Sunday, July 25, 2010

Bittersweet moment

Saturday night we were at a friend's house for a barbeque.The kids were eating and playing games and the adults were having a nice time catching up with each other.Then,a friend and her musician boyfriend started playing the guitar and sing...and man, they were good.

So I went to get Rhianna who was busy playing.Sure, she has been in a music class for about 2 years now but that is children's music and movement class.I don't think she has ever seen anyone really played James Taylor kind of solo guitar live before.

So she sat down, mouth open,eyes wide staring at this man while this sweet,sweet  man kept serenading her with beautiful songs.After a couple of songs,she started clapping and moving.And when he did the children's numbers..I was almost certain that she fell in love..

It was fun yet bittersweet for me watching my deaf child listening to the music and actually enjoying it as others do...

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

The Ice cream story

                                         Enjoying her ice cream..



                                           Do you want some?


This is the ice cream story..
Haunted by guilt for working so hard these few days,Mom decided to take Rhianna out for ice cream during lunch break.

Mom: Let's get some ice cream.
R      : Ice cream?
Mom :Yes.Do you want ice cream?
R       : (nodded excitedly)
Mom  : I love you
R        : I love you, mommy

After she got the ice cream..

R      : Thank you, mommy
Mom:  You're welcome. I love you
R      : I love you, ice cream
Mom : what??
R       : (squealed with laughter)
Mom : Do you love mommy or ice cream?
R       : Ice cream.Hmmm..ice cream sedap (delicious)


Oh well...mom is neither edible nor sedap like the ice cream.But the language,reasoning ability and sense of humor isn't too bad for 10 months hearing age.So mom is still glad.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

This one's for my friends

I'm thankful for my friends...I have many in real life and also online.Each of them serve a different purpose in my life.Some are fun to hang out with to share a few jokes,some are coffee buddies.Married friends might be good for parenting advice and single friends are good for when you need some cheering up for they do a lot of fun things (that I have stopped doing gazillion years ago it seems).I admit that I invest a lot of time in my friends.

But I have a few very good ones who over the years have become very closed to me.These are the ones who travelled 600 miles both ways to attend my wedding,cried when I became pregnant,jumped up and down in the Ob/gyn office when we discovered we were having a girl (more girl power!).These are the ones who were at the hospital during my labour,visited every night and stayed until midnight to help with the (screaming) newborn..and came to the house at 4 am to help with a screaming toddler.

They play a major role in Rhianna's upbringing as well..they babysit when ever I'm tired,they take her for outings,drive her to her classes and help plan her parties.The day I found out that my child is deaf,they cancelled everything and was just there for me.Then,they helped plan for her future.

Together we made various appointments and pulled all strings to give her the first CI.

Now,they are again demonstrating their value in my life as well as Rhianna's.These friends are the key to my quest for the second CI.They helped me find the donation from various people and companies.As the surgery time closing in and I start emptying my piggy banks,they are emptying theirs as well.

Even if I lived another hundred years,I wouldn't find anymore friends like the ones that I have now.
There are my rock,my sounding board..they are the gem in my life..

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Striking while the iron's still hot

Rhianna's second surgery is yet to be scheduled.This July is an extremely busy month for me with Rhianna's multiple ear check up and therapy and also with the many changes in my career...(mum and dad still need to earn enough money for this little princess).

I have been asking around to see the importance of observing the optimal time for sequential surgery.The optimal time being 6-12 months between the two ears.If we are to follow that guideline,Rhianna needs to be implanted and switched on before September..that would mean..NOW! Like our ever helpful mentor Dr K said,we better strike while the iron's hot.

And then,there's the financial issue..this ear is going to cost us RM58K (which is a huge sum!).If we were to delay the surgery for a few months,we would have more time to raise the money needed.But if the few months delay is going to hinder Rhianna's progress..we would have to dig deeper into our pockets and empty more piggy banks and proceed with the surgery now.

I would really appreciate feedbacks from anybody with any experience at all.I need all the information before making any decision as I dont want it to come back and haunt us later..