Can You Hear Me Now?
About two years ago, we started down a journey with Coralynn. It was a path I didn't want her to walk, but we had no choice. She couldn't sleep correctly. Or breathe correctly. Or hear correctly. I didn't desire for her to have surgery in Panama. Or anywhere. I just wanted her whole so I had to do something.
We went to the pediatrician who sent us to the ENT. "Best ENT in the country," but I think she might be my least favorite doctor ever. She was harsh and inconsistent. And her office was in the middle of nowhere, but we went. We went to the audiologist. Hearing test- total failure. We did a few months of medication, and then went to the audiologist. Hearing test- total failure. The decision was made that she needed surgery.
Originally, I had planned to take her back to the States during the summer and have a known entity perform the surgery of adenoids out and ear tubes in. Unfortunately, her sleep apnea was progressing too quickly, and it wasn't really advisable to wait. I called my least favorite doctor, and the surgery was scheduled.
After a horrifying time coming out of anesthesia, Coralynn finally got to come home. She slept for a few hours, and then woke up screaming. Hours later, Tony finally got home, and he got to hold the screaming Bit. After consulting Facebook, we called the ENT and pretty much demanded antibiotic ear drops. ENT agreed, and we began medicine. Eventually, she gave out and fell asleep.
The next few days were fine, and we began the new normal of ear plugs.
In July, we were in the US, and I took Coralynn to the world greatest doctor and pediatrician. (Yes, I know pediatricians are doctors, but Dr. Lisa is the finest doctor I know. And, she happens to be a pediatrician) Just 6 weeks after going through the ordeal of surgery, the ear tubes were out. I cried in the office. Not my finest hour, but I was raw.
We went back to the ENT. Yes, the tubes were out but still in the ear canal. We spent the next year waiting for the stinkin' tubes to come out of the ear canal. I am now convinced that this was a ploy by the ENT to charge more office visits. Maybe I'm cynical, but that's my theory and I'm sticking to it.
We were unable to go to the audiologist until the ear tubes were out of the canal so almost a year after surgery, we finally got to go back for another hearing test. And, Coralynn failed. Again. I cried in the office. Again.
I made the decision that we were just taking a little breather from medical care. We went to the US again, and Coralynn met with a speech therapist. Total fail. Guess what? I made it to the van before I burst into tears that time.
We began speech therapy in Panama- which answered many prayers- and her therapist asked if she had a middle ear condition which made it not possible for her to hear correctly. Once again, I made it to the car before crying.
I was so tired of crying. So tired of hearing that she couldn't hear.
The end of August we attended a special church conference where the focus was healing. We prayed over Coralynn for hearing and healing. Carson's bff, who's 9, prayed over Coralynn for hearing and healing. The conference's South African leader prayed over Coralynn for hearing and healing. My Bible study leader, S, prayed over Coralynn for hearing and healing. (You're seeing the trend, right?)
We left that night believing she had been healed. How could we test it? Coralynn's speech therapist said that Coralynn's hearing problems made it impossible for her to hear the "n" in Tony; therefore, it was impossible for her to say the word clearly. So, when we got home around 11pm, we asked the exhausted 3-year-old, "What's Daddy's name?" She looked up from the fridge, and said "ToKNEE"
Yep- I burst into tears.
The speech therapist stopped mentioning Coralynn's hearing problem. Coralynn starting making progress in speech.
Finally, it was time for the 6-month audiology retest. Tony came with us to the appointment.
The audiologist put the little thingies into Coralynn's ear. She pressed the button. We waited for the "drawing." I stopped breathing and waited. It was only 10 seconds at most, but I aged 20 years. I looked at the little screen on the little machine. Perfect mountain. And, I burst into tears.
More tests. More perfect results. More bursting into tears.
The audiologist looked at me like I was crazy. I sat in the office praising Jesus for the miracle of perfect healing and perfect hearing!
We got home that night, and I asked Coralynn if she knew who she was. She looked at me like I was crazy. I told her she was a miracle. That Jesus had miraculously healed her. And that she was Mommy's miracle.
With those big blue eyes of hers, she looked up at me, "Des, Momma. And you my miradle."
Praise Jesus!
We went to the pediatrician who sent us to the ENT. "Best ENT in the country," but I think she might be my least favorite doctor ever. She was harsh and inconsistent. And her office was in the middle of nowhere, but we went. We went to the audiologist. Hearing test- total failure. We did a few months of medication, and then went to the audiologist. Hearing test- total failure. The decision was made that she needed surgery.
ENT's photo from the first appointment
Originally, I had planned to take her back to the States during the summer and have a known entity perform the surgery of adenoids out and ear tubes in. Unfortunately, her sleep apnea was progressing too quickly, and it wasn't really advisable to wait. I called my least favorite doctor, and the surgery was scheduled.
After a horrifying time coming out of anesthesia, Coralynn finally got to come home. She slept for a few hours, and then woke up screaming. Hours later, Tony finally got home, and he got to hold the screaming Bit. After consulting Facebook, we called the ENT and pretty much demanded antibiotic ear drops. ENT agreed, and we began medicine. Eventually, she gave out and fell asleep.
The next few days were fine, and we began the new normal of ear plugs.
In July, we were in the US, and I took Coralynn to the world greatest doctor and pediatrician. (Yes, I know pediatricians are doctors, but Dr. Lisa is the finest doctor I know. And, she happens to be a pediatrician) Just 6 weeks after going through the ordeal of surgery, the ear tubes were out. I cried in the office. Not my finest hour, but I was raw.
We went back to the ENT. Yes, the tubes were out but still in the ear canal. We spent the next year waiting for the stinkin' tubes to come out of the ear canal. I am now convinced that this was a ploy by the ENT to charge more office visits. Maybe I'm cynical, but that's my theory and I'm sticking to it.
We were unable to go to the audiologist until the ear tubes were out of the canal so almost a year after surgery, we finally got to go back for another hearing test. And, Coralynn failed. Again. I cried in the office. Again.
I made the decision that we were just taking a little breather from medical care. We went to the US again, and Coralynn met with a speech therapist. Total fail. Guess what? I made it to the van before I burst into tears that time.
We began speech therapy in Panama- which answered many prayers- and her therapist asked if she had a middle ear condition which made it not possible for her to hear correctly. Once again, I made it to the car before crying.
I was so tired of crying. So tired of hearing that she couldn't hear.
The end of August we attended a special church conference where the focus was healing. We prayed over Coralynn for hearing and healing. Carson's bff, who's 9, prayed over Coralynn for hearing and healing. The conference's South African leader prayed over Coralynn for hearing and healing. My Bible study leader, S, prayed over Coralynn for hearing and healing. (You're seeing the trend, right?)
We left that night believing she had been healed. How could we test it? Coralynn's speech therapist said that Coralynn's hearing problems made it impossible for her to hear the "n" in Tony; therefore, it was impossible for her to say the word clearly. So, when we got home around 11pm, we asked the exhausted 3-year-old, "What's Daddy's name?" She looked up from the fridge, and said "ToKNEE"
Yep- I burst into tears.
The speech therapist stopped mentioning Coralynn's hearing problem. Coralynn starting making progress in speech.
Finally, it was time for the 6-month audiology retest. Tony came with us to the appointment.
The audiologist put the little thingies into Coralynn's ear. She pressed the button. We waited for the "drawing." I stopped breathing and waited. It was only 10 seconds at most, but I aged 20 years. I looked at the little screen on the little machine. Perfect mountain. And, I burst into tears.
More tests. More perfect results. More bursting into tears.
The audiologist looked at me like I was crazy. I sat in the office praising Jesus for the miracle of perfect healing and perfect hearing!
We got home that night, and I asked Coralynn if she knew who she was. She looked at me like I was crazy. I told her she was a miracle. That Jesus had miraculously healed her. And that she was Mommy's miracle.
With those big blue eyes of hers, she looked up at me, "Des, Momma. And you my miradle."
Praise Jesus!
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