The Good And Not So Good News ...

Had some good and some not so good news the other day about Maddy's hearing. She was diagnosed with a hearing loss a couple years ago and has a hearing aid in her right ear. In the past, we've thought that her hearing in her left ear was better. Well, turns out that it's about the same as her right ear . . . so both have a mild/moderate hearing loss. Now we need to think about getting a hearing aid for her left ear also. And we'll consider that and talk to her teachers and the audiologist. Last year, when she got the hearing aid in her right ear, it seemed like it really helped her come out of her shell a bit more. She's always been a bit quiet and reserved (but silly and funny and sweet at home) and maybe it was finally being able to hear better that gave her some confidence and allowed her sweet personality to shine through. So, even though she could get along just fine with only one hearing aid, I'm starting to wonder if getting one for the left ear would help her out even more.


Last night we read a book about an Elephant that couldn't hear and needed hearing aids [the book came with her hearing aid and a little stuffed elephant]. In the book, before he got his hearing aids, Oliver the Elephant felt like everyone was mumbling, he couldn't understand what was being said and felt sad. I asked her if she felt that way and she said that she did sometimes, and if she doesn't hear what someone says or asks her, she just guesses!

The more disappointing news about her hearing loss is that it cannot be corrected surgically. Previously we thought that it was due to holes in her eardrums that could be repaired later. The ENT didn't want to repair it again (did once already) at a fairly young age, because the grafts often don't take and require repeat grafts. But sometimes, just having a hearing aid and being a little different bugs a girl and she wishes she didn't have the hearing aid at all. So, of course, I worry that having hearing aids in both ears might really bother her. There is a 90-day trial period for hearing aids, so if it doesn't seem to be working out very well, we could send it back. Can you tell I'm leaning more and more towards going ahead and getting one? Meeting next week with school and the teacher that comes in to work with her due to her hearing impairment, so am hoping that provides some clarity for me.

In the meantime, we are looking forward to a warm and sunny weekend here -- finally seems that spring may be around the corner. YAY!!!