Max and Claire's Excellent Adventure

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:48:00 +0000

Another Christmas has come and gone and we are about to move in to a new decade. Time really seems to be moving at a breakneck pace these days. I hope it doesn’t seem that way for Max and Claire. I pray that they are able to enjoy this innocent and joyful time in their lives, before the stresses of the world catch up with them. Sometimes I wonder how much stress hearing loss has added to their lives. Do they face frustration with learning skills? Are they shunned from peer groups because their social skills are a little behind? Do I question their obedience, when they may have just not heard what I said? I don’t know. I don’t suppose I’ll ever know, because this is life as they know it.

On the other hand, I do feel that hearing loss is keeping them innocent just a little longer than most kids. Even though Max is doing great in school and sports and has many friends, I feel like he still has the heart of a younger child. I think that he misses out on the environment around him, just enough to shelter him from some of the unwholesome things other kids are exposed to. My experience with Claire is the same. Even though she challenges my patience on a daily basis, I feel like I can still play with my almost four year old as though she were only two. She still seems to be my baby.

As I said, time seems to be slipping by so quickly at the moment. I am afraid that I am not stopping to smell the roses and that I am letting my own stress affect my relationship with Max and Claire. That being said, maybe I should make a couple of New Year resolutions for 2010. My first resolution is to make 4:30pm until 9pm during the week, Max and Claire time. This means no napping on the couch when I get home, no Facebook when I get home and certainly much less TV time for all of us when I get home. We will play games, play Nerf dart wars and wrestle! My next resolution is to spend more time with Max on his school work and more time with Claire doing therapy type activities. I watched a video of Max the other day. It was filmed when he was 2 ½. I feel like he was so much further along with his speaking skills that Claire is now. I really want to catch her up and not cheat her out of a mainstreamed life.

My last resolution doesn’t really have to do with the kids. But I am determined to run the Music City ½ Marathon this year. I start training on January 9th. Please pray for me. I will need it! Running is not my thing.

A few things the kids got for Christmas…… Red Rider BB Gun, Tom the Hamster (real), Ice Skates and a Bicycle!!!!!

Here’s to hoping 2010 is the best year of our lives! Happy New Year!!!!!!

Greg

Daddy! Airplane!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:21:00 +0000

I already posted this on Facebook, so if this is redundant, I apologize. Claire was playing in our living room this morning when a helicopter flew over our house. I was upstairs when I heard her yell, “Daddy! Airplane!”. Obviously, the fact that she could hear the helicopter at all will always be a blessing. However, the fact that she could distinguish what the sound was is a true sign of progress and testament to the miracle of cochlear implants. With a cochlear implant, noise is not just “noise”; noise is a validation of the environment surrounding the user. A cochlear implant is the tool that allows the user to truly interact with that environment. What an awesome lifestyle experience these implants provide! Can you imagine the difference between a life of silence or extremely distorted noise vs. a life where sounds are rich and clear? If not, I suggest that you walk around with ear plugs in your ears for a couple of days, and then you might begin to truly appreciate this wonderful medical device. Life is full of struggles for our family, but our lives are also full of countless blessings!

I am thankful for.....

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:05:00 +0000

Let's see.... What am I thankful for? I've been focusing on the negative lately, so this should be a good exercise for me. I am thankful for a beautiful, kind hearted, hard working, intelligent, loving wife, who is an awesome mother to Max and Claire. I am thankful for two wonderful children, who happen to be deaf. I can't imagine my life without their smiles, hugs, kisses and laughter. Max has the biggest heart I've ever seen and Claire gives the best hugs and kisses. They will melt your heart! I am thankful for my Mom and Dad. Everyone would be a better person if they had parents like mine. I am thankful for my grandparents who are still with me. I haven't always been the best grandson, but they have always been the best grandparents. I am thankful for my little sister. I wish that I was more like her. I am thankful for Christian in-laws who gave me such a wonderful wife. I am thankful for all of my extended family. I don't have very many close friends, but I am thankful for the ones that I do have. You know who you are! I am thankful for my church and church family. I am thankful for my job. I am thankful for David Lipscomb Campus School and all of the wonderful teachers who work there. I am thankful for Mama Leer Hearing School. Katie and Rob rock!! I am thankful for Eggleston Children’s' Hospital and Vanderbilt Children’s' Hospital. They are doing God's work. I am thankful for Advanced Bionics and all of their outstanding employees. I am thankful for doctors David Haynes and Wendell Todd. I am thankful for Mary Anne Costa and Edie Gibson. I am thankful for all of my earthly blessings. I am thankful to be an American and a Southerner. I am the most thankful for Jesus Christ. I am thankful for countless things. I hope you are as well. Oh yeah. I'm thankful that the Titan's will not go 0-16 :)

Claire's Mickey Mouse SKINIT

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:37:00 +0000

This is not the best picture, but Claire's Mickey Mouse SKINITs came in last night. She was very excited!

Nashville Predators SKINIT !!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:45:00 +0000

Well this is really cool. I learned about SKINIT at the Advanced Bionics seminar. This company is known for making "skins" for cell phones, PDA's, laptops, etc. However, they also make "skins" for the Advanced Bionics Harmony. You can chose from just about any pro or college sports team, kids' theme or you can even design your own. I obviously suggest the Nashville Predators "skin". Your kids will love them (Max does) and their friends will envy them! I'm starting to sound like an infomercial. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know about something fun for your kids. Claire's should arrive shortly! Oh yeah. http://www.skinit.com/

The Parable Of The Lost Ear....

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:23:00 +0000

Oh the ups and downs of a cochlear implant family (especially ours). Upon the completion of a fairly cruddy week and a weekend that did not go as I had planned, I decided that I needed a break. So instead of going to our weekly "small group" at church, I decided to lay out and watch football instead. Stephanie decided to give me some alone time and took the kids to group by herself. While they were gone, I fell asleep in my red sleeping chair and woke up about an hour later in some sort of nappy, sleep induced stupor. No more than five minutes after I woke up, I received a phone call from Stephanie. I figured she was calling to ask me what I wanted for dinner. I wish. Stephanie informed me that Claire had lost her new "ear" at church! She said that everyone had searched high and low with no luck. "Crap." I scoured the house, the garage and the yard and struck out as well. "Double Crap!!" As those of you with implants know, these things are worth several thousand dollars. Advanced Bionics does offer a one time replacement service, but I didn't want to use that up this early in the game. Anyway, needless to say, Stephanie and I were in a very foul mood. Until about ten minutes ago that is. We received a knock at the door, which is rare for 9pm on a Sunday night. When I opened the door, who did I see? Martina McBride!!!! Just kidding. I saw Jake, our teenage next door neighbor. Jake likes to take walks late in the evening. Well, Jake found Claire's ear!! It was laying on the side of the road just a few feet from our yard. Way to go Jake! We owe you one. I guess there's really no moral to my parable. I'm just glad Claire's ear was found and that we managed to avoid a crappy ending to a crappy week :)

Mentor Training 2009; Advanced Bionics; Valencia, CA

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:28:00 +0000

What a wonderful experience. From the incredible Advanced Bionics Staff to the other BEA Mentors, our trip was truly a blessing. I knew that I was pleased with our decision to go with Advanced Bionics implants for both of our children before this trip, but now I have no doubt that we made the best choice. When making our initial decisions, we obviously did some research, most of it involving the number of meningitis cases, implant failure rate, etc. What we did not realize during our research however, was the fact that AB outpaces its competitors in the area of technology by a long shot. All of the cochlear implant companies seem to produce a very reliable product, but the advances in AB's product are amazing to say the least. I don't have the time or the expertise to explain all of the advancements in a short post, but if you are thinking about an implant for your child, please check out the Advanced Bionics web site. There is a link toward the bottom of my blog.

While technology should steer your decision in choosing a cochlear implant, the people that make up the implant company should also serve as a rudder. I've been to many conferences throughout my professional career, during most of which I couldn't wait for the ending. However the Advanced Bionics seminar was totally different. I have never before seen such an excellent, well prepared, knowledgeable, eloquent group of presenters. From the CEO on down the line, I have never met a more gracious, sincere group of representatives.The most interesting part of our trip, was the tour of the manufacturing facility. We were allowed to see the Advanced Bionics implant assembly process. It was pretty cool to say the least. We had some fun as well. Our hosts took us to a great Italian restaurant on Friday night. I don't remember the name, but I do remember that it was GOOD.

Anyway, Advanced Bionics is not paying me to say all of this. It is the truth based upon my experience. If any parents out there have any questions please feel free to send me an e-mail.

See ya.

October 2009 : Hawkins Family Update

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:05:00 +0000

Max brought home his first, 1st grade report card last week. He received "E's" (excellent) in Math, Reading, Social Studies, and Spelling! Way to go Max! Stephanie and I are so proud. It still amazes me that Max could hear nothing when he was born and now he excels in school and reads at almost a second grade level.

Max is playing Flag Football this fall. He likes defense the best. This past Saturday, he "sacked" the other teams quarterback in the end zone and scored his team a safety. You can tell that Max is very proud when he pulls a flag. He always looks over to make sure that I am watching.

Claire is also doing well. She continues to make strides in her program at Vanderbilt. Her new "ear" seems to be working well and if she concentrates, she can make complete sentences. Claire knows her A,B,C,'s and she can count to 20. I'm a little more concerned with her social skills than her academic skills, but hopefully she is on the path to a "mainstreamed" childhood. I know she can do it. Claire just has her own agenda at times.

Stephanie and I are heading to Valencia, California in a couple of weeks to attend Mentor Training at Advanced Bionic's corporate headquarters. We are really looking forward to the experience. It will be fun to meet other families that share our life experiences. Learning to help others cope and make important decisions regarding hearing excites us as well. I'll give everyone a report and hopefully post some pictures when we return.

See ya!

Claire Is Officially Bi-lateral!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:35:00 +0000

Well, Claire is officially "bi-lateral"! Her new ear was turned on today. As you can see from the video, it was a little loud when Kathy first turned it on. She almost started crying. However, Claire is my tough little warrior and finished today's process with flying colors. I'll keep you posted as the adjustment period continues. Everything is wonderful for now and we are expecting great things!

Claire Is Bi-Lateral !!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:11:00 +0000

I didn't even cry this time! I'm not saying that it was easy and that I didn't have mixed feelings and fears, but I made it through this surgery more easily than the others.

My day started out fine. Stephanie stayed at home with Claire on Tuesday morning. This meant that she got to deal with a three year old until 1pm that had not eaten since 9pm the previous evening. Poor Stephanie. I was lucky enough to focus on work for a while, so the stress of Claire's upcoming surgery was kept at bay (for a while). At around 12pm on my way home to help take Claire to the hospital, I started to feel it. I felt the fear, the angst, the doubt and the sadness. I teared up pulling in to our neighborhood. The feelings subsided some during the process of getting Claire to Vanderbilt. I was distracted with the stress of getting her stuff, Claire and Max out the door. This reprieve lasted until we were led to the pre-surgery waiting room and Claire started putting on her little scrubs. The scrubs made it all real for me again. The stress built with the visit from the Child Services specialist, the nurses, the anesthesiologist and the Head Resident. I was about at my boiling point when Dr. Haynes came by to see us. Let me tell you, this guy has some seriously good bedside manner. He immediately put me at ease with his confidence. I could just see it in his eyes. Nothing bad was going to happen to my little girl.

Claire got her "happy" medicine, they wheeled her back to surgery and I was at peace (or maybe I was just really hungry). I decided after breakfast that I would fast with Claire until her surgery in solidarity. I'm not telling you this to brag, I'm telling you because it was not a very good idea. When they wheeled Claire back to surgery, I had a hard time focusing on her. I was starving. All I wanted to do was make it down to the food court! Anyway, Dr. Haynes let us know before leaving, that Claire should be out of surgery around 5:45pm. Well, what do you know? Dr. Haynes showed up in our waiting room at 5:45pm on the dot! Incredible! With prayers, family and friends, Claire and I both made it through the surgery with flying colors! The only time that the fear crept in, was during Claire's recovery time. We were mistaken about how long it would take Claire to wake up from her anesthetic and I started getting pretty worried when we were well passed my assumed "wake-up time" for Claire. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the nurses let us know that Claire was doing great and they led us back to recovery.
What a beautiful sight my baby girl was. Claire was very groggy, but she still managed a smile at her Mommy and Daddy when we walked in the room. What a strong, brave girl Claire is. She is my little warrior!

Thank you to all of our friends and family for your prayers. Thank you to God for giving Claire angels to watch over her. Thank you to Vanderbilt Children's' Hospital, Dr. Haynes and his amazing staff for doing such a wonderful job!

Claire's new implant will be activated on August 26th. Pray that all goes well so Claire will be truly bi-lateral and hearing in stereo. I'll post a video. See ya!

2 Funny Stories and an Implant Date....

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:05:00 +0000

First of all, Claire's surgery for her second implant is scheduled for August 11th. Keep her in your prayers.

A couple of weeks ago, Claire, Max, Stephanie and I were eating at a local "meat and three" called the City Cafe. As usual, Claire finished her meal before everyone else and decided that she wanted to wander around the restaurant. This was fine, because the City Cafe is very casual and most of the customers enjoyed watching Claire. However, not paying much attention to what Claire was doing, I did not notice that she had grabbed the check for our meal off the table. This wouldn't have been a big deal, but the next thing I knew, I saw that Claire had given our check to an innocent elderly gentleman a few tables down! Being the generous person that I am, I let him pay our tab. (just kidding)

We celebrated Max's 7th birthday this past Saturday at Crockett Park. While trying to take care of Max's guests, I noticed that he and a couple of his friends had gathered around a light post and were staring at the ground. Max saw me looking at them and called for me to come over. All of the kids pointed at the ground showing me what they thought to be a gravestone. Max insisted that a person was buried at this spot and informed me that the name of the deceased was "Electric". While this was some good reading on Max's part, I decided that I really need to teach him the difference between a gravestone and an in-ground electricity box!

See ya...

Implant # 2 Approved

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:45:00 +0000

The process of Claire getting a second implant seems to be going smoothly thus far. The staff at Vanderbilt gave her the thumbs up a couple of weeks ago and we received an approval from our insurance company yesterday. I don't want to make this a political blog, but our health care system here in the United States is the best in the world. I love our insurance company, I love Vanderbilt and I love Claire's medical staff. I'll let it go at that.

Claire also started occupational therapy last week. Evidently she isn't using some of her muscle groups properly, which may be affecting her speech. Her therapist thinks that Claire can catch up with around 6 months of therapy. They worked on "licking" the other day. I wondered why Claire came up to me and started licking my arm. Luckily Stephanie was there to explain it to me. I thought maybe I just smelled like ice cream!

Max is well in to his sports camp season. He completed Vandy's soccer camp a couple of weeks ago and finished Vandy's baseball camp today (in the scorching heat!). He earned a special jersey at both camps and I'm pretty sure he was the "favorite" camper at both places! I'm so proud of that little guy. He makes me feel 10 feet tall! By the way, everything that Vandy does is A+ excellent. I recommend getting your kids involved there as much as you can. Thanks to all of the coaches.

We also spoke to Edie Gibson of Advanced Bionics this week about getting involved with their mentoring program. I've never though of myself as the mentoring type, but Stephanie and I are happy to help in any way possible. Advanced Bionics has been very good to us and I have no problem recommending them to others.

Talk to you next time.

Going Bi-lateral

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:22:00 +0000

Well. I never thought that I would say this, but it looks like we are going bi-lateral with Claire. I still hate the thought of more elective surgery and I still don't like the idea of the extra hardware, but after much thought, many questions and one last meeting with her surgeon, Stephanie and I feel like the positives of a second implant vastly outweigh the negatives.

Some might say, "What about the science of hair cell regeneration? If you get her another implant, won't you deprive her of that technology?" As I understand it, we are still at least twenty years away from hair cell regeneration being a possibility. If she goes that long without stimulus in her left ear, her auditory nerve most likely won't work properly any more and the new hair cells would be useless (Stephanie, correct me if I'm wrong!) We also must not forget that she will miss out on twenty years of listening and language skills that she can receive with a second implant.

Others might question the risks of surgery. That is my greatest fear as well. However, Claire's doctor eased my nerves during our last meeting and explained to me again that the risks are minimal. He didn't say this, but a CI surgery has been compared to a tonsillectomy as far as risks go. Am I to deny Claire the highest quality of life because of my personal fears of a minor surgery?

Still others might say that we are tempting fate with another surgery. Well, I don't believe in fate. I believe in God and I believe that God blessed us with Claire and Max for a reason. I know that part of this reason is to give them the most love, the best care and the greatest set of opportunities that they can possibly imagine. I believe that a second implant is part of this process for Claire and I know that God will take care of her. I don't mean to preach at you, that's just what I believe.

So long for now. I'll keep you posted. I'm guessing that the surgery will take place late this summer. Keep us in your prayers.

Greg

Nashville Sounds Link

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:31:00 +0000

I posted a link for something the Nashville Sounds recently did for the hearing impaired community in Nashville. Please look at my links and check out the article. Thanks.

Random Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sun, 17 May 2009 02:01:00 +0000

I think we have a meeting with Claire's ENT next week. I wonder if we will begin the journey of a second implant? If we begin it with her, I wonder if we will begin it with Max. How do these things creep up on me?

Max is a super reader! His first two years at David Lipscomb have truly been a blessing. I'm pretty sure that Mrs. Felts and Mrs. Seay are angels sent from Heaven. Praise God for their hearts.

Max is signed up for 4 sport camps this summer. Vandy soccer, Vandy baseball, Lipscomb baseball and Lipscomb soccer. Either we are crazy or he will have an outstanding few weeks.

We went to Claire's class picnic and yearly reunion today. We saw Ellie, Jase and Henry. Where does the time go? All of the Mama Lear graduates seem to be doing awesome! Vanderbilt has a great program. Thank you to all of the deaf education teachers.

I am so proud of Max and Claire. If only I had Max's heart and Claire's iron will (Claire has a sweet heart too!). Everyone could learn a thing or two from both of these kids. Max never has an unkind word for anyone and is always eager to include other kids. He knows that he belongs and loves God. Claire has a determination that will serve her well throughout her life. I know that as she encounters trials, she will pass them with flying colors. She is my little trooper.

Institutions blessed by God: Egleston Children's' Hospital, The Auditory Verbal Center of Atlanta, Mama Lere Hearing School, Vanderbilt Children's' Hospital, David Lipscomb Elementary School, Advanced Bionics

Anyway, thanks to all of our readers. I appreciate your comments and especially your prayers. Talk to you soon!

The decisions never end....

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:38:00 +0000

Can I just take a minute to feel sorry for myself? I think I will.

Sometime I feel like the responsibility of making life altering decisions for my children will overwhelm me. I thought that Max and Claire had all of their hospital time logged, but now I don't know. Claire is doing better with her implant, but she is still lagging behind Max's pace. Everyone seems to think that the obvious answer to catching her up is a second implant. I can see the benefits of that option, but the thought of subjecting her to another surgery makes me weak in the knees. I know how safe the procedure is and I know how skilled her surgeon is. However, there is always a small risk, even with the least invasive procedures. Will the second implant improve her learning rate? Will it work as well as the first one. If I knew the answers to these questions, the decision might be a little easier. I don't however, so as usual, the decision is not easy at all.

This leads to another question. If we get Claire a second implant, should we do the same for Max? He is doing well in school, but could he do even better if he had a second implant? Am I holding him back because I am scared to do this for him? The thought of putting my big man through another surgery makes me sick. He is vibrant, healthy, smart and loving. Should we take any risk considering how well he is doing? Am I keeping him from accomplishing great things by not taking that risk?

I just don't know and all of these decisions make me weary. I know that I should give the stress to God, but many times that is easier said than done. Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. I'm sure that God will lead our family in the right direction. If there is anyone out there that has bi-lateral implants or has a child with bi-lateral implants, I would value your opinion.

Max says he has 5 girlfriends now, by the way!!!
Claire's favorite word is hey-ya!!

Ladies' Man...

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:32:00 +0000

It seems that Max is quite the ladies' man. When I arrived to pick Max up from school the other day, he came out with a funny grin on his face and told me that he was mad at me. When I asked him "Why?", he told me that he wanted to stay at school longer and play with his girlfriend! (who shall remain nameless) "I want you to pick me up later, tomorrow." he said. Hilarious!

Even more funny, on the way home Max told me that he has another girlfriend on the side. I asked him what her name is. He said that he wasn't sure, but was certain that this girl is his girlfriend. When I asked him how he came to this conclusion, Max said " I know she is my girlfriend, because when I look at her, she smiles at me. That's how you know!" Smart man, smart man.....

I mainly posted this little story because i think that it is funny. However, I also posted the story because it is yet another example of how kids with cochlear implants can lead wonderful and exciting lives, just like any other kid!

Mama Lere Hearing School

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 02:56:00 +0000

Hi Everyone. It's been a long, long, long time since I last posted. My apologies. The kids had a fun Christmas and I am happy to have a normal life again!

Anyway, Claire turned three on January 10th! I can't believe how old she is and how big she is getting. Claire is one of my greatest challenges (just like her mommy :), but she is also one of my greatest joys.

One of the perks of living in Davidson County (Nashville) is that they have some decent programs for disabled children. One of these perks is an early intervention program for the hearing impaired. This program allows children that are deaf or hard of hearing to begin school at Vanderbilt's Mama Lere Hearing School when they turn three. Believe it or not, the county picks up the bill. How awesome is that?

Well, Claire started school this past Tuesday. I hated to pull her out of the West End Church of Christ program and I was sad that Miss Elsie wouldn't get to spend as much time with Claire. However. Stephanie and I both knew that Mama Lere was the best thing for Claire. They use an Auditory Oral teaching method, which is a little different from Auditory Verbal, but I have seen the school's results and they do a great job.

We already know that we made the best decision for Claire. Before Claire started school, she would talk to her family, but not to people in public. After one day at Mama Lere, she was already turning in to more of a chatter box. Her teacher said that Claire engaged the other children and spoke without being prompted. We do the best we can with Claire, but I know that letting her learn from dedicated teachers of the deaf will be such a blessing.

It is our prayer that Claire will be able to " main stream" by the time she begins kindergarten. We would appreciate your prayers as well. Thanks.

Max hears for the 1st time!! About 4 1/2 years ago.

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:05:00 +0000

Claire hears for the 1st time !! About 1 1/2 years ago.

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:05:00 +0000

It's been a while...

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 21:20:00 +0000

It's been a while since I last posted. My apologies, it has been an exhausting fall thus far. Anyway, before I get back to Max and Claire, I want to take a moment and thank Advanced Bionics for putting us on their website. You can find a link on our blog.

Originally, I had planned on explaining Max and Claire's implant turn on days in great detail. However, I think that I would rather catch everyone up to their current lives. I will say this. Both Max and Claire's turn on days were blessed occasions and their lives have been full and happy ever since. Their cochlear implants are truly a miracle. I will do my best to post a video of each turn on day as soon as I can figure out how to do such a thing. I'm not the most computer savvy person in the world.

Max's implant was turned on around five years ago in Atlanta, GA. He is now six. Even though he was born deaf, Max lives a wonderful life. He is in pre-first grade at David Lipscomb Elementary School in Nashville, TN. His talented teacher, Mrs. Seay says that Max is in the class's top reading group and that there is nothing keeping him from graduating at the top of his high school class! He enjoys playing soccer and baseball. Unfortunately, he also likes to watch cartoons and play on the computer. As most parents know, it's a tough balancing act to manage. He is an awesome kid. His speech is behind that of his peers, but he is quickly catching up with the help of my awesome wife Stephanie and the Auditory Verbal Therapy that he receives through Emily at Vanderbilt's Bill Wilkerson Center.

Claire will be three in January of 2009 and her implant was turned on when she was fifteen months old. I know that I should not compare their hearing journeys, but it is almost impossible for me not to do so. While Max passed most of his speech milestones quickly and with flying colors, Claire is a different child. She is a very smart little girl and completely capable of great achievements. However, she is definitely moving along a bit more slowly that Max. In my opinion, her slower progress is probably a combination of several circumstances. Number one, Claire is just different from Max. While Max was eager to please during his therapy sessions, Claire is without a doubt a stronger willed child. She can do what is asked of her, the problem is, she just does it when she wants to. We are also a busier family than when Max was born. We have two kids instead of one, Stephanie now works full time and we have done a poor job of avoiding the rat race. ( Have I mentioned how great Stephanie is? Not only is she a "looker", she is also a full time HR Manager and still finds time to teach Claire's therapy on a consistent basis. She also manages to take care of Max and me. Stephanie is awesome! ) The final reason that Claire is coming around a little more slowly ( in my opinion ) is that I assumed she would automatically be on par with Max in the speech process. This caused me to become lax in my help with Claire's sessions. I guess I just assumed that she would absorb her vocabulary from Max through some sort of weird osmosis. Don't get me wrong. Claire's implant is working great and she has become quite the little speech trooper. She is quickly learning her colors and numbers and seems to say something new just about every day. I think that she enjoys music as well. I caught her dancing to the tunes today at San Antonio Taco Company! She is Daddy's precious girl. We are debating a second implant to give her more sound, but that is another discussion for another day.

Like I said earlier, I'll try to post their "turn on" videos ASAP. Thanks for reading.

My Ear Is Magic !!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:35:00 +0000

I feel the need to postpone Max's journey for one post and just take some time to brag on my son. I know that I am a little biased here, but Max is the bravest, strongest, most confident little boy that I have ever met. When another child asks Max "What's that thing on your head?", it is extremely hard for me not to step in and answer for him. Surprisingly, I have done a pretty good job with letting Max take up for himself.

I remember one Sunday at church when Max was lining up with the other kids for children's' worship, a very precocious little girl came up to Max and asked him, "What is that thing on you head?" Max very matter-of-factly turned to the little girl and said "It's my ear and it's magic! It helps me hear."

Max is so much stronger than I! I remember another time at Green Hills Mall when a boy that was old enough to know better came up to Max and asked him if he was retarded. I wanted to tell the boy that Max was probably smarter than him, certainly had better manners and that Max could probably knock a knot on his head if he pushed the issue. I also wanted to grab the boy's mom and dad and tell them that they were pitiful parents and that they needed to teach their son some social skills. Max however, always as cool as a cucumber, looked at they boy and calmly explained that "that thing" was his ear and it helped him to hear.

What an example Max is for me! Just this past Saturday at the Vanderbilt baseball clinic a boy that was Max's partner for a throwing drill called him "hearing aide guy". I don't think that he said it with malice, but it still bugged me. It didn't bug Max though. He paid close attention to his baseball instructor and quickly mastered the drill long before his curious partner.

I love my son Max. He is my constant example in patience, friendliness, and good will towards others. Every day I strive to be more like him!

Max's Implant Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:01:00 +0000

It's been a while. I've decided that I don't want to spend a lot of time on the months leading up to Max's surgery. I will however say this. Max was fitted with hearing aides and began attending the Auditory Verbal Center of Atlanta before he received his implant. I have no idea how much he could hear with the aides (if anything) and I don't know if they accomplished anything other than making me a nervous wreck with their continuous whistling. In retrospect however, I do know this. Getting an early start, working with Mary Anne at the AVCA was invaluable. Mary Anne got Max started off on the right foot and he hasn't looked back since.

Max remained ear infection free up until the day of his surgery. So on July 15th, 2003 we took 13 month old Max to Eggleston Childrens' Hospital and began his journey as a listening, speaking communicator. What a day! So much pain. So much joy. It's really difficult to describe.

Let's start with the pain. Handing Max over to the surgery nurse is the single most difficult task that I have ever performed in my entire life. I knew that Dr. Todd was one of the most respected pediatric surgeons in the world, but I did not want my baby to be put under for surgery. Period. Especially a surgery that was elective and seemed so invasive. I knew the facts about the low percentage of risk involved, but crap, this was my sweet baby boy and there was a risk! Anyway, Stephanie and I handed Max over, watched him leave with the nurse (I remember it vividly) and wept for the next ten minutes. I'm about to cry now just thinking about it. The surgery took around 3 1/2 to 4 hours, I can't remember exactly. Those were the most miserable hours of my life. No doubt. I was in serious mental pain and didn't want anybody, not even Stephanie to talk to me (a lot immature of me....I know). I did some serious pleading with God during those hours.

Now the joy! What do you know. God, Dr. Todd and my tough boy Max Dylan Hawkins all came through for me. I remember the sweet look on his swollen, bandaged face and head when they wheeled him in to the recovery room. He was breathing and looked like an angel. I remember even more clearly the look in his eyes when he awoke from the anesthesia. He was groggy for sure, but those were Max's wonderful eyes. They were full of wonder, comfort and love. He immediately smiled at all of his balloons, cards, Bert and Ernie and best of all, he smiled at his Mommy and Daddy. That was truly one of the most wonderful moments of my life thus far. In all honesty, it was one of the most wonderful days of my life. How many people get to embrace such a range of emotions in one day and end up with such a miraculous outcome. Max was truly on his way to hearing and speaking! He was on his way to hearing his Mommy and Daddy say, "I love you Max.", while Stephanie and I were on our way to hearing Max say, "I love you Mommy and Daddy." What a truly amazing day!

Back to Max

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:35:00 +0000

Like I said a couple of posts ago, the news about Max's hearing cut me to the core. I have never been so devastated. Our family was however, blessed to be living in Atlanta when Max came in to the world. This was no coincidence and had to be providence. I am by no means an expert on the subject, but I do consider myself to be somewhat educated when it comes to hearing loss and cochlear implants. Believe me when I tell you this, there is no better place in the world than Atlanta, Georgia to deal with the news that your newly born child is deaf. Our initial audiologist, Edie Gibson (now with Advanced Bionics) was an angel. Max's post implant audiologist, Jolie Fainberg is second to none. Dr. Wendell Todd, Max's surgeon, is world renown and last but by no means least his Auditory Verbal therapist, MaryAnne Costin, stands heads and tails above her peers. (side-note....I know when my mom reads this, she is going to grimace at my punctuation, but I amexperiencing severe brain cramps. Sorry Mom!!!!)

Anyway, I tell you all of that in order to begin a transition in to the miracle of Max's current life. The time leading up to Max's surgery was tense. In order for the doctor to perform a cochlear implant surgery, the patient's ears must be free from fluid. Fluid is a sign of an ear infection and an ear infection mixed with ear surgery can lead to meningitis. This was a problem, because Max always seemed to have fluid in his ears. To solve this problem, Dr. Todd decided to put tubes in to Max's ears. So when he was around nine months old, Max got tubes in his ears. This seemed to help and kept Max infection free up until the time of his cochlear implant surgery.

Let me apologize. This post just isn't flowing and I really want to do a good job with the time leading up to and the day of Max's surgery. I will pick this back up when my head is a little more clear.

Thanks.

Claire Bear Continued.....

noreply@blogger.com (Greg) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:07:00 +0000

Claire's hearing test, I remember it well. Even though it went unspoken between us, Stephanie and I were pretty nervous about Claire's test. I hadn't worried much about it throughout the pregnancy, but now that the time was finally here, it scared the crap out of me and I know that the fear had taken away a very tiny bit of joy from Claire's birth. The morning after Claire was born, the nurse came into our room and took her away for the hearing screening. We put on a brave face, but anyone that knew us well could tell what was on our mind.

A short time later, the audiologist on call came back with Claire's results. She had failed. I was numb and Stephanie was devastated. Both of us aged a couple of years in a couple of minutes. Knowing our family's background, the audiologist treated us with kid gloves. She implored us not to worry, citing the fact that Claire had fluid in her ears and that situation could easily have caused her to fail her screening. "Whatever." I thought. "I've heard that before." I knew in my heart that Claire was deaf. I wasn't devastated like I was with Max, but boy was I getting extremely tired of bad things happening to our family (and selfishly, bad things happening to me). The audiologist said that we could re-test the following day, after the fluid had time to drain from Claire's ears.

Stephanie prayed hard for a positive result. I prayed some, but I was pretty ticked at God and was beginning to think that He never listened to me anyway. The nurse came to get Claire the next day. I waited in the room for a few minutes. One of our friends came by and tried to comfort us while we were waiting for the results. I couldn't handle it and went to watch the test through the glass in the nursery. Not expecting anything positive, I was surprised to see the audiologist smile at me through the glass. She gave me the thumbs up! Claire had passed the test! I couldn't believe it. I sprinted back to the room and told Stephanie the wonderful news. Maybe all of our bad luck was behind us.

We happily took Claire home the next day. We were pretty relieved as you can imagine and we began our life with our second child. Life was pretty normal for the next few months. However, after Claire was around four or five months old, I started having doubts about her hearing. She was not babbling at all and she seemed to be a really heavy sleeper. I remember "parenting" one night when Stephanie was out with her friends. I think that Max was in bed and that Claire was asleep on the couch down stairs. The thought of Claire getting a false positive on her test was really starting to get to me, so I decided to conduct my own test. I turned my cell phone volume all the way up and placed the phone next to Claire's ear. It was a pretty pathetic sight. Anyway, I set off the ringer. Claire didn't budge. My fears began to grow, but I was not yet convinced. Stephanie and I would clap around Claire sometimes in order to get her attention. She seemed to respond to the claps most of the time. My fears were cemented when Claire was around ten months old. She was taking a nap in her crib upstairs when the smoke alarms went crazy and started to blear throughout the house. Claire didn't move a muscle. I knew she was deaf. Stephanie was not convinced. She recounted many stories to me about small children sleeping through smoke alarms. Evidently, it was some sort of phenomena.

We went through the next few months worrying and decided to have a conclusive test shortly after Christmas. We had to know the truth. At least the truth would help us move on and get some direction. We took Claire to the audiologist's office at Vanderbilt. She hooked Claire up to the machine and the test began. I could tell that it was not going well. With tears in her eyes, she gave us the bad news. Claire was deaf.

Like I said before, I promise that our story gets happier, so please hang in there. I'm really tired, so I'll try to pick this back up soon.