Random thoughts of a distraught mother
Posted by: berose on: November 14, 2008
EC needs to be around her normal hearing peers. She needs to be surrounded by kids to further develop her social skills. I don’t want her to grow up thinking she is less of a person because of her impairment. That’s why if possible i always bring her to gatherings where there will be lots of little children her age. But what i really want more is to find some other kid who is the same with my daughter. In our place EC is the only one suffering from HI. I know EC is different and she will always be an extraordinary kid. I dont want to push her into something that she will not appreciate when she grows up. I know being with somebody who is the same with her will make her complete. Things will be much easier. There will be no pretensions whatsoever…for instance…she will not pretend that she hears everything in a conversation when in fact she did not. Constant explanation is not needed when she is with her HI fellows.
I read a blog of a hearing impaired adult she wrote her tale of growing up with a hearing loss, i’ll quote her exact statement “I refused to ask for directions (I couldn’t hear the answer and would look like an idiot if I walked or drove off in the opposite direction from what I’d been told)”. I know how hard that is..she has given me insights on how to deal with EC’s impairment and how to bring her up while embracing and accepting her deafness.
Cochlear implant is the best way to help her cope with her hearing loss. Nobody knows if her residual hearing in her better ear will completely disappear. Atleast if that happens she has her implant to fall back on. I want everything to be easier for her (well all mothers will do anything for their child i guess). I dont want her growing up with constant fear for the unknown (like if her better ear will be lost and will fail her completely, how will she function without her hearing) ..she will be mainstreamed for the rest of her school days so she is in need of well functioning senses on her faculties.
When i think of EC in mainstream school i cannot help but fear the reactions of her classmates on her hearing loss. Will she be accepted as she is? Will she be picked on by other kids? I know how cruel kids can be, their carefree nature tends to get over board with unfeeling and insensitive teasing. Being different i know my daughter will be an easy target for mockery and uncalled for jokes. I guess i’ll be needing all my strength to deal with all these things. Knowing my motherly concern and love for EC i can’t bear to see her being the butt of jokes to her peers. I bet i will be like a mother hen always on the defensive mood ready to attack anyone who comes messing with her chick. EC will always be that little chick defenseless, in need of love, guidance and support. But time will come my little chick will grow as strong as her mother or even stronger in GOD’s will.
