It seems ages ago that we discovered Ocoee was deaf, but really it has only been four months. And we are now on the brink of great excitement...for on April 24th, she is scheduled to have the cochlear implant in her right ear "activated." This means that she will begin to hear sounds for the first time! No one knows what to expect, as we might see anything from quiet observation to frightened screaming. But one thing is for certain: none of us will ever be the same!
After "activation," Ocoee will go through a series of "mappings" wherby the implant device is programmed with settings that will match what she is able to hear. After this, it will be our job to help her learn how to make sense of the world of sound. Since she'll be starting as a newborn baby, she has to learn what sounds are, where they are coming from...basically everything that has to do with creating meaning from what we hear. She will be able to hear environmental sounds, as well as speech, and should be caught up to her peers relatively quickly. She will need pretty intensive speech therapy for the next several years to aid speech comprehension and expression, but by school age will function largely as a hearing child with minimal assistance.
We are still raising money to reach the goal of $45K so that Ocoee can get a second implant (her left ear), and will keep everyone posted on the progress of the funding. Our next fundraiser is going to be a yard sale, penciled in for May 2nd, so if you would like to donate items, don't hesitate to let us know!
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