move, anything. It did nothing. When the test was over the audiologist looks at me and says, "Yep, looks like there is a hearing loss." Okay so, maybe not those words exactly, but that is how I remember it.


On my way out the door they handed me a folder full of information and a vague diagnosis. I left the appointment a bit stunned and went to pick up the children from preschool. While waiting for them, I bumped into a friend who asked how the appointment went. I looked at her and said with a catch in my voice and a tear in my eye, "She has a hearing loss". I stopped myself. I wasn't going to cry. She was healthy and happy. She has brought us great joy. No way was something like a hearing loss going to ruin that. I told myself I would not cry for the loss of her hearing. She was here and that was all that mattered.


When I arrived home I sat and went through the information the audiologist gave me.  OVERWHELMING!!! Where do you start? So much information. I noticed a business card attached to the inside pocket of the folder. It was for the early intervention specialist at the local state school for the deaf. I called her that day. We set an appointment for two months away. When she arrived she explained the ABR to me and said  "Your daughter has a sever to profound hearing loss".


And so begins our greatest journey........

2 comments:

  1. Wow, I remember that moment. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Welcome to the world of blogging. Looking forward to reading all you post.

    ReplyDelete