Just a little bit awesome

Something just happened that made me so happy I had to make note!  I was drying my hair, and my deaf son came to tell me he heard the phone ringing! I couldn't hear anything over the hair dryer, and I look up to see Peter coming over with that "I need to tell you something look" and he was signing PHONE.  Sure enough, I turned off the hair dryer, and a neighbor was starting to leave a message on our answering machine.
I am so happy that
 a) he heard it
b) he knew what the sound was
c) he knew the sign
d) he knew I usually respond to the phone and he needed to tell me

Thanks to that, the girls get to go on a play date instead of to the grocery store. They owe their brother ;)

Happy Friday :)

Recovery well under way!

Here we are, six days post-op, and Peter is 90% back to himself. He still has steri-strips over the incision, and he is a little more cranky than usual, but not much. He also has a new molar poking out, and two more close behind, which may be more the cause of the crankiness than the surgery. For the most part he is just doing his job (his title around here is Rascal). Two weeks to activation!

More videos, showing progress in speech AND signing :)
First, bunny fun (I apologize in advance for the singing)

Next, the Stair Climber as speech therapy ;)

And finally, a little safari vacation ;)

Thanks for watching!

Second Surgery done!

Phew. We are home from our overnight at the hospital. Peter is doing well now, and napping comfortably after some baby Tylenol.

This surgery took longer than the first. The surgeon had mentioned that it might be a bit slower because they can't use the electric cauterizing device because of the existing implant. I was prepared for a little slower, but when it stretched to a couple hours I was starting to get worried. Finally the Dr. came out to explain that they had to use a different shaped electrode in this ear, because after two (gentle) attempts with the same shape that is in his left ear she decided there was too much resistance and went with the "J" shaped one instead of the helix electrode. Then they had to re-do the X-ray 3 times to verify position, because the picture wasn't clear enough the first times.  But it was finally done, and I could go to Peter, who was feisty and cranky like last time.

 This go round it seemed like he had more pain overnight, and I was pretty willing to ask for the morphine every two hours. The nurses seemed like they were trying to stretch it out a bit, so even if I asked at the 2-hr mark, it was usually a little longer than that. Peter seemed content as long as I was there, but WAS NOT happy if I needed to get up for any reason. When it came time for discharge we couldn't do any more intravenous pain meds, and Peter did not like the LorTab (baby Vicodin) and tried to spit it out. Blood came out of his mouth when he spit, and I realized there was some blood on his nose, too. That didn't happen last time, though I knew it could happen. I managed to stay calm.

The Dr. was very insistent we keep the pressure bandage on at least 48 hours this time, since Peter yanked it off after less than 24 last time, and he had swelling still at the 1-week post-op as a result. I will do my best!  They did the pressure bandage in a way that I only had to fold down one little part, and I can put Peter's left CI on, so he can still hear when he's awake (which might be less than normal for the next couple days).

I am so thankful to my friends who took such good care of my girls Wednesday and Thursday. Knowing that they were in good hands and having fun removed a lot of stress!  I am grateful to my husband, who stayed with stressball me until Peter was in his hospital room after surgery. I am glad my husband's work is flexible enough that he's been able to be there for both surgeries, and any meetings we had to attend as part of the CI process. And most of all, I am so happy both ears are DONE!!

Here is my project that I worked on in the waiting room, since I don't know how to knit or crochet, and I was too nervous to read for long:

Video check-in

I just wanted to post a couple videos that I think show how much Peter is gaining in terms of sound, and language. I am so proud of my little guy! Not even 3 months post-activation, and he has so many new sounds!


Also, he is signing up a storm!

For myself I need to post a list of signs he knows, but not tonight! Maybe something to do in the hospital during CI Surgery #2, in two days! (Aaack)

Fun "Speech Therapy"

Friday we went to a local park for a picnic with friends. It was a regular fun outing, but then we went on the little train they had there....and Peter LOVED it! We had watched them hitch up the engine, and listened for the whistle while we were in line, but it was once we were seated, and we started to move that Peter's eyes got huge with excitement :). I pointed to the engine and signed TRAIN, and said "whoo, whoo". Peter was laughing with the wind in his hair, and by the middle of the ride he was signing train (with just his pointer, but he was moving it in the right way) and saying "ooo, ooo". So fantastic, especially since I couldn't get him o say "ooo" at home ;).

I am working on a couple videos to post showing speech so far, and to document progress with one CI. After surgery this Wednesday and activation in three weeks we will get to work with two ears!  I am excited to see what Peter will do with two CIs, though I am not excited to go through surgery again. At least we know better what to expect.