It was a good day. A little sick. A little crazy. A little tiring. But good. We left the house at 7am and headed into Seattle for an early morning CT scan. I had so built Laylee up about how cool it was to go into a giant tunnel that was like a big camera that she practically jumped up on the table and grinned at the tech as she strapped her head down. When it was all done, she thanked the woman and gushed about how awesome it was and how jealous Magoo would be.
The pictures show everything to have developed normally. Everything’s where it should be and it’s all the right size and apparently the right colors, gray, white or black in the pictures. The good thing is that although her hearing loss is permanent, it doesn’t appear to be degenerative.
Then we met with an audiologist again for another rousing game of put-the-block-in-the-bucket-when-you-hear-a-beep. Super fun! Laylee loves that game even more now that we’ve read the book Oliver Gets Hearing Aids a couple hundred times. Her results were the same. It’s frustrating to sit in the booth and hear the beeps and see her staring straight ahead concentrating, straining to hear but not getting it until the volume has been turned up several times. I just want to wave or give her a sign, text message her, anything to help her win this particular game.
The truth is that it could be a lot worse. She is fully functional with a little trouble hearing some sounds and some volumes. She would get along fine without any help but will do even better with some understanding and in a few weeks some hearing aids. We took the molds today for a pink sparkly pair which should be ready in a few weeks. Very fashion fabulous.
In the 5 hours we were there, we also met with a geneticist, a therapist who hooked us up with a state specialist to help with school stuff, a couple of other doctors, and a cafeteria lady who sold us some un-naturally brightly-colored ice cream. The consensus is that Laylee’s a precious peach who probably inherited her hearing loss from Dan, also precious but somewhat of a culprit in this instance, and that it’s bound to remain stable if we don’t drop her on her head or start taking her to Rage Against the Machine concerts fortnightly.
It’s good. We’re blessed. Our insurance is with one of the few companies that will cover the entire expense of the hearing aids and tests, so far amounting to several thousand dollars. She’s happy, we’re calmer and everything’s gonna be alright.
I’m glad you’ve got the calm and answers now, and relatively good news all around!
Congrats on the great news! It is always nice to know, isn’t it!? Good luck with the hearing aids. I am sure they will be all the rage! I know that my 6 year old loves anything that is pink and sparkly!
so relieved to hear she’s going to be alright. I have been thinking of you all during this time.
Thank the Lord for good news, good doctors, and good insurance….and pink sparkly hearing aids!!
I’m go glad to know things won’t get worse for Laylee.
Sparkly pink hearing aids! That’s awesome.
And although you didn’t say it… I imagine it’s a relief to know the hearing loss is likely genetic and not a result of damage from ear infections and such. Not that it would be anyone’s “fault” if it was, but the Mama Mind does love guilt, and I’m glad that particular opportunity to beat yourself up was removed.
We need pictures once she gets outfitted!
Hooray for insurance companies, non-degenerative hearing loss, and calm/good patients! And for sparkly pink hearing aids; how cool!
I’m glad it went well.
good good good. glad you got good news that it’s not degenerative (sp). pink sparklies?? she sounds like my kinda girl!! sounds like you did a good job preparing her for the tests, too!! some kids would totally freak out!! glad everything went well!! hava great day!!
Glad she did so well for the CT!
Build a bear makes stuffed hearing aids you can use on dolls, stuffed animals, etc. If she’s not already outgrown such things, you should check it out and surprise her with some the day she gets her aids.
PS Soooo jealous of your insurance plan!!!
I am glad that the appointment went as well as could be expected.
Sounds like the people you worked with there were amazing – so glad to hear that you have answers and it’s inspiring to hear how spunky laylee was for her testing. 🙂
SO smart of them to make pink, sparkly hearing aids!
I’m so glad to hear that. She is a special girl!
glad it went well ~ I love how “cool” is perception! Hooray for good insurance. THAT is a huge blessing.
I am so proud of you all! You’ve done a great job helping laylee to feel excited and happy. I’ll bet the doctors and technitions LOVE you both! After all, what’s not to love? We are really happy for you.
Dear friend….prayers still heading your way. Love to you all…
So glad to hear it’s turning out ok. And I’m pretty sure the other kids are going to be jealous of those sparkly pink hearing aids. 🙂
i’m glad the appointment went well and that you know what’s going on now. Pink sparkly hearing aids sound pretty!
It’s so easy to dream up worst-case-scenarios in your head that the actual diagnosis comes as a great relief. When my son was 3, he was diagnosed with a cholosteatoma in his ear (I’d never heard of it either) and we went through surgery and a lot of the same fears you’ve been facing. I’m so glad for you that the path ahead is starting to look clear. Best wishes.
It’s always a relief and empowering when you know what you are working with.
What is hotter than pink sparkly hearing aids????NOTHING!!!!!We’ll be expecting Laylee, aka. Supermodel, to show off those gems.
Glad to hear you have such great insurance.
So very glad to “hear” the news! Love you all.
I’m so glad it’s on the mild end of the spectrum. What a relief!
Praise the Lord for many small blessings. I’m glad the appointments went smoothly and with so many positive outcomes.
We had a little bitty girl at VBS this year with pink sparkle hearing aids. They were like cute little buttons. Perhaps you should read “Fancy Nancy” with her and point out how fancy Laylee’s hearing aids are.
So glad that everything is stable and that you will get all the help you and your precious peach of a girl need!
Hallelujah! Good attitudes and good news!
I have to say that I feel for Dan. I made the mistake of reading The Biscuit’s NICU discharge report when he was about 7 days old. Let’s just say that my response was a tad hormonal. Reading that the only cause that could be found for his Down syndrome and heart defect were “advanced maternal age” hurt and still does. It gets to me sometimes that the doctors needed to point a finger somewhere and that it was at me. I had a nurse tell me that the only reason they did it was because they are doctors so couldn’t put in the report, “We don’t know why this happened.” That helped a little. Anyway I think that hugs for Dan are in order — meaning more than usual. At least that’s what made me feel better.
Seriously, I love your great attitude, Kathryn. In the entire scheme of things, this is a little blip on the map. You’re doing a wonderful job of showing Laylee that she is loved and adored, no matter what. Praise God for your wonderful insurance and the relief of not having to pay these bills.
And some days, you just NEED some un-naturally brightly-colored ice cream. Amen.
I can’t imagine the stress, worry, fear and anger your whole family must have gone through during this time. To hear you say that everything is all right …. it’s inspiring.
I’m also impressed with how well you’ve prepared HER – talking up the CT scan, reading books about hearing loss, etc. I hope she realizes some day how wonderful a mother you are.
More power to you.
Glad you have answers and calm is good.
I understand the stress, worry and fear about something not being right with your child and I am glad that everything is working out right.
You have a very positive attitude and that’s great!! It will carry you and your family though.
Glad you have answers and calm is good.
I understand the stress, worry and fear about something not being right with your child and I am glad that everything is working out right.
You have a very positive attitude and that’s great!! It will carry you and your family through.
I’m so glad to there things are ok. YOu are an amazing mom, taking care of her before she gets concerned. And thank GOODNESS for insurance. Can’t believe it’s so expensive!
Sparkly pink hearing aids are the best! My daughter’s friend has red, white, and blue swirly ones, but he’s a boy, so I guess that’s okay. 🙂 Whoever came up with the idea to make them cool-looking, instead of the silly-putty color they used to be, is a genius!
You are an awesome mom to have her so prepared for everything! She will do fine – how could she not?
I’m so glad for you. Continued prayers coming your way.
I didn’t even know that they make pink sparkly hearing aids. But it’s nice that Laylee would love that one… that she’s happy and you are all calm.
Good wishes for her 🙂