We had our therapy appointment yesterday and Lindsay was quite impressed with how Thomas is doing so soon after activation (he has only been activated since 5/25). He has 4 solid words now.... MAMA, NO, HI, POP. Although he doesnt say Pop that much anymore. He definitly gets alot of use from MAMA and NO! lol
We are all impressed on how much he tries to repeat what we say. Jonathan was at our app. yesterday so he is very excited about helping THomas with therapy now. I would ask him to join in and he would but with not much enthusiasm. Lindsay asked him to help and now Jonathan is like a little therapist himself! He keeps telling me that we have to practice with Thomas and tells me which games we should play.
I have definitly been blessed with my 2 amazing boys!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
3rd Mapping
Thomas had his 3rd mapping on June 14th. It was going well until our audi. was done programming and turned Thomas back on without taking the coil off. It scared the bejebeezers out of him. He was shaking and crying and clinging on to me. She had to reprogram it to a lower strength so he would be less scared...he has never showed a reaction like that before. We got home and he took a nap...he woke up and he looked over at his CI and started to shake again. So Friday, he wore the processor/coil with no power. Saturday I turned all the settings very low and put the power on. Sunday I put it up a bit, Monday a bit more, an so on. By Thursday (21st) he was full power and we moved to P2.
That night the processor kept giving us a H3 (meaning something was wrong with the coil, usually it means it is off his head). Nope...the coil was on! Took everything off and I went to take the plug from the wire out of the BTE piece and to my surprise the plug stayed in the processor and the wire was in my hand! I called our audi. and she called cochlear. In the meantime I went to use the mini with the 2"coil...yeah right....I would put it on, Thomas would look at me....take it off, hand it to me and walk away.
Friday morning at 9am a fed ex truck came up to the house and to my delighted surprise he had a package for us from cochlear!!!!! YEAH>>>>>IT WAS THOMAS' NEW COIL! I was so happy. He didnt miss much hearing time since this all happened before bedtime.
That night the processor kept giving us a H3 (meaning something was wrong with the coil, usually it means it is off his head). Nope...the coil was on! Took everything off and I went to take the plug from the wire out of the BTE piece and to my surprise the plug stayed in the processor and the wire was in my hand! I called our audi. and she called cochlear. In the meantime I went to use the mini with the 2"coil...yeah right....I would put it on, Thomas would look at me....take it off, hand it to me and walk away.
Friday morning at 9am a fed ex truck came up to the house and to my delighted surprise he had a package for us from cochlear!!!!! YEAH>>>>>IT WAS THOMAS' NEW COIL! I was so happy. He didnt miss much hearing time since this all happened before bedtime.
Monday, June 18, 2007
3rd Mapping
Thursday June 14th was Thomas 3rd mapping. We were running a bit late so I ended up feeding THomas in the room while the audi. was programming his processors. I am not certain on exactly what is happening while Thomas is hooked up to the computer....my focus was keeping THomas entertained and by feeding him it did the job!
Thomas was being exceptionally well. He was smiling and looking at the penguin at the appropriate times. Our audi. told us that Thomas was "off" so we were waiting and than all of a suddent Thomas starts shaking, clings on to me with white knuckles and starts crying the saddest cry you have ever heard. I immediately clutched him and started crying (He has NEVER reacted like this to ANYTHING). Our audi started apologizing. I guess she turned Thomas back on without taking the coil off...the rush of sound scared the living crap out of him.
She had to reprogram him because of noises being too loud. He did OK in the sound booth and on the way home, too! We went home and I laid him down for his nap. He woke back up and I grabbed the processor and walked toward him and he started screaming again. I went to hook it on to him and again I had the same reaction...screaming, shaking and white knuckles. I didnt put it on him for the rest of the day. IT didnt matter though...he still didnt want to be without me and for most of the day I was holding him.
The next day (friday) I put the coil on with no power. He held on to me and wouldnt let go. That after noon I turned it on with all settings lowered. Every day I have turned him up just a bit and he is OK with it. By tomorrow (tuesday) he will be back to the settings that he was originally at last Thursday.
It has been a rough couple of days but I am happy that he has been cooperating with me and now doesnt mind wearing his CI.
Thomas was being exceptionally well. He was smiling and looking at the penguin at the appropriate times. Our audi. told us that Thomas was "off" so we were waiting and than all of a suddent Thomas starts shaking, clings on to me with white knuckles and starts crying the saddest cry you have ever heard. I immediately clutched him and started crying (He has NEVER reacted like this to ANYTHING). Our audi started apologizing. I guess she turned Thomas back on without taking the coil off...the rush of sound scared the living crap out of him.
She had to reprogram him because of noises being too loud. He did OK in the sound booth and on the way home, too! We went home and I laid him down for his nap. He woke back up and I grabbed the processor and walked toward him and he started screaming again. I went to hook it on to him and again I had the same reaction...screaming, shaking and white knuckles. I didnt put it on him for the rest of the day. IT didnt matter though...he still didnt want to be without me and for most of the day I was holding him.
The next day (friday) I put the coil on with no power. He held on to me and wouldnt let go. That after noon I turned it on with all settings lowered. Every day I have turned him up just a bit and he is OK with it. By tomorrow (tuesday) he will be back to the settings that he was originally at last Thursday.
It has been a rough couple of days but I am happy that he has been cooperating with me and now doesnt mind wearing his CI.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Thomas' 1st "official" word
Thomas has his speech appointment yesterday (wednesday). Lindsay and I were talking about the new sounds Thomas has been making and how he tries to repeat what we say (just the sounds...lol...not words/sentences). I also told her about our "pop pop pop" bubble game so she brought out the bubbles. He looked at them and in his tiny little baby voice came "pop pop pop". Not as clear as an adult would say (or a child) but we knew what he was saying and why he said it. So Lindsay said she is pretty certain Thomas has his first official word "POP"!
Lindsay also noticed that when Thomas needs something....picked up, food, toy, etc, he will "mom" or "Umm". He understands that when he says the word "mom" than he gets things done! lol He doesnt quite understand that I am "MOM" but he knows when its said...especially to me.....he gets what he needs.
We tried to go on a bike ride this morning but we ran into two problems.
1) Jonathan has a valve leak on his back tire
2) It is difficult to put Thomas' helmet on along with keeping the coil in place. I am not going to say impossible, I am thinking of putting one of my headbands on him...over his coil, and than slipping the helmet over that. I *hope* it works. I want him to be able to hear us talking while we are on our nature rides.
Other than that, things are going well. Jonathan's last day of school was this past Tuesday. We are suppossed to go to lakewood park today and have a picnic. Got to love Cleveland weather....Tuesday it was 60, Wednesday- 70, today it's suppossed to hit 90! UGH! Its just the beginning of June!
Lindsay also noticed that when Thomas needs something....picked up, food, toy, etc, he will "mom" or "Umm". He understands that when he says the word "mom" than he gets things done! lol He doesnt quite understand that I am "MOM" but he knows when its said...especially to me.....he gets what he needs.
We tried to go on a bike ride this morning but we ran into two problems.
1) Jonathan has a valve leak on his back tire
2) It is difficult to put Thomas' helmet on along with keeping the coil in place. I am not going to say impossible, I am thinking of putting one of my headbands on him...over his coil, and than slipping the helmet over that. I *hope* it works. I want him to be able to hear us talking while we are on our nature rides.
Other than that, things are going well. Jonathan's last day of school was this past Tuesday. We are suppossed to go to lakewood park today and have a picnic. Got to love Cleveland weather....Tuesday it was 60, Wednesday- 70, today it's suppossed to hit 90! UGH! Its just the beginning of June!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
1wk post activation
I honestly can't believe how much Thomas has started babbling. He did start babbling about a week before activation with alot of consanants (sp?) but now he is starting to repeat and let me tell you....It is VERY cool!!!!! When Jonathan went through his starting to talk phase I took it for granted so I dont remember each and every little first sound he made. But now with Thomas, since each new sound he makes is a true blessing, I take it and cherish it.
We are starting on the "learning to listen" sounds. This week we are working on "choo choo", "buh buh bubbles", "whee" and "pop pop pop" . He loves his Thomas the train so we have been working with choo choo alot and started with bubbles today (I took 2 days off due to being sick which I found out yesterday was a severe case of strep). I would blow the bubbles and say "BUBBLES....BAH, BAH,BAH, BUBBLES" and he would laugh and give me a "bah". Than I went on to "Pop pop pop" when the bubbles were coming down. Let me tell you....he wouldnt stop! For most of this morning he kept saying "pop pop pop" and would point to the bubbles. To anyone else this would seem like such a simple thing...but it is amazing to me.
I yelled for Jim and he and Jonathan and myself just listened to Thomas. Babbling up a storm. He would look at one of us and start talking and and we would repeat what he said and than he would babble back. I am so excited that he is doing so well with his CI.
I may not have a dream house, new car, high paying job, etc. But let me tell you...I have been blessed with two amazing children that I will forever be thankful for.
I have to tell you about Jonathan, too! On Thursday we came home and I was feeling so sick and pain was shooting all through my body. Thomas was clinging onto my pants crying and I just broke down. Thomas was crying and I was crying right along with him. Jonathan came in and he told me he was done with his homework and he left it on my desk so I could check it. Than, without me asking, he picked Thomas us and took him into the living room and played with him until dinner was ready. After dinner and baths I put Thomas down to sleep and Jonathan told me he had a surprise for me. I went into the bedroom and he had laid a comfy blanket down for me to lay on and than another blanket laid ontop of that so I could cover myself. He also had my pillows all fluffed up and the remote control next to them. He said "you always take care of me and now its my turn to take care of you. If you need anything just ask me and I will get it for you". Of course, I started crying again and I gave him a big hug and I laid down on my very comfy bed. I am going to take him to toys r us today and he can pick out anything he wants (within reason...we have both been eyeing up this bonsaii falls thing but its $300). I am going to remind him how much I love him and how much I appreciate everything he does for me and what a special son he is to me. Like I said...I have been truely blessed!
We are starting on the "learning to listen" sounds. This week we are working on "choo choo", "buh buh bubbles", "whee" and "pop pop pop" . He loves his Thomas the train so we have been working with choo choo alot and started with bubbles today (I took 2 days off due to being sick which I found out yesterday was a severe case of strep). I would blow the bubbles and say "BUBBLES....BAH, BAH,BAH, BUBBLES" and he would laugh and give me a "bah". Than I went on to "Pop pop pop" when the bubbles were coming down. Let me tell you....he wouldnt stop! For most of this morning he kept saying "pop pop pop" and would point to the bubbles. To anyone else this would seem like such a simple thing...but it is amazing to me.
I yelled for Jim and he and Jonathan and myself just listened to Thomas. Babbling up a storm. He would look at one of us and start talking and and we would repeat what he said and than he would babble back. I am so excited that he is doing so well with his CI.
I may not have a dream house, new car, high paying job, etc. But let me tell you...I have been blessed with two amazing children that I will forever be thankful for.
I have to tell you about Jonathan, too! On Thursday we came home and I was feeling so sick and pain was shooting all through my body. Thomas was clinging onto my pants crying and I just broke down. Thomas was crying and I was crying right along with him. Jonathan came in and he told me he was done with his homework and he left it on my desk so I could check it. Than, without me asking, he picked Thomas us and took him into the living room and played with him until dinner was ready. After dinner and baths I put Thomas down to sleep and Jonathan told me he had a surprise for me. I went into the bedroom and he had laid a comfy blanket down for me to lay on and than another blanket laid ontop of that so I could cover myself. He also had my pillows all fluffed up and the remote control next to them. He said "you always take care of me and now its my turn to take care of you. If you need anything just ask me and I will get it for you". Of course, I started crying again and I gave him a big hug and I laid down on my very comfy bed. I am going to take him to toys r us today and he can pick out anything he wants (within reason...we have both been eyeing up this bonsaii falls thing but its $300). I am going to remind him how much I love him and how much I appreciate everything he does for me and what a special son he is to me. Like I said...I have been truely blessed!
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