On Hearing

Do you remember THIS post?!

It was one of the first blog posts I did on here, all about the miracles of hearing and medicine. I find it ironic that I have had such a strong interest in cochlear transplants, one that started over a decade ago, and I now have a daughter that quite possibly will be a candidate for one some day!

We learned of our daughter's hearing loss on the very day that she was born but are still trying to figure out the extent of it. Turns out it is hard to determine what all a baby can hear because they can't tell you what they are hearing! So far, we believe she has moderate to severe loss in one ear, necessitating a hearing aid. We will learn more the older she gets!

Our daughter has had her hearing aid for 4 weeks now. Already we have seen such a change in her responses to sounds. Over the last 6 months, as I have been tutored by audiologists, I have gained such an appreciation for all the every day things that my daughter will struggle with. I hear a noise and INSTANTLY know exactly where that noise is coming from. In crowded rooms, it isn't difficult for me to zone into a particular conversation and completely ignore all the others that are happening around me. If a person is talking to me while facing another direction, I can still tell what that person is saying. In school, chairs scrapping across the floor, fingers tapping on the desk, or pencils scribbling on paper were not a major distraction that effected my learning. These are all challenges that my sweet daughter will have to learn to live with.

All that being said, our daughter can still HEAR. She loves to laugh. She already shows a great appreciation for music. She enjoys experimenting with noises; banging metal spoons on pots, crinkling newspapers, shaking rattles, etc. Despite her handicap, she LOVES noise and she has reminded me to be grateful for noise.

Some of my favorite noises:
-Laughter; I don't think there is anything better than pure, wonderful laughter. Nothing makes me smile like hearing my husband or my children laugh
-Music; I love every instrument in different ways. All move me and fill my heart with beauty
-Sounds of nature; gurgling brooks, wind in trees, rain on rooftops, chirping of birds, waves on the sand