From Freedoms to N5s

Aiden finally joined the bandwagon and got the (not so) new Cochlear Nucleus 5 system (external) last week (they actually came out within the same year that Aiden was implanted, so they're about three years new and who knows when the next upgrade will be out). We were at a CI clinic who would not submit for an upgrade to the latest and greatest unless the current external equipment was five years old OR it could be proven that the newest equipment allowed for better hearing (which we tried and it didn't work). I get this and we loved our audiologist there, so we decided to just wait it out since his Freedoms were doing just fine. Once I found out though, they wouldn't submit for repairs with his Freedoms either (which were out of warranty), I had no choice but to switch clinics. (Yes, I could have bought the extended warranty offered by Cochlear, but why do that when our insurance will cover repairs/replacements at a cheaper cost ... I just needed a clinic who would submit the claim if anything did happen).

Anyway, it was very hard to switch as we love us some Dr. Rachel. Long story short, she has always went above and beyond for us and it was there that we finally reached a point of stable maps. She was also the one who completely stepped up when I called her from JTC in a tizzy, and said, "I want to try this phonemic mapping approach." As soon as we returned to Ohio, we did just that. She.is.ABOVE AND BEYOND.AMAZING. We are so lucky to have had her as part of our journey, but we had to move on.

BUT, before making the final switch, I called our local CI clinic and asked them if they'd consider the phonemic mapping approach with Aiden, if they wouldn't, we'd stay put. So be it, we met another amazing audiologist who stepped right up to the plate, worked with Dr. Rachel, and Project Talk, to understand this new phenomena of "out of the booth mapping". Our new audi got her whole team on board, including the team's AVT who came in and worked with us AS A TEAM to make sure Aiden's maps were up to par and that he was in fact hearing all sounds of speech (prior to the booth, in the booth, then after the booth). SIMPLY.AMAZING.

and I think this is one of his best maps yet.

OH, and the reason for this post, they submitted for the latest Cochlear N5s.

Some differences:

• much smaller (see pics below)
• Splash proof - he can wear them through sprinklers, in the rain, playing in a pool or in the bath, but cannot fully submerge his head with them.
• older recipients have claimed being able to hear ending sounds crisper with them. Aiden's teacher reported that he seemed more in-tune and chatty since he rec'd them.
• the controller is on the processor - so now it's just the processor, the coil, and the rechargeable battery vs the processor, the controller, and the rechargeable battery;
• the coil and coil cord are separate vs both together; this is good because if one is bad, you just have to pay for that and not both together.
• the processor has a tiny blue dot indicating the left ear and a red one for the right; so helpful t for siblings, grandmas, and friends (and mom & dad) to know which CI goes on which ear.
• did I mention they're smaller??!!! LOVE

Funny story - when they busted out the big ol' briefcase of choices, all Aiden wanted was the PINK CAMO covers.

{SMILE}.

I'm all about encouraging him to play with dolls and play house and all types of toys (in fact, his favorite is his little people house, which I LOVE), but sorry dude, not getting the pink camo covers for your new CIs. His favorite color right now is pink, which is just fine (Ryan always wanted to be the pink power ranger when he was four), but pink camo covers, not happening.

Let's move on. Check out the differences:

front view with Freedoms (and his first ever school picture)

front view with new N5s! you can't see them!

Freedom (minus snug-fit) vs. N5s (which he doesn't wear the snug-fit with since the ear hook is much sturdier and holds on better - we do still use the critter clip though).

Look how much more slender the N5s are

Such a difference! We LOVE them!

and yet to come (once I can get time to edit it), what Aiden thinks of his new CIs.

and for those who haven't switched or recently switched PLEASE NOTE!
We found out the hard way that the 1 magnet on the N5s can be a bit stronger than the 1 magnet on the Freedom. When I was washing Aiden's hair the other day he kept saying "it hurts" so I checked out his magnet sites to find one side was near infection and scabbed over and the other was a little red. I immediately put some Neosporin on the sites and called his doctor and audiologist. I then called Cochlear and they sent me the 1/2 strength magnet (another difference - Freedoms didn't have 1/2 strength), which I received the very next day. He hasn't worn the left CI for two days now as we wait for that side to completely heal. His audiologist told me that she has seen both cases, where the N5 magnet was stronger and on some it seemed weaker. Lesson learned for mom to check the magnet sites much more frequently!

Quick Catch Up

LONG.overdue.UPDATE. 

{in pictures}.
we've been busy.
very.very. busy.

someone got glasses for being farsighted.
more equipment, but have to say,
pure {CUTE.ness}

he also got the new Cochlear N5s!

Check 'em out! You can't even see them from the front anymore!

pure {EXCITEMENT}
(more to come in a separate post)

someone else got a nice fresh hair cut.

because her school had a bout of lice, and unfortunately, so did she.

{EW}

what a trooper she was.

what a wreck her momma was.

my first born turned SIXTEEN.

wow. it can't be possible that I'm the mother of a 16 year old.

{SIGH}

He also got his first job. at Wendy's.

and no, he doesn't have his driver's license and this momma

is in no hurry for him to get it.

in due time, right along with good grades and that one word - responsibility.

{smile}

then there was also the first dentist appointment.

Do you know how AMAZING it felt to sit back and let Aiden

answer all the questions the hygienist asked?

{MIRACLE} 

of cochlear implants.

Ryan and Kailyn have really stepped it up with their little bro.

they read to him.
play with him.
have conversations with him.
argue with him.

teach him.
more so than ever before.

pure{LOVE}

...just because

my boy's gross motor skills and motor planning skills

have skyrocketed.

he's not stumbling near as much anymore, but instead

jumping and running and leaping and everything else in between.

pure{BOY}

he loves to {LEARN}

asking questions ALL.the.time.

enough said.

We lost our kitty Bonz.

 we had him eight years,

he was a part of our family.

it's been difficult for all of us,

(especially his brother Baby)

and he is dearly missed.

{RIP} sweet Bonezee.

Two Great Articles on Hearing Aids

Even though it's a distant memory of having to put hearing aids on Aiden, I have been in contact with a lot of families recently who are just starting their journey and currently in a world of "FEEDBACK". Leah, a dear friend of mine whose sweet little Nolan has hearing loss and wears bilateral hearing aids, is an amazing advocate and knowledge bank on hearing loss (and many other avenues). She is also the author of SAY WHAT?.

Unfortunately, (and sadly) a lot of insurance companies do not cover hearing aids. This first article discusses different programs families can look into to help pay for them plus a lot of other great information. So even if your child already has hearing aids, still check it out.

http://leahlefler.hubpages.com/hub/Programs-to-Help-Families-Pay-for-a-Childs-Hearing-Aid

Her next article is a great video tutorial where Leah does an amazing job discussing different ways you can test your child's hearing aids to make sure they are working properly through the Ling 6 sound test. THIS is another great page talking about the Ling 6.

http://leahlefler.hubpages.com/video/How-to-Put-in-a-Childs-Hearing-Aid

Wow. Did that video bring me back. Otoease, feedback, checking the ling 6 with a hearing aid stethoscope. And for those of you who are on a hearing aid trial and know your child will most likely be getting cochlear implants, it is still so important to go through all this. One, you never know what your child is hearing, and two, even if your child doesn't hear the lings, it prepares you and your child for the daily listening checks and starts introducing them to the Ling 6. This is the same listening check we use every single day to make sure Aiden is hearing what he is supposed to through his cochlear implants. If he has trouble repeating one or more Lings back, it's a good indicator he may need a new map/program.

in which something breaks

Aiden's collarbone that is. Yep, our first broken bone in this household. I've been a mom for almost 16 years, so I'm pretty happy this is just the first (knock on wood) and pray to God it's the last. With my little monkey though, who knows what's ahead!

So it started as trying out his new big boy bike. A bright orange, very cool, Harley Davidson themed Schwinn with training wheels, compliments of grandma. He just wanted to try it out.

So my husband guided him down the driveway. Not more than 30 seconds later, he turned the handle bars too fast and was over before my husband could catch him. Shoulder took the brunt, then the head.

I know, I know, where was his helmet? There wasn't one. Don't judge.

So after assessing the damage - huge goose egg on head, bruised shoulder, and a very upset, shaking, little boy (who honestly rarely cries) we decided to take him to Urgent Care to get him checked out. While at Urgent Care he started falling in and out of sleep on his daddy's lap. They assessed him, called the children's hospital, and decided to transport him in since he was showing signs of concussion.

As the paramedics hovered around and over him, he couldn't see us but,

he could HEAR us.

He heard mom's and dad's voices comforting him the whole time. He heard us as we talked about everything that was happening. He heard us tell him we were going to the hospital to fix his shoulder. He was able to perform simple tasks that the paramedics (or drs at the ER) asked him to do.

He didn't cry. He showed no signs of fear. He didn't fight anything.

and I attribute it all through the fact that he could HEAR our voices.

My husband rode with him in the ambulance and I met them there. He's VERY attached to daddy right now, and as much as I wanted to climb in with him, I knew he wanted his daddy by him. Plus his daddy is much calmer than I am, and kids pick up on those things.

His daddy sent me this picture from the ambulance to let me now he was doing better. His daddy knows me pretty well and knew I needed this.

Can you believe he didn't fight this!?! He even tries to smile in this situation! Seriously the happiest boy I know.

By the time I got to the hospital, he was sitting up on his own, and back to himself. It really scared me how he wouldn't wake up and kept falling in and out of sleep at the urgent care center. So when I saw him sitting up on his dad's lap and he said, "Hi mom!" as I walked into the ER, I felt a bit more relieved.

at the ER.

Of course we went there without a t-shirt or shoes (we had to cut his shirt off him because he screamed so badly when we tried to take it off). AND, of course he had Jackson Pollock paint day at school that day, so he had paint in his ears, his hair, his feet, etc. All the medics kept saying things all worried, "Is his ear bleeding?" or, "There's blood here in his hair." or my favorite, "His feet, what's all over his feet?!"It was actually quite amusing. and of course this is how the story goes ... it's how we roll.

He got his first x-rays - which again, thanks to his CI, he was able to listen and do as the technician needed him to. I called one of my bffs, this CI mommy, as I was a nervous wreck on the way to the hospital. She calmed me and suggested I call Cochlear. I was VERY impressed at their quick response to get me in touch with a pediatric audiologist who reassured me that a x-ray and/or cat scan would be fine, but to just take off his CIs. They also suggested to get his maps checked soon, especially with the head trauma and his EVA.

first x-ray

my brave boy eating a lollipop as we wait for X-ray results

of course you get a chocolate shake anytime there is an ER visit

home resting. His sissy was so worried!
and check out those feet and nails from paint day! ew. but goes so well with the story.

and of course, the AV mom in me was snapping away, because just think of all the vocabulary we get to talk about now! Experience book in the making.

CI Brand Choice

A few weeks ago, a fellow CI momma blogger, who is pure amazingness, made this comment on FB about the picture below:

"...all three manufacturers ... three little boys ... makes my heart smile. Such a fuss is often made about which company is better. But this photo proves it's all the same, really. I just love it."

I took this during our trip to John Tracy Clinic this past summer. I love this shot because these boys created a great friendship while there and how completely awesome is it that everywhere you looked there were hearing aids and cochlear implants!?! There was no "different".

I woke up this morning and saw there was a discussion on CiCircle about brand choice. No, I'm not going to get into this long post about all three cochlear implant brands. I think when it comes to brand choice, YOU have to feel good, feel comfortable, and know in your heart you are making the right choice for your child, no matter which brand it is.

Melissa, (who is a phenomenal resource, well respected in the CI community, and mom to these two amazing girls both whom are bilaterally implanted), said it best,

"What's far more important than brand choice is what you do afterwards in terms of helping your son learn to make sense of the sound from his CI. That will determine your child's success, not brand choice. There are definitely differences in reliability, customer service, and all the factors that parents mention. However, they are minor differences, non of which will ultimately affect how well your son does, and where one has an edge another may have an edge in another factor. I remember our audiologist telling us that she had three one-year-old little boys all implanted at the same time, each with one of the three brands, and all were doing equally well. So if you're happy with your choice, then go with it and don't look back. Look forward instead."

I'm not at all downplaying how stressful it can be to choose a brand, believe me, I've been there (and sometimes, for different medical purposes, one brand may be a better fit than the others). When it came to choosing the CI company we would go with for Aiden, we leaned towards Cochlear from the get go. Today, I can't even pinpoint the exact reasons why. We did all the extensive research on all three brands, made a spreadsheet comparing and contrasting each, and what it came down to, was following our heart and going with what we felt most comfortable with. No regrets.

Take a look around the Internet at different cochlear implant blogs - you will find success story after success story for each brand of CI (I have listed just a couple for each brand below). The common factor? Parents with extreme dedication to teach their deaf child to listen and speak.

Advanced Bionics

• Ben
• Marielle

Med-El

• Noah
• Thomas

Cochlear

• Lucas
• Sophia

Enough Already ... Really

I am about to pull every. last. hair. out of my head. In my last post, I talked about Aiden dissecting his cochlear implants on car rides. Well, it has gone from dissecting them on car rides, to dissecting them at home, to just plain pulling them off ALL THE TIME!

I try VERY hard not to react, and to simply put them back on his head/ears and keep on going ... only to turn around and have them BOTH off his head and usually in his mouth (I so thought we were over the mouthing everything stage). So then, I take them both off for about 10 to 15 minutes, and try again ... only to have them pulled off once again by Mr. Destructo (our new nickname for our "precious" little man) within minutes. When they are on ...

He still responds to the lings (on and off anyway)

He localizes noise better and better (yesterday as the mowers were outside, he pointed to his ear then pointed to the window AND later that day found me as I hid in a dark bathroom calling for him!)

He consistently turns to his name,

He has started to vocalize more in the last week ... like da-da and bye-bye (buh-buh) and a bunch of babble combinations (nabada type stuff)

He has started inflecting his voice like no get out ... from very high squealed screeches to low "da-da" whispers (I think this is hilarious) ... maybe it's the sounds from his screams he's become so accustomed to are scaring him enough to pull off the CIs ... although they truly are music to my ears!

So why, if he seems that he likes to listen and that he is responding, does he constantly pull off his CIs and dissect every.little.part?

Saturday night we all went out to dinner, then Aiden's sister and I went to a late movie to see G-Force 3D (which we both enjoyed). I came home to this on the counter.

Aiden's dad told me the next day that these were the pieces he collected from the car once they got home. What I didn't notice until the next day, as I put the pieces back together, is that a mic cover was still missing. Like I said ... every.little.part. No more CIs in the car ... just too dangerous.

Later the same day, as I was cleaning up the living room, Mr. Destructo was in the kitchen playing in "his" drawers. After a couple minutes of just seeing him playing so nicely with the Tupperware, I went in to check on him again, and low and behold, no CI. At all. So I looked around and found all of it BUT the coil. Thank goodness for back up parts because for the life of me I could not find that coil.

I finally found it later that day here ...

Oh for the love. All I can continue to hope and pray for is that this is a short phase and that it doesn't give me gray hair because the boy's about to wear me out. I feel like I did about a year ago, when Aiden learned to take his hearing aids out. Only difference being he didn't know what he was doing then, but he sure does now. Little stinker. As Nolan's mommy would say, "Don't make me bust out the pilot caps again!"

Oh... and even though we're not set for an audiology appointment for another two months, I have a call into The Listening Center to schedule the next possible appointment. Maybe a mapping adjustment will cure all.

Tiring Week ... but He's Bilateral!

Our binky boy is now bilateral! He has both his "ears" turned on. I wish I could type this all with more excitement and happier emotions. It's just not there, not right now. Don't get me wrong, I feel so blessed that we live in today's age where my child has the opportunity to take advantage of such wonderful technology; I thank God everyday for Aiden and what he's brought to our life. But truth of the matter is, this week has brought tears, struggles, and heartache.

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the lack of sleep I've had all week. Aiden's been sick and not his usual animated self. At his activation, his audiologist checked his ears and they were all clear. That night his fever spiked to 101. I blamed it on teething, because his fever went away. When nighttime fell again though, we started the sleep fight all over and after today's dr. appt. and 101.8 fever, we confirmed the ear infection made it's way through.

Anyway, for the first time in a long time, I cried. I cried seeing all this equipment on my son. I cried thinking about how I shouldn't look at his CIs as all this "equipment" but as the miracle they are that allows my son to hear my voice and all the beautiful sounds this world has to offer. I cried at the fact that as long as he wants to hear, he will always have to wear something on his ears ... this isn't a quick fix ... this is for life. I cried because my son is deaf and I hate it.

Not really.

Well I do, but I don't. Clear as mud? Of course I wish Aiden didn't have to go through all of this. Of course I wish Aiden didn't have to wear all this "equipment" to hear, having to crawl around with all these wires hanging off of him, ripping off his "ears" as he tries to crawl, me constantly behind him putting an "ear" back on. Of course I wish that I knew that he was going to be okay and that I could protect him from kid's mean words and adults staring, and all the therapy, and appointments, and hard work he's about to go through for many years so he can learn to listen and speak. Of course I wish I could hear Aiden babbling, saying mama and dada, and nonstop chit chatting that one years old do, when all he does right now is grunt and moan. GRUNT and MOAN. He was babbling more with his hearing aids. Every once in awhile now he lets out a mixture of sounds and I just savor the sound of his voice. SAVOR EVERY BIT OF IT. But it's very far and few in between right now. Of course I wish we weren't back to square one again.

Of course I wish AIDEN WASN'T DEAF.

But he is.
and it sucks ...

... at least for this week. and maybe next. I truly haven't had a moment like this since this day just a short month and a half after we found out Aiden was deaf. I think I've just been going so nonstop focusing on preparing him (and us) for the CI world. Staying positive ... moving forward to our new world. I have to remind myself, it's okay to have days (or multiple days in this case) like this. Obviously there's no changing who he is and honestly ...

I WOULDN'T CHANGE HIM FOR THE WORLD!

I truly wouldn't, except that he would be able to hear. Honestly. Yet I know he is who he is and he's brought so much to our life. God blessed us with three beautiful children, and for some reason, chose Aiden's daddy and I to raise each of them. So even with all my tears, all my sorrow, all my wondering why, I am so happy he has blessed our lives. I know he's going to be okay.

Just watch. His personality, his determination and his fight (that is fighting mom trying to put on those damn processors on his ears ... man it's such a fight) reminds me everyday-this kid's going to be just fine. It's just been one of those weeks.

Here's his left ear activation video. Here's my baby ... my deaf baby listening with his left ear for the first time. (turn off the music on the right. And sorry about the wobbly video taking ... I don't have a steady hand like Aiden's daddy when it comes to video cameras!)

I am having trouble with Overstream to caption this right now. There are only a few beeps here and there and then at the end, Aiden's daddy is talking to him about the pop up toy as we watched for voice responses.

Cochlear Implants 101

"Can you tell he's hearing yet?"

"Is he turning to sounds?"

"Why did you get him implanted if hearing aids were providing him sound?"

"What is that poking from his head?"

We've had many questions like these since Aiden's surgery so I thought it'd be good to do a couple posts about cochlear implants, the activation a.k.a. mapping sessions a.k.a. "turning on his ears" and the therapy that must follow in order for Aiden to be successful with his implants.

Let me preface this all with I am not the expert. I will do my best (with the help of the Cochlear website and other references), to explain all this.

I'll start with the difference between a hearing aid and a cochlear implant.

Hearing aids amplify natural sounds. People who wear hearing aids (mechanically) hear the same way a hearing person does. But no matter how loud the sound the hearing aid produces, it will not provide the clarity needed to someone with Aiden's degree of hearing loss to understand all environmental and speech sounds. This is why he was a candidate for cochlear implants.

Cochlear implants don't make sounds louder. They work by bypassing the damaged part of the ear and sending DIGITAL sound directly to the auditory (hearing) nerves and then on to the auditory centers of the brain. This is a different type of sound Aiden will receive then he did from his hearing aids or that you and I hear everyday. We hear acoustically whereas Aiden will hear digitally.

BRANDS


There are three brands of implants we had to choose from, Cochlear, Advanced Bionics, and Med-El. We had a gut feeling of which brand we wanted right away. Yet still, I continued to research, and question, and doubt our first choice, all up to just days before we had to tell our audiologist which brand we wanted. This wasn't a choice we could change our mind about once done, this was a lifetime decision we were making for Aiden. I don't question our decision today and I believe it's important to feel good and secure with the brand chosen. I do believe though that all the brands are wonderful and in the end, with the proper therapy, do the same job.

Some things we looked at when making our choice was:

• Asked our audiologist and surgeon what they worked with the most. We felt it was important since they would be working closely with us to surgically implant and map Aiden.
  
• Talked with other parents and asked them pros and cons of their decisions. We also met kids with each of the three implants and saw the different wearing options.
  
• Different wearing options for each brand for NOW and the near future. We're not worried about how Aiden will wear the equipment in 10 years from now, because by then, they'll most likely have new external equipment.
  
• And because I am a little (ok a lot) OCD, I did put together a spreadsheet comparing every "engineering" aspect of the brands, but soon realized I'm not an engineer and it just got too technical ... (this is where my husband steps in and reminds me that we know what we want so just tell the audiologist).

Ultimately, all brands are amazing. The success lies in the auditory training after activation. If a child is not provided extensive language opportunities, it won't necessarily be the implant that's failing. So when you hear me talk about every little thing I do, know I already know I'm nuts, but know even more that I'm doing it to feed Aiden's auditory brain every little bit of language that I can! It's the key to his success.

The Equipment

We chose the Nucleus Freedom by Cochlear for Aiden. We like the different wearing options from toddler to preschooler. We like their reliability and success rates. We like their "splash-resistant" design. We like their technology upgrade capabilities. We like their battery options. We like their customer service reputation. They just felt right for us.

This is the internal and external pieces of the Cochlear product ... the "mechanics" to help Aiden hear. (This information is directly from the Cochlear website. My comments are in parentheses).

1) Earhook - sits on top of the ear to hold the sound processor securely in place.

2.) The Processing Unit - houses the main "computer" for the sound processing system. Features microphones that help to pick up sound from speech and the environment.

3) Behind the Ear (BTE) Controller Option - sits behind the ear and features buttons which allow for adjustment of volume, programs, and sensitivity. (Also holds the batteries).

4) Coil/Cable - connects the sound processing unit to the implanted "magnet" on the other side of the skin. It helps to transmit the electric impulses that enable hearing.

5) The Magnet - sits in the middle of the coil and connects with the magnet on the other side of the skin. This connection between the magnets helps conduct sounds to the hearing nerve.

6) Cochlear implant body - made up of titanium and silicone (this is what we see protruding from Aiden's head right now)

7) Electrode Array - extends from the main body of the implant into the Cochlea (it is the end of this piece that is inserted and wrapped around the Cochlea). This is the main piece of the implant that delivers sound to the hearing nerve.

Drew's dad, did an amazing job in this video explaining the Cochlear equipment too. I highly recommend checking this out! Very good!

So, as you can see, there are internal and external parts. Both must work together in order for Aiden to receive any type of sound (along with the activation/mapping sessions). He's all set with the internal parts and at activation on March 9th, we'll receive the external parts, and they'll "turn on his ears". This is why Aiden still cannot hear right now.

Here is what the external pieces look like on. At first, Aiden will have what is called a "Babyworn" setup (click to see a good picture of it on the Cochlear website). With this setup, the battery pack/controller is pinned to his shirt and he will just wear the processor on his ear. I am very excited about this wearing option! Once he gets older, and ears get bigger, he will be able to wear the whole thing on his ear as you see in this diagram.

I cannot stress enough that Aiden will ALWAYS be deaf. This is not a cure for deafness by any means ... it is a solution to help Aiden hear. If Aiden does not have the coils (the round piece) attached to his head on each side, he will not hear. If one side falls off, he will just hear from the side that is attached. He will (hopefully) NOT wear "his ears" when bathing, swimming, or sleeping. Other than that, Aiden will have on his "ears" at all waking moments. But when they are off, his world will be silent.

Coming up ... What is "activation/mapping" and what will Aiden hear once he's activated.

FM System on the Way!

I received more wonderful news today! Aiden's audiologist called to tell me we are getting an FM system!!! The one we're getting has the new Dynamic FM platform, which from my understanding after a great seminar I just attended, allows for optimal speech recognition in places with a lot of background noise, yet will automatically mute itself if speech is not present in the FM mic. This saves the FM user from hearing "air noise" and static, yet still allows for the user to hear the world around them. As I sat there in the seminar last Thursday, I was in awe learning about these, not even thinking I'd be told, in less than a week, that Aiden would be getting one!

What is an FM system (aka - auditory trainers)? All in all, they consist of a transmitter (that I would wear) and a receiver (that attaches to the hearing aid or CI). This allows for my voice to be directly transmitted to Aiden's hearing aids. Go here and here to read a quick overview. For more detailed info., search FM systems on the ASHA website to view studies, publications, and abstracts on them. There are also different types. This mom did a great job at explaining the three types. We are getting a personal FM system for Aiden, since it will be used at home or when we're out and about in places with a lot of noise.

Why an FM system? People with normal hearing can usually understand speech when there is background noise. Background noise, to people with a hearing loss, makes trying to hear that much harder. Hearing aids amplify all sounds. And in our household, with Aiden's older brother & sister (who both LOVE their music, have friends who "live" at our house, and are VERY loud in everything they do), background noise is a huge thing. But background noise, at home, is so much more than this too. It can be the washer or dryer running, the dishwasher, the air conditioner kicking on, the humming of any appliance, the water running as someone washes their hands, the tv from upstairs--noises, as a hearing person, I never was too aware of, until Aiden. Background noise is terrible too at places like a grocery store, the mall, anywhere there is a high traffic volume.

What an FM system will do is help drown out these "unwanted" noises and provide optimal listening capabilities, which will then in turn allow for optimal speech recognition. Some of these noises are great, as we do our listening walks throughout the house, but when we're speaking to Aiden they're not. (The FM system will work with his cochlear implants as well. Even though CIs have the capability of drowning out background noise, an FM system works to drown it out even more).

Distance is a major obstacle with hearing loss too. Right now, we are supposed to talk to Aiden within his "hearing bubble", which is six inches from his ear. Sorry, but I cannot have Aiden 6 inches from me at all of his waking hours ... I've tried, it doesn't work! An FM system will transmit whatever I say, from wherever I'm at, directly to his hearing aid and then on to stimulate that auditory part of his brain! So now, while I'm trying to get laundry folded, I can still sing "Wheels on the Bus", with him in the adjoining room, and hearing me. Ugh ... now that I say that out loud, I guess I'll really need to watch what I'm saying when I'm using the FM ... especially when I'm just in one of those moods! : )

How can you get one for at home use for your child?

• Start, by talking to your audiologist. They should have some ideas of where to start.
• Talk to Early Childhood Intervention/Parent Infant Advisor. Some states have an ECI program that automatically provides one to families, for home use, that have a child with a hearing loss. This is state by state though. I'd be interested to hear from you if your state does or does not provide this. I think they all should. Texas does not.
• School districts provide them for the classrooms and some allow you to take them home. From what I've read, a lot of districts do not want you taking them home. Again, why wouldn't we provide our children with the best possible resources at all times of the day?
• Visit your local Rotary Clubs, Elks Club, Masons Group, Lions Club etc. These clubs fund raise all the time to help children in need. There is a scholarship application you have to fill out (your audiologist should be able to help you fill this out).

We thank our wonderful audiologist for the constant encouragement to get the FM system, the education on the benefits of one (I never realized what they were all about), and for all of her follow up to help this happen! You are wonderful!

Aiden's Two Months!

Yesterday was Aiden's two month appointment! I can't believe he's two months already! What a day it was - our appt. was at 9:45 and we didn't get out of there until after 11:30 and anyone who has a two month old knows what a LONG 2 hours that is! Plus, he got FOUR shots! My roly poly weighed in at a whopping 12 pounds and was 23 inches! He's gained over 3/4 pound in one week! No wonder - he eats any chance he gets! Dr. said he's nice and healthy!

As we were forever waiting, a mom came in with her son who was about 12-18 months old. He sat and babbled with his mom and tears came to my eyes. I immediately wondered, will my baby be able to babble with me like that? Then I thought about the equipment Aiden will have to wear all of his life (google cochlear implants to see a picture of it). Of course I want my baby to hear, and I know the only way he will is through cochlear implants and technology will get better etc. etc. ... and I know this sounds so "material", but again, this world is hard enough and I couldn't get past that moment of feeling sorry for my baby and what he will face. I determined at that moment that Mike and I will have to come up with some good/humorous sayings for Aiden to use to help explain his "equipment". Then again, Aiden will probably come up with his own and then teach us a few!

His audiologist called yesterday to let me know his hearing aids were in. Our appt. is scheduled for next week, but she said we could come in this Thursday instead, but Mike won't be able to make it and I don't want to do it alone. I'm not ready ... it's almost as if putting hearing aids on him is the final diagnosis and will make this all real. I just have to keep telling myself, it's a positive step towards successful hearing/speaking! I'm excited about therapy to start, I'm just not ready for the hearing aids, they're a visual and will be a constant reminder of what no parent is prepared for, a child with any type of disability. I gotta move forward though - we're going to do this and one day AIDEN WILL HEAR and babble and speak and do what he wants to do without limitations! He is amazing, deaf at 2 months, I can't imagine him hearing at 2 years!