What's Going On

We've went right back into full swing since Gage has healed from his surgery. I'm subbing (a lot, yay!) and I'm trying to keep my articles up (see page heading Val's Articles). He has his next mapping appointment (ear tune up) on Friday and his Daddy gets to take him since I have a sub job booked.

Brook is doing great. She's been busy with her photography.

And I am finally taking a moment to post a learning activity I did with Brooklyn. I'm still amazed that she's only six. I don't get to brag on her like I should. I wasn't working a few years ago so you heard regular updates and Mama brags on Gage all the time. She is just as smart, I must say.

She had her Magnadoodles out and I asked her to write a noun on the first one (I reminded her what a noun was-yes they do this in first grade a little), a verb on the second one and a sentence on the last one using both the noun and verb she chose.
Her noun for this one-Wal Mart, verb-bought, sentence-I bought a baby doll at Wal Mart....Good stuff B!
Now, here is a prayer my two kids were rehearsing yesterday. At the bottom I think B tried to write that she was missing her birdie...that our cat murdered right in front of her eyes played with 'til it didn't wake up. Now, off to catch some ZZZZZZs so we can go to school and head straight out to G's new Dentist as soon as the bell rings.

Turkey update

No I'm not cooking a turkey, never have. But thought I'd take a minute to update everyone on the Cochlear Kids. Gage is back to duel implants. His little sore healed up from my negligence the new magnet being too strong. So you know what that means...he's crankin' up the music again. He's been listening to Waylon Jennings and The Dukes of Hazzard Theme Song! (whew, spare me!)

I wanted to quickly comment on the voluntary recall of AB cochlear implants...if my child wasn't having issues, I'd just breathe a sigh of relief. I don't think you need to freak at this point. They all (all companies) have a chance of malfunctioning, we should know!! Though I completely understand the seriousness of it. Maybe there's better testing that needs to be performed on these products before we subject our kids to surgery in the first place?

Here are a couple of things of that may interest you if you haven't read them already. The article I did on the recall and the article I did on the new Genetic testing, both of these and more can be found here.

Monday, I check Brook out early and we go to University of Montevallo to do our annual meet & greet with the up and coming SLPs or Deaf Ed students. Usually I take Gage and I decided B was gonna get a turn this year!!

It bothers him...

Before school yesterday, my little man said to me, "Mama, there's an older kid at school making fun of my ears and it's makin' me and H [his best friend] MAD!!" Now, luckily my small little child has HUGE friends. Not huge as in way too big, but in fourth grade, these boys are growing! So I can only imagine how big the older kid is who is teasing Gage about his little (adorable) ears.

I got fighting mad calmly asked him the usual questions to make sure he wasn't taking a common comment or question and getting upset about it. No, he wasn't. It was teasing, and sternly told my child, "You don't put up with that! You don't have to!" I told him if the kid didn't stop after they've let him know it's not OKAY...to slip by the counselor's office or let his teacher know because they all look out for Gage. His buddies look out for him. Some of the biggest boys in his class have always, since Kindergarten, looked out for him. I remember going into his K and 1st grade class and talking to all the kids about Gage, his surgeries, his ears, his deafness, his cochlear implants, and they have always been very interested, very understanding, yet treat him as their equal. They spend the night at our home, I am their substitute teacher from time to time, I know their parents, I love the kids in fourth grade!!

Back to the story...yes, I got a little heated, who wouldn't when you find out your smart, adorable, loving, kind to others child is being picked on at school. I sent the teacher and counselor an email. I even talked face to face with counselor who took it to the Principal and let's just say they are heated as well. Our next mission is to find out the boy's name since Gage don't know it. We are working on that. Meantime, I tell my child, "...and I'll tell you something else, if any of those older kids knew that you could make a remote controlled toy vehicle from scratch by yourself, they'd be jealous! You don't even need ears with a brain like that! And as a matter of fact, you are THE toughest kid I know. I don't know any other kid that is as brave as you are, walking into the hospital time after time after time, without complaint, for all your surgeries...you don't have to be big to be tough!!" After I realized my face was red and I was borderline ghetto and shaking my head, waving hands everywhere, I stepped back, calmed down..."You know, usually when people make fun of other people, it's because they need something. He likely needs attention, maybe he don't have any real friends, maybe no one plays with him at school, maybe his Mom and Dad talk like that, maybe people make fun of him a lot, but it's not your place to give him what he thinks he needs. You are not to be on the receiving end of his jokes. You don't think it's funny, your friends don't think it's funny. It's not funny, and it'll stop one way or another."
The End for now...as a parent, you can only hope and pray that something you say will help.

When you don't check the magnet!!!

Ugh, no Mom of the Year Awards for me. I let Gage wear his new N5s last week to school, leaving his old Freedom behind. I didn't once think to check the magnet strength for his other ear. I just had it mapped and plopped it on his head. He began complaining after a couple of days and it seemed fine but I backed the magnet off as much as I could 'til I finally made him put his Freedom back on that 'old' ear. I even loosened his Freedom also to ease the discomfort....too late, he now has a tiny red sore, (you can barely see it) but no ci on that ear for a week! They only have 2 more days of school and they are off for a week anyway. He'll be relying on his new ear only for a few days. He'll manage.

Banana Popsicles

Remember when Gage went over to the local Children's Hospital to attend the radio-thon? Here's that story, he donated $5 and told the clown he wanted them to buy banana popsicles with it because he was having surgery soon...
Well, he was so doped up after surgery, he didn't remember. However when we went to the Children's South location a few weeks later when an incision popped open and needed closing in the O.R., he must have pitched a fit with the recovery nurses...? I do remember him groggily (is that a word?) telling me "They didn't have banana! I thought they would have banana!" boohoohoo...again, he was very hungry and I assured the nurses that he liked all popsicles, not sure what the big deal was about banana! Nothing was ever said again...not from him, not from anyone. We showed up yesterday at the same location to again, go to night night briefly while they carefully removed his 12 stitches. Not only did he come out with a banana popsicle, as we were leaving she gave me the whole box. "These are his!" and you could tell someone remembered, they were in their own little Publix grocery sack and everything.....I heart Children's Hospital !!! I took home a happy little boy!

Bloggers tour Children's Hospital

A few weeks ago, I received an email inviting me (and few other local bloggers) to tour Children's Hospital of Alabama and attend a luncheon. I of course accepted immediately, who doesn't want a "VIP" tour of the place I've spent more than a few nights in over the last 9 1/2 yrs? The other bloggers (Nanci, Birmingham Mommy, Andre, and the most adorable pregnant lady) were also invited to ride in THE LIFESAVER HELICOPTER but three of us had to decline. I had a sudden fear of my feet leaving the ground and my knees got weak so I decided standing on top of the hospital right on the landing pad for the choppers was as brave as I wanted to be today.

The hospital had their Christmas trees out and how cute is the one with the little smocks? I walked around taking pictures and it felt like yesterday when we were here at the end of '08 fighting the infection that took my child's beloved cochlear implant. There was no guarantee of ever hearing my voice again, AC/DC, firetrucks or anything else this child's world had been filled with. He was 7 when I asked him "Do you want to hear anything else buddy before we go to the hospital, anything at all?" He quickly answered no, knowing the pain it would cause just to put it on his ear with so much infection inside.

Reality suddenly consumed me when I realized I didn't have my son with me. This day had nothing to do with surgery, stitches, medical terms I needed to learn and bandages for my now 9 year old. Today, I was a visitor. I was with a group of fabulous people who loved to blog (just like me) and we had a luncheon to attend. We did visit all over the hospital, even the NICU where a nurse remembered giving Gage his PIC line a couple of years ago when she was in that department, I knew I recognized her!

Then we had lunch together over at the Children's Harbor with Mike Warren THE CEO of the hospital!! After we finished eating he chit chatted...

We all went around briefly telling about ourselves and my heart was about to beat itself out of my chest. What could I possibly say to this man concisely in a couple of minutes? Do I just say "Thank You?" No...I don't know him, I love the hospital and our doctors but I didn't want to give the common thank you. I ran several thoughts through my messed up head and it was my turn...

I gave a general idea of blogs (international, national, and local blogs I have or still do participate in or own). I then tell him my son's name is on that wall (Wall of Inspiration), and I tell him that we have spent a great deal of time there over the years. I then tell him in a nut shell that we are primarily associated with hearing loss and Dr. Audie Woolley, and before I know it, I'm moving to the edge of my seat and feel like I need my PowerPoint to show this man how wonderful the doctors and nurses are at Children's...but I try to keep composure...I suddenly say, "...and who in their right mind would be thankful for curse words but we are! Because it's something my children OVERHEARD and they are deaf" .... I even described how Gage feels so 'at home' under Dr. Woolley's care that he's been known to burst past the waiting patients straight to the back saying, "Woolley!!" ... I did throw in that although I knew our Doc was out of town now (he ran the NY marathon from what I hear!) he was supposed to return this week to do a procedure on Gage Thursday and any retirement, vacations, a leave of absence, all should be immediately refused because we need him here, in Birmingham! I told this man I've never really met before, that Dr. Woolley is the only reason Gage can hear, speak, rock out to music due to such complicated anatomy. I told him quickly how he researched, he stayed committed, he found a way for my child to hear. The CEO mentioned the Alabama School for the Hearing, how Children's had extended their staff for the school's use (AVTs) through the end of the year and he might not had expected me to jump in so quickly with a "Yes, but they need funding, seriously!" He described the school to the other bloggers and my turn was slowly fading as I watched the clock only three minutes from my "absolutely can't stay any longer, must leave to get the kids from school" time. I had to leave.

But what an opportunity! I was so glad they asked me to come. They were all so nice, and they said we could come back if we thought of something else we really wanted to see. Such a different perspective not pulling a suitcase or kids along with me. It was a good day.

He spoke Italian...

So we went into the big city this morning for Gage's second mapping of his new device. The new building looks nice and it's very spacious so I know everyone will really love it. (Our HEAR Center moved down the street) Our appointment was at 8 and we arrived at 8:01...oh well.

My ADHD child always finds ways to entertain himself and us during long sessions of mapping (tuning up) both his cochlear implants. We left just after 10 but not before my child started giving his answers in Italian...sort of

Why he can't give the conventional answers such as 'too loud' or 'too soft' maybe 'just right'??? No. Last time he said things like, 'annoying' and 'ear throbbing', I mean we'd probably get out faster if he'd just give us standard answers! Today, he found a new way to answer with things like 'fleeb' which he honestly tried to convince us was Italian. This kid is crazy...lol.

And can someone explain this? This never ending game of 'whoever makes the beehive crumble and fall sending the bee to an early grave LOSES'...was nerve wracking! He carefully popped out a piece of the honeycomb all while I'm in the background saying, "It would take a miracle, he's actually hoping for a miracle. There's no way, it won't fall." Well guess what? It didn't fall.

And on the way down there, while driving 65 on a major highway, I had motion for a lady to roll her window down, she did, "You have a flat tire!" She pulled over and I almost hit a deer...all in a split second. Go on down the road to find reflective vests all up and down the road(people cleaning up the road), it was just getting daylight...edgy from the deer incident, I saw something move over to the side near the woods....it was a man, wearing his reflective vest (dummy) using the 'restroom'....plain as day.....he totally forgot about his vest when nature called, but thank you, I've seen enough now! lol

Crazy stuff today. I'm even gonna go drink a cup of coffee at 2 in the afternoon! Hopefully I'll get a call from a teacher tomorrow to go to work, I need out of the house, get back to real work for a change!

Kenny and Dave

I know I say this every time we receive a cochlear implant, but once again, I've threatened asked our doctor to please not retire til Gage is at least 18 ! Again, he's given this child something, he did not have.

We know how much Gage loved being bilateral and when one device went a little haywire and could no longer be mapped for his needs, he began to struggle to keep up with basic conversations, especially in school. He quit listening to his music as much and we noticed a definite change. He participated in less conversations and I'll be honest, Gage not talking much is just plain weird!

Some of you don't know how important Kenny Chesney is to the child, but even I began to miss the country singer blaring from his room "I'm Alive and Well" along with Dave Matthews...

Well he's back, and some may remember he had his new device turned on Tues., wore it for a few hours and went back to the O.R. on Wed for some minor repairs to his incisions. It was Friday before he really began wearing his new device on that side, and WOW, after a couple of hours he asked me to 'move him up' to the next program. I did and soon after he ran up to me while he was doing some school work (at home) and said, "Mama, I hear something, plain as day, what is it?" He was all smiles and tickled that he could hear with just this new device! I go into the "silent" room and listen...tick, tock, tick, tock. I told him I heard the clock and he looked up at the kitchen clock, knowing that was it. "But wait! I hear something else, is it the washer? the dryer?" I knew I wasn't doing laundry (lol) and I listened some more. TapTapTapDripDrop...."Oh, you hear that leaking shower head in the bathroom!" He laughed and was happy the mystery had been solved.

I left him home with his Dad Friday and I visited the school to turn in work, and volunteer at Brook's Fall Festival. I left my driveway in tears. I mean, how blessed have we been? It's not so much that he can hear better and he'll do better in school and he'll be able to keep up with conversation...it's that he can hear better and he's so happy & excited about that. It's not the material part of receiving a hearing device that makes a deaf child hear, it's the emotional part, what it gives my child aside from sound. It's that giddy excitement on his face when he runs to his room to listen to music or the restored pride he has when he can follow along and not get left behind after a couple of sentences. He himself is more alive and well, and Kenny Chesney & Dave Matthews are rockin' in the Blakely home once again!!

He also told us yesterday (he's on his current final program for this set) that there is a delay when he removes his coil. He says he can still hear a few seconds after he removes his coil on that side. He can't understand what he's hearing but he swears that he can still hear some sound about 3-4 seconds after the coil is removed. He was being silly yesterday and shouted, "Yay, I'm not deaf anymore!! WooHoo!" as he ran through the house cheering. His brain had convinced him he could still hear sounds. But I removed the visuals, made him turn backwards and not look at what was going on, and he seemed less assured he was hearing w/no coil. Not meaning to rain on his parade but I wanted to know, he almost had me convinced!! lol

He's doing fabulous and he will return to school either Tues. or Thurs. this week (we have appts. on Wed) and next week he goes back to the O.R. to get these final stitches removed and cleaned up really good and we'll be back to our regularly scheduled program...