Well, I couldn't make it to work today. I'm gonna drag my derriere there tomorrow, even though I may have to leave early. It doesn't exactly "hurt" but the top of my ear and around it is numb and kinda tingly and sore. Sometimes it feels like I have an earache deep inside - probably my cochlea healing.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I'm thankful for SO many things. I have an amazing group of people in my life who support me, love me, and take great care of me! You know who you are!

Today I'm feeling better. Deborah took off my bandage yesterday. I was a little nervous about that. I got a little light headed a couple of times, but managed to do just fine. I'll try taking a shower and washing my hair today, since I last washed it on Sunday I think its due!

I'm going to try posting a picture of my turban bandage and I have one with the bandage off.


One piece of bandage is stuck and will hopefully come off in the shower. I'm continuing with pain meds every 4 hours, just trying to stay ahead of it. It's keeping me pretty loopy, so I'm going to start stretching it to every 6 hours today. I've been very fortunate and have had no facial numbness and no taste issues. The right side where they did the surgery is a bit numb and is starting to itch (which is a good thing - means it's healing).

I hope this finds everyone enjoying their family and friends and having a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Well... yesterday was the big day! I got up at 4am (eww) and Deborah & I made it to OSU Hospital by 5:30 am. Admitting got us checked in and so began the "hurry up and wait" process. We actually didn't have to wait too long for any of the steps. They took us upstairs to wait for a room, and it was only about a 5-10 minute wait. Got to the room and changed into my lovely designer gown! I had the joy of peeing in a cup... (are you ready for this?) for a pregnancy test! ROFL! I assured them there was no possible way I could be pregnant, but apparently they have to test everyone! (btw - I'm not pregnant).

The nurse came in and said they were trying to get the anesthesiologist to come up and talk to me, so I could keep my glasses & hearing aid in. The transport folks showed up and took me down for surgery. I talked to the anesthesiologist out in the hallway. This isn't standard - they usually do this in the surgery room, for privacy issues, but they needed to have their masks on in the surgery room (making it impossible for me to read their lips).

Since I was nervous, it felt like forever, but was likely only a couple of minutes.The anesthesiologist started up my IV and my surgeon (Dr. Brad Welling) reassured me that everything would be fine. The anesthesiologist gave me the first shot in my IV, then a second shot, then the next thing I remember is waking up in the recovery room. The surgery took 3 hours and about 45 minutes, then I was in recovery for about an hour and a half. They took me back up to my room and watched me for another hour or so, after giving me a pain pill. On a trip back from the bathroom I looked in the mirror - EEEK! I have a lovely topless turban with a big bulge over my right ear. I have to leave it on for 2 days, which means I can wash up just after my parents get here on Wednesday.

I was on my way home by 2:30 or so. Stopped at the grocery store to fill my prescription and get a few groceries (I slept in the car while Deborah went in). Got home and she settled in my new (to me) recliner and I have been here since yesterday. Deborah is a wonderful nurse and has been taking very good care of me without hovering. Just a perfect balance of being there and giving me space.

I slept fitfully last night but I've been napping more than sleeping. Pain pill, nap, pain pill nap, etc.

If you want to follow my blog and (like me) forget to keep coming back to check for changes or updates, you can add me.

Okay... we're in the final countdown now! Folks keep asking me how I feel, and I'm not really sure how to answer. I'm excited about the possibility of being able to hear better, but it's just that - a possibility, not a guarantee. I'm trying to go into this with low expectations and high hopes.

I'm totally NOT looking forward to the actual part of surgery. The last surgery I had (my gall bladder), I didn't come out of anesthesia very well. I just wanted to keep sleeping. Finally I drug myself off the gurney and out to the car, then slept on the way home, and slept at home a bunch more. I kept thinking feeling crappy was never going to end, but of course it did. I just need to remind myself (or have my family and friends remind me) "this too shall pass"!

I'm preparing myself to get comfy in my living room: getting the laptop ready; bought a new game for my Nintendo DS; have a shelf full of books to read and just enjoying my friends and family. I'll be housed in the living room on either my new (to me) recliner or my very comfy couch, until my parents and Aunt Beverly head home on Saturday (?).

I'm nervous about the surgery... there's always some possibility of stuff going wrong with anything. I just have to trust God knows what he is doing and will guide my doctors and nurses and God's will will be done in all this. That's where I'm finding the most peace, is trusting God to do what God does best, and trying to keep my hands off.

Speaking of hearing better... my implant does not get "activated" or "turned on" until January 7, 2009. Then I will begin a long process of teaching my brain to hear again. I'll be listening to books on tape along with the book and hoping I can get a couple of different people to read to me. I need to teach my brain what is being said matches the words on the page.

My 'need to know' what to expect continues... I will be asking more questions of my doctor and his team and posting more here.

Please keep me (and my doctors and nurses and audiologist) in your prayers.

Since folks with cochlear implants have an increased risk for meningitis, I need to get the vaccine. I'll wind up getting Pneumovax here at my office. One of the perks of working here! I've waited so long to do this, I've wondered if I would ever get to this point of heading down the road to surgery. Well here I am... rolling along and so far, no bumps!

Surgery is now scheduled!

I got 2 new hearing aids, thanks to BVR and although they are better than the ones I had, they don't help me as much as they need to. I went thru the CI tests again and properly "flunked", making me a CI candidate. I met with Dr. Welling on October 23, 2008 to discuss the details and schedule surgery. I've done so much research into this that I feel like I know what to expect. I know to keep my expectations low and my hopes high. I want this to work and I've read the postings from folks where it was an abysmal failure to folks who think it's the absolute best thing that's happened in their lives. The folks who seem to have done the best have had some hearing before this and are post-lingually deaf. I hate referring to myself as "deaf", since I think deaf means Deaf - can't hear a thing. I prefer to call myself prof0undly hard of hearing. I know it's a minor difference, but it's a difference all the same.

There's not much to do in the meantime here... but wait for the 24th. Then there won't be much to do but wait until January 7th - my activation date. Then I get to start all the hard work of learning to hear.

No surgery... yet.

Wellll... I'm ready to strangle a couple of doctors! I was led to believe I was already a CI canidate, but after the hearing test with my hearing aids in, I passed the test too well. The one time I wanted to flunk a test I couldn't! I'm scheduled for a repeat of this test on December 7th.

Anyway, my wonderful audiologist has hooked me up with the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation in hopes of getting me some technology that will help me more on the phone and in meetings. BVR can be a test of patience, so keep checking back here and I'll keep folks posted on what happens whenever it happens.

Wednesday Appointment

The second hearing test, with my hearing aids in, is Wednesday, September 6, 2006 at 11 am. This test will show how much my hearing aids are helping me and whether or not a cochlear implant would help me more than my hearing aids.

Hurry up and wait... some more!

The audiologist wanted to do two different hearing tests, the regular one, without my hearing aids, and then another one with my hearing aids. This tells them if my hearing aids are helping me as they should (or not). Since it had been 3 months since my last hearing test they wanted to do that one again, but I was only scheduled for a half hour with the audiologist. Both tests take about an hour to complete. Sooooo, I will re-schedule the test with my hearing aids early next week.

After the hearing aid test, I will know if I'm a good candidate for a cochlear implant (CI) or not. Assuming I am, I'll be scheduled for a CAT scan. Apparently I don't need an MRI, not sure why I thought I needed one, but glad I don't have to do that! The CAT scan will tell us which ear is the better ear to do the implant on. I've been hoping it would be my right ear implanted, but the CAT scan may tell us otherwise. Again, wait and see!

I asked Dr. Welling if the hearing test says I need a CI, and the CAT scan doesn't show anything bad, in an ideal world, how long could it be before surgery? He replied, "One month"! All this assumes insurance goes through smoothly and quickly. Even though they say they'll cover it, I have to get approved by them.

I was definitely disappointed and frustrated by yesterday. I had hoped to have some good news to report, but I suppose this is a good lesson in patience and not getting my hopes up too much too soon.

My next installment will be sometime next week, once I know when my next hearing test is. I'll just post a short one letting you know when it is. Then post more after I have the results of the test.

Waiting

Ok... it's tomorrow! This time tomorrow I should know something. I don't do waiting very well. I just have to keep myself busy until then!

Tune in tomorrow afternoon for the next update!

Doctor's appointment - Friday!

Ok... my doctor's appointment is looming large now! I see Dr. Brad Welling on Friday August 25 at 10:30am! Actually I have a hearing test at 10:30 and I'm supposed to see Dr. Welling at 11am. I'm hoping he will tell me what a wonderful canidate I am for an implant and schedule me for an MRI and a CAT scan. I expect the two things that will hold up this process the most will be getting approved thru insurance (which shouldn't be a problem, since it states clearly in my policy they cover cochlear implants) and then getting the actual surgery scheduled.

Here are some links some of you might find interesting:
This is from my ENT doctor's website
All about cochlear implants

This is the FDA website. Lots of cool info here... there's even a video of an implant surgery (not for the faint of heart!)
FDA cochlear information

There are three implant manufacturers approved in the USA
Advanced Bionics
Cochlear Americas - This is likely the one I'll get
Med El Corporation

The House Ear Institute is where the cochlear implant was first invented.

Last, but certainly not least is the CIHear online community website. There's a TON of information here, lots of stories and more than I've had time to explore.

Monday

Our next assignment: To help a woman clean up her lot. This entailed moving a whole LOT of bricks! But we were able to find a number of really special items she was missing. It didn't feel like much, but she was really very appreciative. We didn't finish this one that day, but it was scheduled to rain the next day.
This is what her house looked like - she had not done any cleanup. This is all Katrina's doing! Nothing was left, but the foundation.

She did have a really beautiful view of the ocean!

Here's our gang eating lunch.

This is the apartment building 3 doors over. Note the 1st two floors were removed, courtesy of Katrina. The view is from behind the building looking towards the ocean.

Our next assignment: To remove damaged ceiling and wet insulation.
The problem: the roof wasn't fixed and it was supposed to rain the next day. We told him the church could come back after the roof was fixed, but that needed to happen first.
Of course, I fell in love with his very cute puppy!

After the "no tree", we drove around to see some of Ocean Springs

The Tree

This was our first "assignment". All we knew initially was a woman needed a tree removed from her yard. This pine tree was over 60 feet tall and had broken in half, but was still attached. Someone else had already trimmed the first 5-6 feet off the ground and we stood there pondering what to do next!

The tool shed stairs

Pictures are on their way!

Please be patient - I'll have the pics up soon.

MyPoints

This is a shameless ad for MyPoints... my favorite way to earn Points is by clicking on a link in emails they send me. I usually get 2-3 a day, sometimes more, sometimes less. What do I do with my Points? Well, I've gotten Home Depot gift cards, Webcertificates, and more. Webcertificates are great - you just spend the $ anyway you like!

If you want to sign up, please email me or post here and I'll send you a "refer a friend" email. That way we both earn points!

Friday

Well we continued the "deconstruction" of the Biloxi house until noon. A couple more roaches tried unsucessfully to befriend me, before I sent them along their enlightenment path!

We ate lunch in the van on the way back to the house, where we showered, changed, and packed up to go home. We were on the road by 3pm Ohio time. This is one LOOOONNNNNGGGGG drive, made longer due to some construction in Alabama. I got a few hours of sleep in fits and starts. We finally got home around 5:30am, when I collapsed into my own comfy bed and Gyan curled right up with me!

Saturday I spent catching up on all that stuff that piles up when you're out of town for a week. Doesn't look like I'll get my pictures posted until mid-week - due to football games and appointments this week.