Hearing Aids Here We Come..

 As we have systematically evaluated all of Molly Kate's body systems under the guidance of our genetics team, (whom called themselves the medical detectives the first day I met them), we hadn't come across anything out of the ordinary.  For the last five months, we have spent many, many hours in various medical offices and hospitals getting everything from blood drawn to an EEG.  It has been exhausting, but necessary as radial dysplasia is associated with many other medical conditions.  I knew this full well when bringing this babe home, and so far all has come back absolutely ordinary until this last week.  

We had our audiological evaluation.  It was scheduled last.  So after a long three hour appointment with OT and PT, we descended the stairs of the building to head to the first floor office.  My Molly Kate's language is coming along very slowly.  She is already seeing a speech therapist from the area association a couple times a month because of it.  I thought something must be off because her language just hasn't been coming the way her other skills have been.  I suspected she may not be hearing me all the time, but sitting in that booth hearing all the sounds she wasn't was astounding.  She has a moderate hearing loss that is borderline severe in some tones.  Despite this, she is picking up some language though her articulation is a bit off.  She is following directions though it is probably more about watching and modeling previous situations and not understanding language.  She is bright, so very bright, and I can't wait to get her hearing aids in place so that she can begin to experience all that this world has for her to listen to. 

Initially, we were told it could be four months before we would be able to get in to schedule her sedated hearing test.  We can't get her hearing aids without this test, and four months is way too long to wait for her to hear if you ask me.  I did some calling, and lots of advocating.  I found an audiologist a couple of hours away in a large city that could get her in this Friday!  She will be sedated, and have a  computer hooked to areas of her skull.  The computer will read just exactly what our sweet baby girl is missing and what she can hear.  This will help the hearing aid center customize her aids to her beautiful ears.  We have an appointment at the hearing aid center the week after next, and, Lord willing, we may have these hearing aids in place before Christmas!  I am so thrilled to be able to offer her this tool.  As always, God has shown up in mighty ways for this beautiful girl of ours as He has opened doors to doctors and procedures that we were initially told would take much longer than this. I can't wait to see her face when she hears the birds sing for the first time.  I can't wait to watch her actually hear Mickey Mouse's voice while she dances to the clubhouse music she loves so much.  

While I am over the moon that my baby girl is going to have an opportunity to hear all the sounds God created, I can't help, but ache in my heart for those millions who will never have an opportunity to hear because they lay waiting in the orphan's bed for a momma to come. For those who wait, the opportunity to hear slips away as their chances of being chosen grow slimmer and slimmer as they get older.  This sweet girl of mine is such a treasure!  I can't imagine my life without her, and I know that there are many more, who are just as precious, waiting for someone to say yes to bringing them home.  Waiting for someone to say yes to some needs that may be a bit unknown trusting that God will provide all they need to make that one a son or daughter.  I have seen it each time I have said yes to adoption.  God meets each and every need!  How blessed I am to again have an opportunity to lean on the Lord trusting that He will meet all my baby girl's needs as this hearing loss is no surprise to Him.  I wait in anticipation as I watch Him use her life, and my small part in it, for His glory on this Earth.  I can't wait to see where this takes her!