Happy New Year! We were excited to ring in the New Year with some great friends and are filled with excitement of what the New Year will bring for each of us.
2012 was a roller coaster ride filled with ups and downs while we underwent various tests and procedures for Kylie's hearing loss. We always took one day at a time and learned so much from Kylie. We believe that Kylie doesn't let her "disability" get in her way at all. She wakes up with a smile on her face and giggles as she goes to sleep each night. She loves to interact with people even if she can't 100% communicate what she is trying to express. She communicates with everyone she encounters each day whether it be a wave, a hello or a smile she just loves to spread small acts of kindness with all. She is doing very well in the Pre-K program at her school and is performing at her or above her age level in all areas except speech. 2012 was truly a great year and it taught Brian and I many valuable lessons.
As we look forward to 2013, we are filled with joy and promise as Kylie is almost done undergoing the candidate process for cochlear implants. What exactly does that mean? Well in Kylie's right ear they have diagnosed her as deaf, her left ear is severe to profound hearing loss. With her current hearing loss she will never hear or be able to say S, F, TH to name a few. (Those are pretty important letters to have in your vocabulary to communicate) With cochlear implants this will all change :)
A cochlear (koe-klee-er) implant is a device that provides direct electrical stimulation to the auditory (hearing) nerve in the inner ear. (Kylie would be "hard wired in) This type of hearing loss is sensorineural, which means there is damage to the tiny hair cells in the part of the inner ear called the cochlea. Because of this damage, sound cannot reach the auditory nerve. With a cochlear implant, the damaged hair cells are bypassed, and the auditory nerve is stimulated directly.
Most likely, Kylie would get one implant at a time starting with the right ear first. As this stimulation for hearing with a implant is different, Kylie will have to have weekly therapy to teach her to hear the simulations she is receiving to the brain. A second implant would occur if deemed appropriate six to nine months down the road.
We are most thankful for the EXCEPTIONAL Doctors, Teachers, Friends and Family that are part of our lives and supported us throughout 2012. As they say it really takes a village. We are truly blessed to have each and everyone of you in our lives and consider you all family!
Kylie, Brian, Mac and I wish to you and yours a Very Happy New Year. Remember life is short, bend the rules, forgive quickly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably and whatever you do, do it with a smile. May God Bless you throughout 2013.
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