HEAR We Go!

Does that ticker really say 1 more day until Aiden's activation!?!?! I can't believe it's finally our turn! During this journey, I have met many families with deaf/hoh children with CIs and I've watched many activation videos, with tears, feeling like our day was never going to come! AND HERE WE ARE! It's Aiden's turn to hear!

My stomach is a mess. Aiden's daddy & I just got done reading a 70 page "users manual" on the Nucleus Freedom by Cochlear, watched a bunch of CI activation videos, and reread other's blog stories, all to prepare for what we're about to learn tomorrow. I'm wondering if I should have bought batteries already, wondering if I should already have a dry aid kit, wondering a whole lot that I wish I would've already asked. The whole process scares me. I remember being terrified about being able to take care of Aiden's hearing aids, but Cochlear implants are a whole new ballgame!

I remember how scared I was the days before Aiden's first hearing birthday, the day he got his hearing aids. I was scared the aids would be a constant visual reminder that my baby is deaf. There hasn't been one day that's gone by since that moment that I don't think of him being deaf, what his world is like. The aids reminded me everyday that with a lot of hard work, my baby could hear and speak. We've worked hard this year to stimulate that hearing nerve, to get any sound to him. Tomorrow we're getting another visual reminder ... the external parts of his implant, yet this time, it's different. We have some experience under our belts, we have some clue of the hard work we have ahead of us, it's very exciting. Yet, in the same breath, it's another slap back to reality ... Aiden is and always will be deaf. If he wants to hear, he will always have to wear some sort of device. Another visual for questions, for teasing ... but we're ready for it all and thank God everyday for the blessings in our life.

We're going to do our best to tape it (I have two video cameras ready to go) and I will post his video as soon as I get a chance. I have no clue what Aiden's reaction is going to be, but no matter what, we know we have an amazing journey ahead of us. We thank all of you for your prayers, well wishes, and being a part of Aiden's journey to hear. HEAR WE GO!