I showed Lillian an activation of a boy from South America hearing for the first time. She was too little to understand and obviously couldn't hear it. I wanted her to see all the wires connecting the processor to the computer. To prepare her for that part of the morning.
I also showed her a video of a girl doing play audiometry (Conditioned play audiometry can be used as the child matures and is commonly used with toddlers and preschoolers (ages 2–5). The child is trained to perform an activity each time a sound is heard. The activity may involve putting a block in a box, placing pegs in a hole, or putting a ring on a cone. http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Pure-Tone-Testing/) while hooked up to the computer.
Lillian doesn't like play audiometry she tires of it and gets wiggly.
I have avoided watching activation videos on YouTube, simple because I didn't want to have unrealistic expectations. I broke down the night before and watched half a dozen. One girl was overwhelmed and got sad. I prepared myself that might happen.
Fingers crossed we left the house at 6:20 am to fight LA traffic to get to our 8 am appointment.
We arrived, changed Lillian out of her pjs and went to check in. We were met with the news that there was a mix up in her order and she would only be able to have one side activated. Parts were not sent for both sides. Not a huge problem.
We were asked if two representatives from advanced bionics could join us for her activation. After some musical chairs, we all fit into the small room.
Lillian had three audiologist helping her. One at the computer, one from by advanced bionics, and one to play with Lillian.
Lillian lite up upon seeing her light pink prosessor! She picked her left ear as the first one to activate.
We then waited for the computer which needed to be restarted. Lillian got antsy. Jamie the audiologist brought in to play with Lillian won her over! She signed and played with Lillian. I was one proud momma that Lillian knew all but one of the sign language words the used with her. Monkey. She didn't know monkey:)
Lillian went though three different games while the processor had a beep like sensation to the implant which stimulated her auditory nerve.
For more on activating and mapping cochlear implants see: http://cochlearimplantonline.com/site/mapping-a-cochlear-implant/
Lillian 'heard' the beeps, I helped a little to keep her focused. She got upset when we tried to take a picture of this part. So we put our phones down.
Finally it was time to turn it on. She loved it. Giggles, talking, trying to repeat, and distracted so we could video her adorable response.
I'll post them soon.
At one point she gets up out of her chair tangled in the wires to whisper to me, "mom can we take my pink implant home?" I tried to get her to repeat it louder but she got shy. "Yes!!" Everyone agreed she can take it home.
If it fell off she wanted it back on quickly.
Lillian has a severe to profound hearing loss. She has worn hearing aids everyday and some nights since we discovered this at age 2 years 10 months. She has loved learning to listen and talk. We guess she could hear half of spoken language. She lip reads like a champion and puts together the context of conversations with both looking and listening.
She did not hear perfectly, or understand all she was hearing but she enjoyed it.
"Go, go, go" Lillian thought was "no, no, no"
She loved listening and repeating the ling sounds (http://www.jtc.org/uploads/docs/The-Ling-Six-Sound-Test.PDF)
And oh joy did she love to hear herself talk and talk, and giggle.
Today was great!
Tomorrow we have an another three hour appt when she will get her and then one more on Friday! P
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