Our appointment was at 1:30. We met first with our new audiologist. E was wonderful and gave us a stellar audiogram! The audiologist was thrilled that we were able to get a full, very accurate audiogram as well as a bone conductivity reading. He entertained us all with his fascination with bubbles and by waving at the animals in the light boxes when he heard a sound. I snapped a few blurry pics with my phone of his reactions. He's quick!
"Oh my gosh! Bubbles!!!"
We were able to get some really great information. His right ear is responding even better than previously thought and our audiologist thinks that he may be able to hear speech with his hearing aid. For the very first time, we got a response to sound in his left ear. It wasn't much at all, but that is the first time we've gotten ANYTHING in that ear.
Next, we met with our new ENT. We had to wait for about half an hour in an office before we could see him. There were no toys and a ton of equipment with buttons that E was just dying to push. It was a tough wait for a sleepy toddler by this point, but he did really well. After the very brief meeting with the ENT, we were told that it was the recommendation that he meet with the cochlear implant team for consideration of the left ear. We also were given information which indicated that we have wasted both time and money in the past due to the mismanagement of our case by our former ENT. Our new ENT was clearly a bit frustrated and said that E is at a critical development point and should have already received his implant. I wish I knew why things have happened for us the way they have, but I just have to trust that there was a reason we were delayed. We are being put on the "fast track" for testing and evaluation. Our next steps will be to get an MRI, EKG, and meet with the cochlear team. We found that the CT scan that was done previously was pretty much a waste other than to just tell us that the BONES in his ear are fine.
After the meeting with the ENT, it was time to go back to audiology for new ear mold impressions and hearing aid adjustments. By this time, it was 6pm. We will have to wait for a call to schedule our next appointments because everyone in scheduling had already left for the day. We were able to get a lot of good information today and we are back on the wild ride that is our life. By the way, our new audiologist just so happens to be world renowned. She is frequently asked to come and speak in various countries on pediatric audiology and hearing loss. Yeah...she's kind of a big deal :-)
E was one super tired baby by the end of the day and was out like a light before we even got far from the hospital parking garage. He only slept about another half hour. We finally arrived back home around 8:30pm and tucked in a very sleepy little boy. As it stands, we are waiting to hear back to schedule our next appointments. We are beginning a journey that will hopefully lead to a cochlear implant for E's left ear by the end of the year. We will continue to gauge his progress with the hearing aid in the right ear and it is not considered at this time to be a cochlear candidate. When we were asked our goals and hopes for E, we said that we simply want to give him all the tools and opportunities we are able. What he does with them is up to him.
No comments:
Post a Comment