Tuesday, April 7, 2009

A Bundle of Nerves

Tomorrow morning is our pre op appointment at the surgeon's. I am so excited, and so nervous. In retrospect, I'm really glad I watched the video of the surgery...I understand it much more than I did, and I feel good about it.  I can't stop kissing Seth's head today, however...I just want to eat him up. I am so nervous about passing him over to someone who's going to take him away and operate on him.

But I haven't spent the past 8 months pushing so hard to get Seth what he needs to surrender to nerves now. When I saw this video, I perked up considerably. This is the reason why we're doing this, so that Seth can sit in front of us in a few years, never realizing what a miracle his hearing really is, just chatting away, like this girl, Hannah . Check out her video clip. It's short and so, so worth it.

I've had several people ask me how I think Seth is going to sleep after he gets his implants, and I wanted to clarify something. Seth will sleep just fine, because he won't be able to hear when he's sleeping. Cochlear Implants only work when the outer processor is connected to the magnet in the inner device, and those are removed at night and for naps. So for four weeks after the surgery, while his incisions heal, and whenever he is sleeping or in the pool or bath or for whatever reason has his processors off, he will be a functionally deaf child. When he puts the processors on, he'll hear.

Seth won't wear the entire processor like this as an infant, but this is an idea of what it will be like.

I can actually see big pro's to this...good sleep, and I won't have to teach the older kids to be quiet around him during nap time. It's not great for swimming, but there are lots of people out there coming up with workarounds so that kids can keep their "ears" on in the pool.

We're back at home tonight after a night out of the house in a bid to keep Seth from getting sick. Please pray that he stays healthy for his surgery! I am just a mess of nervous anticipation right now. Mostly good, but I cannot wait until it's all over with so I can relax. My original goal was to post on an unrelated topic, but who are we kidding? I apologize, but my brain is on the 24 hour cochlear implant channel right now, and it's spilling over into every aspect of my life, especially the blog. I hope you guys don't mind!

24 comments:

M J said...

Of course that's what you're supposed to be posting about, silly! I'll keep you guys in my prayers!

Liz {Learning To Juggle} said...

I will be thinking about you and Seth, and keeping you all in my prayers.

E @ Scottsville said...

How scarey and EXCITING!!! More exciting, right? =0)

I'll be praying for you guys!!!!

Amie said...

De-lurking to say that I'm praying for you all! How exciting this is!!

~ Lisa @ AbidingThere~ said...

We expect you to post about this, silly!! I am so excited for Seth, I can hardly stand it!! :)

Shanda said...

We are with you through all of this - we WANT to know how your doing, how Seth is doing, if everyone is still sick, etc...no need to post on something else.

I'm so excited for you!!

Shanda said...

I am praying for you all too. Here are a few verses for those moments where the nervousness tries to take over!

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

Psalm 3:3 "But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head."

Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Joy said...

Post what you want, doll!
it's really amazing!

Jennifer W. said...

I'm a lurker who's been following for quite a while. I just wanted to let you know that we will be praying for not only for Seth on Thursday, but also for you and your whole family! Thank you for sharing your story and Seth's as well. It is a blessing to follow.
Praying in South MS,
Jen

Mandy Hornbuckle said...

Nobody minds that! I'm loving the details!

I hope you video his first reaction to the noise around him! I would just love to see that beautiful little boy brighten up and look around as a whole new world of sound opens up to him for the first time in his life!! :)

Anonymous said...

I'm loving this post, as a mother of a child with hearing disabilities, I find it fascinating that technology has taken us so far. Sky is the limit with Seth!

Matthew can only hear in his right ear, one of the benefits (and I'm not trying to sound harsh) is that when it's time to sleep, I lay him on his good ear and his little ear is usually up. The way our therapist explained to us was that it's like plugging up your ear, so I'm comforted by the idea that he's sleeping with soothing ocean waves.

Continued prayers for perfect health for surgery, for a successful surgery, a quick recovery, and ease on your anxious nerves. This is going to be great! And you're going to have so many people out here, sending out prayers for sweet Seth!

Analiza

Melissa G said...

Oh course we don't mind you posting about this! I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now! Keep us updated when you can.
Praying!

Curiously Strong said...

I'll keep your family in my prayers!

Susan said...

Praying! :)

Anonymous said...

The Rogers' family is thinking about your family and sweet Seth 1,589,543 times today and tomorrow... GOOD THOUGHTS. You are an amazing mother to an amazing little boy who is getting the gift of hearing. It'll all be worth it! We are here for you!

-Josh, Sarah & Sully

Kara said...

Okay, so I could barely sleep last night, thinking about all of this, so I can't imagine the nerves you're feeling right now! I know telling you to "relax!" won't do much to calm you. This is something you'll feel nervous about until it happens, and that's absolutely fine. Just remember that, every step of the way, God has been the driving force behind all of this. And he'll be there for you and for Seth, without fail, tomorrow (and forever after that)! I'll be thinking about you constantly, and praying for all of you. When is the surgery happening? Like, what time? And how long does it take?

I love you, El! And I love that beautiful boy!

Unknown said...

I'll be praying that Seth stays heealthy pre and post op!

Where is the video?

4 Lettre Words said...

Praying HARD for quick healing for Seth...and for calmness for his sweet Mama!

I am just soooo excited for all of you, El. It's going to be great!!

Big hugs!!!!

Sonya said...

I can understand why you would be nervous. Praying that all goes well!

Nicole said...

A friend of mine happened upon your site and sent me the link. I have a 7 year old daughter who has bilateral cochlear implants. She received the first when she was 18 mths old (back then that was the minimum age) and her second at 4 1/2 (when she received her first bilaterals were not being done yet). She is in the first grade in our public school system, she is at the top of her class, and her speech and language skills are amazing. Many people never even realize that she is deaf.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that all of you will be in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow. Surgery is scary for the parents, but it will all be behind you soon enough. Then you get to watch the miracles happen... his first reaction to sound, his first word, his first phrase, his first sentence. It is all SO exciting.

Goodluck to you!

tomandcheryl said...

I've left a couple of comments in the past but I really feel I need to comment tonight! Goodluck with everything tomorrow. I can't wait to read about the day his hearing gets turned on. I also keep meaning to buy a bracelet. I really really want one. And I want my son and daughter to know what it means. I just keep getting in front of the computer without my credit card number. I hope you will continue to sell them after the surgery.
~Cheryl

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to let you know that we will all be praying for Seth (and you) tomorrow. We are so exocted and can't wait to hear the good news that it is all done! :o) Many blessings!
Laura from FL

Angela said...

Hey you post whatever you want! There are no rules in blogland! I find the entire process interesting, intriguing and sad all at once. My Isaiah has had three surgeries in three years and although they are no where near as rough as Seth's ~ it is still hard to hand the kiddos over but it will be well worth it to see him react once he can hear. I can't imagine what that will be like! I am so glad Isaiah's hearing problems resolved and now we are onto speech therapy. Hey and I think the sleeping without it is terrific.

Tricia said...

Several things..I am playing catch up on my reading, as I have been super busy.

The biggest misperception we see is people believing that these kiddos are suddenly not deaf when they receive implants. They are still deaf. They can't hear at night (if you can wrestle the processors away!), in the bath tub, when swimming, etc.

Also, Emmi is now having a hard time sleeping WITHOUT the processors. The plunge back into silence at the end of the day disturbs her. She sleeps better with them on, than with them off. We just put a fresh set of batteries in at bedtime, and it takes her through until the morning. Sometimes, she has turned them off and put them on her windowsill during the night, but most mornings she wakes with them still on.

To Nicole, the other day, I signed to Emmi through the window of her dance class. Another mother, whose child has been in dance with Emmi for almost TWO YEARS, said, "Oh, she knows sign language! How cool!" Uh. Yeah, she is deaf. Like your daughter, most people don't even know Emmi is deaf.

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