It is the start of a new school year. Second grade. Wow!!! My family and I attended a zoo event this past Sunday hosted by those families who are Cochlear Implanted families such as ours. It was great to look at tables full of families who embrace this technology.
Our representative, "Dr. Don" as Ethan calls him, made his way over to our table to visit. As he was chatting away Ethan says..."Dr. Don, do you hear the bongo's? Do you think those are African bongo's playing?" Don hugged Ethan and said "Ethan I love you!" "You are amazing, and he can hear that from over 100 yards away and identify which kind of drum it is." I can't imagine what it must be like for "Dr. Don" to pour his passions in his medical field to bring hearing to a deaf child, and then to see the technology work.
I watched many families with much younger implanted children. If Ethan would allow I would use him as a human model of successful use of implants. Ethan is naturally shy around those whom he does not know, so right now that is not an option. I just want to hug the mama's and squeeze the little ones knowing the journey of wonder they are on. I use to wonder if Ethan would be able to put two words together. I use to wonder if other would ever understand him? I use to wonder if he would be able to function around his hearing peers or would I always have to help others understand him.
It is now second grade for Ethan. He is still going to the same private school since Kindergarten. He is not using an FM, and never has. He is not receiving any services and some might think me to be a bad mother for not taking advantage of the free services the state offers. Guess what? All those things I use to wonder about are now memories of success after success for Ethan. I have to say that I do have the benefit of having had two other children come before him. So it's pretty easy to discern behaviors or set backs that are just developmental issues that any kid goes through or a true hearing issue. Ethan is amazing. He is a fighter. If you have read my previous posts you will read that in many of my posts. I would not have known these behaviors to be normal had his sister not come before him. She too had a similar temperament.
Our latest new understanding is going to a birthday party this week at a place called LazarPort. I was not sure if he could attend the Lazar part of the party. We were referred to Hear Always ( 1-800-483-3123) and they said Ethan is fine to attend this party. It will always be something new to learn has he gets older. I am just glad that his deafness has not set him back academically. I know he is only in 2ND grade but there is lost of ground work being laid into being a strong reader, writer, and math and this year is starting out the same as his last two years. He has the desires and passion to learn. When we work on his spelling words I get to be his teacher and help with articulation, enunciation, and correct spelling and reading. It is truly a blessing as a mother to watch your children learn. An even greater one when your child is still overcoming the obstacles of a handicap such as being deaf.
