Appointment with the Surgeon

Tomorrow is a big day for the Storrs Family. We have an appointment with Dr. Sie at Children's. She is the surgeon who would do Evan's cochlear implant surgery. This is the last appointment to determine if Evan is in fact a candidate for the procedure. We will review the results of the BAER, the CT, and MRI done in December.

I really don't know which way it's going to go. We do know that Evan showed some increased response on this most recent BAER with bone conduction, which is contradictory to all his previous tests. I'm curious if this could be another "summation" problem--there was one other time we were told Evan's hearing was better with bone conduction, and it turned out to be an artifact (the summation). Possibly, we could be told to try the bone conduction hearing aid with Evan again. We briefly tried one about a year ago, and it did not seem to help.

CHARGE is known for causing nerves to grow in atypical patterns. The MRI is to help the surgeon visualize where the facial nerve is, because if it gets damaged during the CI surgery that can cause a total facial palsy on one side. Jeremy and I have already talked and agree that if there is any uncertainty about the path of Evan's facial nerve, we don't want to chance it.

If Evan is not a candidate, then this will give us--or maybe just me--some closure. We will know we looked into the CI and will move on with ASL and Total Communication. In a way, I think it will renew my committment to learn more sign. I feel like I've been stuck in a holding pattern, waiting to find out if we can go down the CI road. It really shouldn't be that way--having a CI does not change the fact that Evan will always be Deaf, and I still need to know ASL. I should not be using the CI as an excuse...but I find myself doing just that.

If Evan is a candidate...that will be a new adventure, full of new doctors and new therapy.

I think I am at a point where I can be OK/not disappointed if it's a no. Things happen the way they do for a reason.