Round 1

Well, we survived the first round of new appointments for Miss Sophia. I cant say ENOUGH right now about the kids new Doctor. Dr. Redick. At first he was not listed as our primary for them. But after sitting and talking with him yesterday we were more then thrilled that he asked us if we would like to switch to be under HIS CARE. Positive thing being hes awesome and personable, but he just arrived here at Lewis, SO i know he wont be moving on to a new base anytime soon! And Sophie likes her Familiars.

He sat with us, talked to us about why we were there, Sophies history, and what we want from her future. He even understood WHY I was on the fence about the implant. Taking the conversation into his own hands, stating that it can be a daunting under taking, and The companies boast about the Positives, and the deaf community talks about how its against them. HE KNEW RIGHT WHERE I WAS COMING FROM.

Madigan army Medical Center~*~*~

He understood, that I dont want stastics,I dont want positives, or negatives really, I want reality. Reality about the life a 2-12 year old would under take with the methodology of having that type of Hearing instrument. I want to HEAR a recipient speak about the therapies and the hardships of learning to listen and then speaking. Because its reality!

Sophie Has no memory of sound. I know her first time Will be scary and then exciting.

So Dr Redick put the referrals in, and we get to make appts from them after Monday! YAY! Appointments for New Audiology, New ENT, New Otolarynologists, and NOW also for A review by the Physical therapy department, to see if theres some Exercises we can do with Sophie for her balance. Even tho we know her balance is an inner ear relation, Practice cant hurt!

My little Sophie Ge-Ge only weighs......26 pounds! lol. Shes lost weight with her picky typical 2 year old eating and just seems to be short :) NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. So got 4 shots yesterday and has a low grade fever as a result, poor thing got them in the legs and couldnt even get up on Sofa by herself last night :( But positive...she wanted to be snuggled.

So Im hoping by Mid-August we will have our first Audio appointmet and new hearing AIDS as her are already broken and looking like a snug fit in those little ears.

So...Its not a definite yes on the implants, but gradually as time is now closing in on us and appointments are ready to be made, Im leaning MORE toward the implants. Regardless to the odd implant dreams I have and terrors about it! Maybe it is the right thing.

Im thankful for a smart understanding Childrens Doctor right now, and Hoping the specialists are just as Great (raising hands up in Sign Language)

what Reality? A bi-cultural bi-lingual notion

So I've been reading. A lot. Of what the Deaf Community likes to speak out on. How they enlighten newbies...oldies and naysayers. View on life, Childhood, their parents, H.As, C.Is, being oral, no speech at all.ASL and signing alike.
To then the product at Sophies hands. Hearing aids for the profoundly deaf...Cochlear implants made by TONS of different hearing technology companies. Audists views, ENT Docs. Therapies and the NOTION that life would be sweet and blissful after implantation.
Videos and reads that make it seems as tho the implantee will Eventually be able to listen fluently, speak clearly, feel alive and empowered and grateful. They get recipients to sit in for an interview and speak about life before and after. The Grandness of it all!
But what saddens me is that out of all the videos, ONLY 1 i've seen showed a teenage girl, speaking, listening and signing in what technically can be called her native language! A beautiful language!...ONE video

the product videos and information forget to imform the viewers the actual amount of time and practice and skill the person then puts into using their BIONIC ear. The time taken away from child interaction, after school activities and such. True...with an implant the joy of sound comes to life. Music is heard and not just felt. Speech is a bit better, inflection is recongizable. Sounds may come "easier" to those who think its a magic hear all solution...and maybe it is, for those recipients, who have had some sound before and gradually lost it! Those priviledged enough to have had enough sound before Hearing loss and learned to speak. who already know what music sound waves actually sound like.

How About those in Sophies case. Lost it as an infant. Doesnt know what sound is. Wouldnt understand it at first. Wouldnt know where to look for it...PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. like learning to play an instrument. Which infact the hearing technology some what is. To learn, to distinguish where, what, who and why things sound the way they do...its a different form of hearing. Its still something that is worked on. Through out life...while it might not be a stuggle to listen and hear but its still a job, to pay attention to!

Yes yes the apposing arguments rebuttal...everything takes practice. Even with the CIs she will have to Practice reading lips, and pay more attention to her surroundings. She will still have countless speech therapies to help her orally, and ASL communication will take practice as well, and the whole family must join in on learning.(where we can then rebuttal,ASL is a language and just as hearing children learn speech at ages 0-3 to as does The deaf with ASL, they will learn their ABC's and 123's in the same manner just a different format)


So, this leaves us where? Still stuck. Im batting all around what to do in the life of our Daughter. Im doing my best to make informed decisions, and not go based off what may be easier, or what may make her average. And A lot of my readers...may not like my stand on the position, THeres no right answer! Just what is right for right now. A dear friend how ever did bring to light,that...maybe we found out Matt was joining army, and then Sophie was deaf,to better help us aquire any tool to help her in her Journey...CIs after all are extremely expensive,and the army has great coverage. Therapies are expensive. Private Schools are expensive.

Reality is in the definition. Maybe? Possibly? Is it? our Reality is Having a deaf daughter, which, lets be honest, Is amazing! And With or Without CI's its a matter of fact and will never change. So its our reality...The question is where does she fall in line. Deaf Community, Hearing World, the in between bouncers.
In one day and age there was the oralists. Deaf people who in a sense were forced into speaking only, and lip reading to make due...because Families didnt or couldnt learn ASL...in some way shape or form, does CIs feel the same way?
We dont want to comform, yet. Pick or choose...you comform either way! its a matter of heart and desire and how hard you are willing to work.

Some say super smarts come with ASL...learning to read at an Early age. great body language readers...deaf super powers! Other idiots think...deaf and dumb, as I have read time and time again in my research. SO sad and uncalled for. Its a lot to take into consideration.

So...to be bi-cultural and bi-lingual, to live in both worlds. One foot inside each...is it possible? as more and more Deaf receive the implant, and the old Deaf community is either disappearing or changing with the times...to be more accepting DUE to the large amount of receivers. Can living in both worlds, HELP! In this day where BULLYING is a media frenzy. Having a place to belong seems to be key, making others feel welcomed and wanted and loved and NOT bad about themselves, makes all the difference in a childs life. Yet, As I have come across people from both of these sides..its seems to me that CI children fail to belong...and for what reason I dont truly know. YET!

While, it was said to me once.."how could I consider leaving Sophie in her present Deaf state?when we have this instrument as an option" AS if to be abuse...Really is it abuse? its all she knows, and yet shes the happiest and Easiest 2 year old I've seem. Shes Flamboyant and mysterious and loveable and full of character...sure she can be the polar opposite at times...but that comes with the fact shes Deaf...and I truly dont believe an implant is going to make her SCARY tactics of Sophie-ness any less dramatic and heavy!

Havent made my mind up yet...New Doctors,new thoughts, new possiblities...So lets see.

Thought of the fact programs can kick us out of it, if we get CIs and still use and learn ASL as a communication baffles me...really????? WHY??? WHY??? but its ok to teach hearing kids, of all mannerisms to sign, as a form of communication...but not CI kids! WHAT THE F???? lets see if Fort Lewis Speech and therapies feel that way.

Docs on the 18th. Lets see what happens after that!!!! <3

perspective

wanting to speak with profoundly deaf adults, from birth and or under age of 5 when they lost hearing. CI receivers and Only ASL users. Compare thoughts and feelings on how life for them is.

Is It wrong that I hinder at what is best for Sophie?
Implants? no implants? Oral school? Deaf School?
I think its normal for me to wonder what school is going to be like for her regardless to our decision.

Shouldnt the right decision be a NO BRAINER? shouldnt I just know what we want and what we should do, with no questioning and no regret? I would think that if I truly believed Implants were the BEST way to go, I wouldnt STILL be questioning doing it a year later! :(

The Grander of things

Life is as Life Does...Right? Ive Said it a million times. In respect to my own life and other lifes I ONLY can look upon. Im not a Mind Doctor, or a "Shrink"...Im a pesty, know it all, want to be everything Brat! And thats Ok. Take me or leave me. Under the Muliple layers and ever changing HAIR...Ive always been that person. The Thinker, the Writer, the Nosey Neighbor. The Princess of research and Ideas, the creative.....hermit crab. In all honesty tho. Its the creative quirky people who hide themselves in rooms, Surrounded by 100s of cut outs, glue and magic markers who make "DREAM" boards...The Shy bottled up Girl with a Fancy notebook (or marble school notebook)and a pen in Hand all the years of school. THAT GOT THEM THRU THE AWKWARD-NESS. Its the hissy fits and belly laughing moments with Good friends you remember the most, not the Hair pulling, name calling, Purposely tattle tailing Moments (tho you may never forget them). Its the quiet moments alone in bed listening to the radio to fall asleep, and the quiet moments you wish you had in a movie threater to ACTUAL pay attention to whats said instead of someone gabbing in your ear (uuuhemmm MOM hehe). Then theres Thos sacred MOMENTS, moments that you dont always think about Until something in your present Kicks it back up to the front of your mind...The moments that stop you in your tracks..and Send you into LALA land. Moments, that later make you think ALL OVER AGAIN! In this moment right now, whats been kicked to the front is FASHION WEEEEEEEEEK! Every September Watching it "LIVE" on NY1 with none other then My Brother John. Catwalk after catwalk ooo's and ahhh's grabbing a notebook and pencil later and sketching a design...Loving the World of Fashion WE KNEW NOTHIN ABOUT! Laughing now! As I sit n my "holy" old t-shirt and capri sweats, hair in a bun, and IM TOTALLLY "mum"-ed OUT! HOW the turn has been spun...IM not any fun anymore..BOY how that must suck for Matt! But thats what this Summer is all about. NOW...as it creeps upon SUMMER in exactly 14 mins Pacific Time. This summer is about putting the FUN back into BEC. Re-invent the older me...into something Gracious and pristine. Awaken my slumberous soul. discover what I want to do with the rest of my dog days and turn them into....a Life FULL of the Grander of Things!

"Trade Show"

A little bit...

As things would have it. We are loving Washington. I couldnt have asked for a better place to spend the next couple of years. And if God has allowed for it! The rest of our Childrens Childhoods. There are lots of plans in our minds and different ways in which we can go about it! The hardest part, is...staying tuned for what may come. Im loving Lacey, and the fact LIFE IS AROUND US. Im loving the Captial and all of its quirkiness...

Our apartment is great, small for sure but awesome...

We have used the fire place just about everyday, at least once...Thankfully, the sun is shining high today.

We spent the last few days of Matts "vacation" doing it up Family style. Allowing him to continue spending the most time with the kids as he can soak up.

playing at the Priest point Park in Olympia

Being thankful,for the Journey we have been on, the road we are now following and Remembering where we are headed.

Heres a few more shots of Oregon, the most magical part of the move!

We were so high up, the Vista Views are simply beautiful!
hope you've been enjoying my Photos.!!

Some Wonders

These are the redwoods,and now the Oregon Coastal line.

My Family in the Rain

More to come later! All photos taken by me!

From the Redwoods

Howdy! Its long over due. But because of Wifi issues, most likely will be short and sweet.
San Francisco was our first nights stop on this Journey, We wound up staying In the Civic Center but had to Park a few blocks away and walk our stuff, our pets and the kids in the rain and cold to The Serrano Hotel. A cute, Posh, Wonderful Hotel! Comfy beds and nice elegant style...
sadly, Im using Matts laptop for Now and I dont have the room pics uploaded on his :(...At first I wasnt a fan of San Fran, the 49ers stadium was trashy, dingy and in middle of a crap neighborhood, Which made us sad. Then the road system was crazy weird...So getting to Hotel was the highlight of our first time, Where for the first time in a year We had REAL chinese take out and was super happy about that! The next day as we made our trek to the Golden gate Bridge my mind went from thinking that City was UKKKKKKY to beautiful! The Northern side is so much better, quaint shops and vintage buildings, plus awesome View points! But again those pics are on My laptop, so cant post till After Wednesday!
Same day we started on the 101 Highway, up and over and round and down crazy redwood lined Mountains, with no cell service for over 200 miles...Thank Goodness for the walkie talkies matt talked me into. Drove thru a redwood tourist attraction and gazed at GIANT trees, in Width and height! Enjoyed The limited radio stations (a few older country, Spanish, Christian, and Christian Spanish) I stuck to an awesome Christian Station thank you! Got lost trying to get down to eel River, Saw many folks parked in spots, boating and walking and yet...NEVER FOUND THE WAY, and gave up after an hr. Went thru a blinkable country hillbilly redwood town, with a group of people smoking weed next to gas station...OUR CAR smelled horrible for nearly an hr after, thats how close and strong it was :( Spent the night at a wonderful Best western in Crescent City Cali...It was relaxing. So that point was our start to the coastal Pacific line, as we made way into Oregon the next morning.


MAY I SAY OREGON IS MOUTH DROPPING, GOD PRAISING beautiful! We stopped sooooooooo many times that day. Even enjoyed a quick visit to the COLD rainy beach, where Perris chased after strangers and Sophie wanted to get close to the waves...leading to my flip flops being sucked under the wave and our feet numb for the rest of the day...IT WAS ICE ICE ICE ICE ICE.

The next day in Oregon we visited the Largest Seal Cave in America. Went down this freaky elevator 20 story building floors to witness the wonders of Seal life. Even Caught a few swimming out of cave as we made our way down the path. Saw beach after beach...Fisherman town, and beach get aways. Decided thus far, Some where along that Coast we WILL be retiring! We fell so in Love with it. I can see now why some of my family LOVES Oregon...ITS MAGICAL!
Made our Way to astoria OR, interesting place. Decided to cross the famous Bridge and Landed in Washington. Only to see Destroyed land, and missing Trees, That apparently a storm and torn up the place...wasnt too impressed at first. It was all trees and no cars....or so it seems for ever!!!!!!!!!!! weird towns and homeless, druggies asking us for money! US? MONEY? bahahaha yea ok! ;)
Made to to Olympia and it started to Brighten up!!! Stopped at a hotel in Lacey and Called in OVER! We were 10 miles from base. Here we are 5 days later, still havent been on Fort Lewis..Passed by it. but didnt go in yet. GOt a 2 bedroom apt in Lacey, this place is great, a fireplace..a garden tube I can sit indian style in (sideways, no long ways, its huge) a pool, a kiddie pool and hot tub. gym and clubhouse, NEAR CIVILIZATION, stores and whatever we want. Have to say, I love Olympia best. Quirky, artsy town, Ill fit into I think! we live super close!!! All in All it was a good trip, a few bumps (dead van needed new battery one morning) and a few good fights, crying nights and now a sick Ry Ry who couldnt be more crabby!!!!! But life is great! Going to just enjoy the last few days we have with matt before he reports to Work, and He even gets to be home this year for our Anniversary!!!! Its Wednesday!
I say, if anyone gets the chance to Drive the 101 coastal pacific HIGHWAY! DO DO DO DO DO DO it, and take your sweet time!


Pictures to come later this week!