I Have Answers!!! Even ones that I can live with!!!

Well, as I predicted, I made it worse than it needed to be. I AM NOT HUMAN, AM I??? I went in armed with all my questions and Dr. Kelsall answered most of them before I even got to ask! That's ok, it helped with keeping myself in check. He stated that I do have auto-immune hearing disease, which can/could have caused/continue my hearing loss. I may have had it since I was born (probably not) but it will always test postive when I have that bloodtest (some technical name ??), just like you would test postive for the antibodies of chicken pox (if you had it as a child) even though you don't have the chicken pox now. Ok, what happens without trying steriods, could lose more of my hearing but not likely. The "classic" auto-immune hearing disease happens when a person has normal hearing, then boom its gone. Not my case, hearing loss since I was born. So he felt in, in so many words, that doing the treatment of steriods would not benefit me, in fact it was about a 5% chance I would improve my hearing. I decided that 5% was not enough for me to go through Prednisone, so hence continuing with surgery. I will go back on the 5th for Pre-op and update eveyone on that information when I get it. I am sure of my decision of going forward with surgery is the right one, deep within my heart. Now, if my hearing gets worse after surgery in my left ear (not getting the implant) I would probably go through the steriods treatment to see if helps to preserve what I have and he said that would be fine to do it that way. So that makes me feel better that it is not a one and only chance deal.

Thank you to those people that helped me through this week and listening to me "vent" and question everything. You really helped me see all perspectives with an open mind, which is not easy sometimes.

I really have to say the Dr. Kelsall is a very good doctor (conservative) in a lot of ways. He is respectful to listening to what you have to say, reposnsive to your questions, and respects your decisions. I would recommend him to anyone that has any hearing issues of any kind. He has wonderful "bedside" manners, but also knowledgeable. So if you need information on him, let me know, I will be glad to give it to you.

Confusion and Uncertainthy

I have been debating if I should write now or later when I have more information to tell you. Well, I decided to write now and later so that you all know where I am heading. Remember the bloodwork that I had to do (all 6 or however many vials) well it came back with me having Auto-immune disease hearing loss, therefore I am meeting with Dr. Kelsall today. It is my understanding from the nurse/secretary that he wants me to try steroids to see if it will improve my hearing. WHOOO! Talk about a letdown when I heard that message. I am not really wanting to do steriods for obvious reasons so I am armed with my questions and my husband, Troy, to see how the discussion will start and end. I am thinking of the worse case scenario as people tell me, that's what humans do BUT I may be overreacting also. I have not slept well, been cranky at home, and anxious as of now.

So for future details, tune in later tonight or tomorrow.

SHOTS

Not only did I have to get a shot, but I ended up with TWO shots!!! Maybe I should learn to keep my mouth shut! I went to see the doctor yesterday for the first time (new doctor) and he was asking me all the normal questions trying to get to know me better for the few brief minutes that he was going to see me in a long time. During this questioning and answering session, I bring up how often are you really supposed to get MMR shots? He stated that you shouldn't have to get any more booster shots for MMR, then he asks when was the last time you had a tetnus shot? I said "uuuummmmm, not sure!" Lo and behold, I got a tetnus shot the same time, in the same arm, almost in the same spot (I'm sure the nurse was having fun), what is up with that?!! Then I, as my mother always taught me when you receive something, said "Thank you." What am I doing? Thank you for my shot, I really enjoyed that, DUH. I even told her that, I can't beleive I just said thanks for a shot, she laughed and said lots of people do that and she thinks its funny. It makes her job eaiser, I suppose.

So, no more torturing until actual surgery day which is still scheduled for March 18. But I will know more on the 5th when I go for Pre-op. Stay tuned!!

Getting Nervous (Ok SCARED)

Well, I (we) are getting closer to the real start of the journey. I have less than 4 weeks before surgery is scheduled on March 18th. I don't know the time yet but will let you know on March 5 when I go for Pre-op. Tomorrow, I get to go to the Dr. and get my shot and all that hub bub stuff that happens at the Dr. She is new to me so I had to actually schedule an appointment to meet with her. So, I guess I will see who my new "primary" doctor is, whom I will hardly ever see since I refuse to go to Dr.'s unless I am dying.

However the topic is not Drs but how I am starting to feel. People ask me all the time, "are you scared?" Usually I say, "yes, a little." Am I scared of the surgery, NO! But what happens AFTER the surgery, I'm starting to feel the tension happening within myself. I think about what it will be like when they turn on the implant. Will I hate it? HOPE NOT! Will I like it? HOPE SO! Will I be disappointed? DONT KNOW WHAT TO THINK! How will my family deal with it? DEPENDS ON WHICH KID YOU ASK! Will they go nuts or support me? ALSO DEPENDS ON WHICH KID YOU ASK! Will I wish I didn't do it? GOSH I HOPE NOT! But can't answer this question until the time comes.

I will admit that I am scared now and I know in my heart that I am making the right decision but as with any life altering decisions you make in your lifetime, you always wonder. SO stay tuned as we get closer to the actual day and we will see how I am faring then.

I do want to THANK the people that have been supportive in all this journey so far. I love you for that!

Insurance Acceptance

I got the paperwork today that I was approved to get my cochlear implant! This news has made me happy! Johnnie called me today from Rocky mountain Cochlear Center and wanted to know all of my selections for my implant. I ordered pink and silver, so I get to decide how I want to be. I never had the choices of colors before so I am goin all out now. On Friday, I have to go to the Dr. that I never see and get a shot! Can you beleive that! The shot is to make sure that I don't get pnemonia which could go to bacterial menegitis, hence having to get the shot. I tell you having to do all this is worth it but jeesh I thought I was done with shots. I will let you know more on Friday what happens.

Start of the Journey--Bloodwork!

Well, aside from seeing the Dr. and getting the go ahead that I am a good candidate for surgery which was wonderful news, I must say!!!

I had to go and get bloodwork this morning. Now this may not be such an issue for you but I couldn't eat for 12 HOURS. Can you believe these people!? What are they thinking?

Anyways to start the whole story from the beginning, I was set to go to Summit View on Sat. morning at 7:30 so I could go eat since I didn't eat all night, man that was a killer. I get there and they tell me they can't do the bloodwork because my insurance says I have to go to Quest Diagnostics. Now, I want you to know that telling me this at 7:30am, 13 hours after I had last eaten was not a pretty sight. Troy says, "I'll take you to breakfast." Ok, so the people were nice at Summit View and pointed me in the direction of Quest Diagnostics across the road BUT were they OPEN---NOOOO! So, I now get to go eat.

So, on Monday I call Quest Diagnostics all ready to complain about not being open on Sat. to help people that can't really miss work and I got the computer generated voice (uuugghhh!!!) and set my appointment with it. So, getting the bloodwork done wasn't all that bad. The computer voice actually scheduled my appointment right, amazing! The lady takes me back and gets me ready to take my blood and she pulls out 6 vials and NOT the small ones either! I looked at her and siad, "You are going to take all my blood with that many vials!" She laughed and told me, "No honey, you will have plenty when you walk out." Thankfully she was right but then I go outside, get in my car, and eat the breakfast burrito that my sweet husband made for me.