New Adventures

Haleigh has never been a typical person. From the moment I found out I was pregnant with her, everything was different. I felt different than I had in my other pregnancies too. She was not a typical baby. Of course there is the Nevus. But there was also her reflux and failure to thrive. The milk, soy protein intolerance. The allergies. The Asthmatic episodes. The genetic markers, that never lead to anywhere. Throughout everything she was a happy baby, grew into, A happy heathy child. So I can't say I am too surprised about what's next for us. For her. But I really was. So I'm going to back up a little. And start from a couple months ago. 

Haleigh started first grade this year. She had done well in kindergarten. About a month into school, Haleigh's teacher (who I love) called and said she thought Haleigh would benefit from after school tutoring. It seemed she had lost a lot of reading skills over the summer. So we signed her up. She was doing well. But still not getting her sounds like she should have. The teacher decided to refer her to reading intervention. It's a great program and had helped Landon read on grade level in less than a month! Before they start the school sends a note home asking for permission to screen their hearing and vision. Did the same with Landon. I signed the form. Told Jason they would be checking it. Slipped it into her back pack. And didn't think anything of it. That was 2 weeks ago. 

Last Tuesday while at work I got a phone call from the school. I figured that one kid was sick or something. It was the nurse, she had given Haleigh her vision and hearing screening. Her left ear was fine. They said she failed in her right ear ear and both of her eyes were worrisome. They suggested I see the ENT and get a full eye exam. We decided to start at the pediatric office. That appointment was Friday afternoon, we saw the PA, who I really like. Their screenings showed Haleigh has no hearing in her right ear and was seeing about 40/20 in her left eye and 35/20 in her right. They confirmed we needed to see ENT and Eye. Appointments were made quickly. Monday we saw ENT. Dr.E, she did all of Landon's ear surgeries and I trust her fully. Another Hearing test was preformed and she confirmed Haleigh's left ear functions at 100%. Her right functions at 3-5%. With that she ordered a CT scan so she can see the inter workings of her ears. She is interested in seeing if her nerve is underdeveloped, damaged or small. She is sure that this is something Haleigh has had all of or most of her life. Definitely not something new, definitely something she's had since she was an infant. Haleigh did have a newborn hearing screen. We've since learned that just as with everything else there is always a chance of that screening being wrong. Just as a hearing child can fail a screening, a deaf child can also pass one. Because there is some function in the right ear we have been referred to the Hearing clinic at Alabama Rehabilitation Center next to the children's hospital. She will have a team there that will evaluate her for a hearing device, they will also determine if she needs any kind of therapy and if so what kind. I have spoken with her social worker and that is in the works. However it is ran by the state of Alabama so there is a lot of paperwork and some waiting. The good news is this is not something that's getting worse as we wait. The reality is that why we have just learnt of the issue, she has been living with it her whole life. 

On to the eyes. 

Her eye appointment was quick and easy. She didn't like the drops, but hey who does right? Haleigh's vision is 40/20 in her right eye and 50/20 in the left. The left also has an astigmatism. Her glasses are so cute. They will be ready in a week. Dr.J (eye dr) said she'll need them to read and watch tv. When she's older to drive. And they will recheck every year. But for now she can take them off in PE and she's good if she's out playing. He said some kids get them in and want to wear them all the time and that's fine too. 

I have done A lot of thinking over the past week. Thinking we went through so much already with her. Why couldn't they find this as a newborn? Why now? What am I suppose to do? Would This have been easier as a baby? Did I miss this because I was too busy with everything else we had going on in our family?  Then I realized that while yes, she had so much going on no one ever said a word about hearing. And I was already so overwhelmed. I was at my limit with appointments, there were nights I just sat watching her breath, praying over her. I leaned on God with everything I had. And he knew. He knew I wouldn't make it through having something else added in at that moment. He new I needed time to deal with so much other stuff. Gods timing is never wrong and he makes no mistakes. So no, I don't know exactly what will happen when we go to the hearing clinic. I don't know if she will need a hearing device, or if we will all learn to sign. I don't know if this is the last thing that will come up with Haleigh or any of the other kids. (Doubt it though) But, I do know that we are exactly where we are suppose to be. Doing exactly what we are suppose to be doing. I know that Haleigh is not upset about anything going on and she knows how loved she is. I can tell you that we are not sitting around with our heads down full of worry and wonder. I can tell you we feel no pitty and don't want any. While Our family may not be typical, we are perfectly and wonderfully made, by God himself.