Thursday, October 20, 2005
Now hear this
I'm back from Chicago and cruising through a slow day at work. This place really mellows out after our big annual meeting -- we all gear up to make 26,000 doctors happy for five days, and then we crash.
I returned yesterday to a beautiful, smiling Nicola and a beaming Lindsay, who giggled most of the way through our wait for my suitcase. Such a joy to return home...and to good news about her ear (there's more background in previous posts, if you feel like searching). Nicola summarized it well in an e-mail, which I'll post below. And then I'll get back into regular posts, um, maybe tomorrow.
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I apologize for sending this in “mass” form, but I thought it would be easier to do it this way since there are a number of friends/family for whom we have promised to keep updated with Lindsay’s latest “lucky ear” news.
Lindsay had her first behavioral testing hearing evaluation at the Children’s Hospital this morning. Things went really well and Lindsay did great. If you are interested, I’ll have to explain the whole “behavioral testing” process next time we talk; it’s very interesting but too complicated to type out right now. Basically what I found out today is that there is a good chance that Lindsay’s eardrums and nerve endings are functioning in both ears, but that the limited hearing in the left ear is due to the shape of the ear and the small opening/ear canal. They won’t know this for sure until they can do some specific testing on her when she is older. Her right ear continues to be functioning well with normal hearing. Her left ear did respond to music today (which makes me ecstatic). So, the original diagnosis of “at least a moderate hearing loss” is probably still correct. However, it’s more likely “just” (it’s all relative, right?) a moderate hearing loss as opposed to “at least”. That’s not exactly what they said, but that’s what they indicated and confirms my gut feeling. Lindsay will continue to go in for hearing evaluations every 6 months or so until she is a couple of years old and then it will go down to once a year.
We feel so blessed that Lindsay is such a happy, healthy and active little girl. We appreciate everyone’s concern, support and positive thoughts as we’ve gone through the uncertainty of Lindsay’s condition these first eight months of her life. As those of you who have seen her lately can attest, her hearing loss has not negatively impacted her joy, curiosity, smiles, laughter, activity or vocalization! J
Nicola
P.S. And Lindsay says, “ah goo” (which translates to, “Hi”).
I returned yesterday to a beautiful, smiling Nicola and a beaming Lindsay, who giggled most of the way through our wait for my suitcase. Such a joy to return home...and to good news about her ear (there's more background in previous posts, if you feel like searching). Nicola summarized it well in an e-mail, which I'll post below. And then I'll get back into regular posts, um, maybe tomorrow.
-------------------------
I apologize for sending this in “mass” form, but I thought it would be easier to do it this way since there are a number of friends/family for whom we have promised to keep updated with Lindsay’s latest “lucky ear” news.
Lindsay had her first behavioral testing hearing evaluation at the Children’s Hospital this morning. Things went really well and Lindsay did great. If you are interested, I’ll have to explain the whole “behavioral testing” process next time we talk; it’s very interesting but too complicated to type out right now. Basically what I found out today is that there is a good chance that Lindsay’s eardrums and nerve endings are functioning in both ears, but that the limited hearing in the left ear is due to the shape of the ear and the small opening/ear canal. They won’t know this for sure until they can do some specific testing on her when she is older. Her right ear continues to be functioning well with normal hearing. Her left ear did respond to music today (which makes me ecstatic). So, the original diagnosis of “at least a moderate hearing loss” is probably still correct. However, it’s more likely “just” (it’s all relative, right?) a moderate hearing loss as opposed to “at least”. That’s not exactly what they said, but that’s what they indicated and confirms my gut feeling. Lindsay will continue to go in for hearing evaluations every 6 months or so until she is a couple of years old and then it will go down to once a year.
We feel so blessed that Lindsay is such a happy, healthy and active little girl. We appreciate everyone’s concern, support and positive thoughts as we’ve gone through the uncertainty of Lindsay’s condition these first eight months of her life. As those of you who have seen her lately can attest, her hearing loss has not negatively impacted her joy, curiosity, smiles, laughter, activity or vocalization! J
Nicola
P.S. And Lindsay says, “ah goo” (which translates to, “Hi”).
// posted by Bill @ 12:01 PM 
