New Things…

I knew my girl couldn’t hear…I knew she tested as deaf for hearing speech.

But I don’t think I was at all prepared for what that meant. After all, she could sometimes hear things when we were out, like a firetruck, or a loud engine, and she got excited when we were by a jackhammer a couple weeks ago.

But those things are loud. And when she heard them, she heard them the same way you and I hear someone talking…quietly.

I didn’t realize how often little M said “hey?” (her version of huh? or what?), until she didn’t have to anymore. Now, when we take out her hearing aid, I realize how very much she really can’t hear.
I never realized that something little, like the air conditioner fan switching on, could startle someone who has never heard that sound. I never realized how many little sounds there are, until someone started yelling “what’s that sound?” over and over. And I still didn’t usually know what sound she is talking about, since I take all of those little sounds for granted. Even the wind is loud when you haven’t heard it before.

Little M has handled yet another adjustment in her life very well…In just a short week, she is able to wear her hearing aid all day, with only one short break. I am excited to see what next week brings, when we get her hearing aid turned up a bit!