The Process....

We haven't had many appointments lately, so I haven't updated the blog in awhile...it's been nice and quiet around here! (Finally) :)

So I thought I would make a post explaining what the process/recovery will be like for Ellie's cochlear implants in a couple of weeks. Her surgery will be at DeVos Children's Hospital in the morning on Wednesday, Feb. 24. She should be in surgery for about 5 hours. They want her to spend 1 night in the hospital in order to monitor her pain and nausea. She will have a bandage going around her head that will look like a football helmet, which we will have to keep on for 2 days.

We will wait 3-4 weeks before going to Spectrum to activate (turn on) her implants. We don't have a specific date yet, but I think they'll call us soon after Ellie's surgery (I'm guessing it will be mid-March). The reason we have to wait before activating her implants is to allow time for the incisions to heal. At activation, they will adjust the sound so that it will be very quiet for Ellie...it will be a whole new world for her, so we don't want to overwhelm her with too much sound at first. We'll have MANY appointments thereafter at which we will very gradually turn up the sound. The day of her activation will be like her "hearing birthday." She will be like an infant hearing for the first time, so it will still be several months before she will even start to say her first words. (Actually, they say around 12-14 months post activation is when they start to say words.)

So that's the plan as it stands for now...it might not go exactly like that, but hopefully something like that! I've learned to not trust in my own plans lately, because my plans are not always God's plans. But we will continue to pray for Ellie and the doctors--that everything will go smoothly and according to God's will. Thanks for all of your support and prayers!