About Us: Meet El, the Voice of Profoundlyseth

Introducing El — The Writer Behind Profoundlyseth

Hi! I'm Ellyn McCall, but nearly everyone calls me El — or Honey, Mom, Mama, Mommy, or any other affectionate name you like. After seven bright years in Florida, I'm back in my home state of Indiana, where I'm raising six energetic, funny, dramatic, and truly wonderful kids who keep every day interesting.

My daughter Ava is seven, and our oldest boy Jace is six. Our son Eli, whom we lost to stillbirth during labor, would be turning three in March, and our rainbow baby Seth is three now. Our second daughter Evany just turned two, and little Coen — the caboose of our family train — came along in July.

Family photo shared on the Profoundlyseth blog — Our growing family

How This Blog Started

Since my marriage, life has seldom followed a predictable path. Losing our third child changed my husband and me into different people, and our miracle baby Seth has done so much to heal our family's broken hearts. Seth was born early, and while he was in the NICU, antibiotics took his hearing. Once he was diagnosed as profoundly deaf, I started this blog to record our journey with deafness and his road to bilateral cochlear implants, which he received last April at eight months old.

The love and support our family has received has been overwhelming. Without the readers who follow this blog, Seth would not have had his surgery when he did. Seeing the goodness in people through this space has been a tremendous blessing, and I've treasured the connections I've made with so many who relate to our family in some way.

Beyond Seth's Story

In time, this blog has expanded past Seth's journey into the daily life of our family — the small things that make us who we are. Life got even more complicated when my husband left, and we made it through a couple of hard years. Today we're working to reconcile our family and our marriage. It's a process, no doubt, but I'm deeply grateful to God for giving us another chance.

I try to make our lives full — full of laughter and, when needed, tears; full of love and understanding; full of wit and joy even through hardship. I love sharing all of it here: the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Posted by El · Labels: Family

Reader Comments

Ordinary Mom

I came across your blog through Not Me Monday and wanted to leave another note. Your words moved me in a way I can't quite describe. I've never lost a child, but it's my deepest fear. Your family is beautiful, and I look forward to reading more.

Tara Bennett

Stopping by via Blog Stalkers Unite. I loved this post — you are amazing, and your children are lucky to have you as their momma. Thank you for sharing!

Anonymous

What a great story — not the part about losing sweet Eli, of course, but the faith you carry. You have a beautiful family, and I pray Seth gets his surgery and can hear one day.

Anonymous

What a beautiful post and a tremendous story. I'm crying my eyes out. My son Eli is nine months old; my first pregnancy ended at 18 weeks when we learned she had died in my womb. It was over four years ago and still hard to comprehend, but I'm blessed with a beautiful three-year-old and my fantastic little man with his flaming red hair. Thank you for sharing — you have a beautiful blog.

diber

Have you looked into Medicaid or medical assistance to cover the remaining cost of the surgery? We didn't pay a penny for E's surgery.

Taking Heart

I love your blog (here via McMamma). Your story is very touching, and I pray all the best blessings God has in store for you.

ShadowKazuni

As the mother of a hearing-impaired child, I understand the emotions that come with learning your child cannot hear. My son failed his newborn screening too, but after many follow-ups we were told his hearing was sufficient for speech. He was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder at three, and we went from there. Through the years I never felt he could truly hear, even though children with autism often ignore their name or blare the television. I went into speech-language pathology because my son was language impaired, and I learned more about audiology during my SLP program. When he was seven, I took him to the speech and hearing clinic at my university — I needed someone else to tell me he could hear. Long story short, he couldn't. He had severe loss in one ear and moderate-to-severe loss in the other, and needed bilateral aids; he hadn't heard well since birth. It turned out to be a congenital loss, Connexin 26, a genetic mutation with a recessive inheritance pattern. I had no idea I was a carrier, and neither did his father. My heart broke thinking of all those years my baby couldn't hear — years we blamed solely on autism. I was angry too that professionals we'd worked with for so long had dropped the ball. Today my son wears bright blue hearing aids, is absolutely beautiful, and speaks in full sentences. I don't know if he'll eventually lose all his hearing, but I'm thankful we know to monitor him closely. Like you, I'll do all I can to help my child. I recently referred a little patient for a hearing evaluation; she had just turned two and made little to no sound. She turned out to be profoundly deaf and had cochlear implant surgery last Friday. She did so well — I saw her Monday, walking and playing as usual. I know your son will do well too. You're blessed to have found his hearing loss so early; early intervention is critical, and Seth is lucky to have such a supportive family. I'll keep you on my prayer list and can't wait to hear how well Seth does. Thanks for sharing your story.

Melissa

This post really touched me in many ways. Thank you for sharing such a heartbreaking, miraculous, and inspiring story!

Adrienne

I'm here via McMama's blog too, and I added your button to my blog. I look forward to following Seth and your family in the days ahead, praying all the way.

Twinkletoes

Here from McMama too, and filled with tears. Your writing is beautiful. Thanks for sharing your story — I look forward to following, and we'll keep you in our thoughts and prayers.

Just His Best

What a beautiful and personal story. As a former sign language interpreter turned stay-at-home mom, I know all the reasons not to "fix" a deaf person, but my heart still goes out to you and I support you 100% in your decision for a cochlear implant. Whether your son is healed, given the gift of hearing through technology, or never hears a sound, I pray his story is one in which all can see God's mighty hand in his life.

BeLoVed AiMeE

I just want to give you a huge cyber hug. I can't begin to tell you how many people's stories through the wonderful world of blogging have touched my heart and inspired me to join the journey. Thank you for sharing your beautiful son with us and letting us come alongside you in prayer and hope for his future.

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This page is the place to start if you're new here: it explains who El is, the family behind the blog, and the experiences that shaped it. From Seth's hearing loss and cochlear implants to the everyday ups and downs of raising six children, everything shared here comes from the same honest, hopeful voice.

About Us: The Story Behind Profoundlyseth

Introducing El — The Writer Behind Profoundlyseth

How This Blog Started

Beyond Seth's Story

Reader Comments

Explore the Blog