This is what a Nucleus 5 looks like after it has been used as a key in a keyhole at Grandma's house:
It's a good thing that it was just a ear hook, and not an important part of the processor, like say... the coil, the rechargeable battery, the microphones, or anything else. This accessory could have just popped off, if it weren't held in place with a tiny medal rod because it's a choking hazard, but I certainly would rather have it break than something else. And, I have quite a few extras at home.
Although Lucas takes more to his new ear every day, this is a good illustration of how he still feels about it. He'd rather pretend like it's a key.
Last week at CHOP, Lucas was squirrelly, but still had a pretty good day. We had three appointments in three hours, but we got a good audiogram, he performed decently for speech and we saw his ENT for the first time since surgery. He is hearing with his new ear as well as he is with his old ear. He's not processing sound the same way yet, but he certainly has good access to it. His audi gave him a word recognition test in the sound booth that he typically gives to Kindergartners, and Lucas got something like 87% accuracy with both ears (he had to repeat what he heard), including words that he wasn't very familiar with, like vase. I think it's pretty amazing that the professionals with which he works are willing to give him assessments that are way above his age level, just to see how he does. I'm progressive. I like progressive.
He wasn't breaking any records with speech, but he was doing more than he was last time, and is certainly showing progress. We'll take it. Last night when I was testing his Lings, he was able to identify ahhh, ssss, and eeee correctly, but he was confusing shhh with ssss and switching oooo with mmmm. He can definitely recognize and repeat his name though. That was one of the first things he could do with his first ear too. Again, he's progressing, but still has a ways to go. He works hard with speech therapist every week though with his new ear alone, and we continues to see those glimpses.
Our visit with our ENT has resulted in 2 weeks of antibiotics and another appointment this Wednesday. Lucas has fluid in his newly implanted ear, and we need to see whether it's fluid as a result of having had a cold a few days before our visit, or whether the CSF gusher that occurred during surgery is leaking. The scar from his right branchial cleft cyst removal has also opened up, and we need to see whether the cyst has returned (which is definitely a possibility), or else is just a fluke thing with the incision. Both could result in another surgery, depending on what the surgeon sees on Wednesday.
On a happier note, Lucas really enjoyed the warm weather today. We're so looking forward to spring.
