Say What?

July 15, 2011
Off to the ENT we go…As we sat in the waiting room I noticed a pair of Oticon hearing aids attached to a display. As luck would have it, the aids detached from the display which gave me the perfect opportunity to introduce them to Trey and possibly even try one on before the audiologist (a stranger)did.
Trey was “game” for touching them, trying them on and even tricking Drake and Broc by asking them to look at his ears to see his new hearing aids. The boys couldn’t see them so Trey lifted up his hair to show them he did indeed have them on.
Trey loves fooling his brothers and thought he was a big shoot when they express wanting a pair because they thought they were cool and that they could hear music louder with them on…go figure?! I’m guessing it’s like when I was younger and had braces, all my friends wanted them too, ha-ha! Anyway, we are off to a good start…
Trey’s appointment with the ENT (who happens to be my cousin Tim) and the audiologist confirmed what we were told in Minnesota. The audiologist wanted to run his own series of hearing tests on Trey to not only verify the test results we received in MN but to also test at a few other ranges to be sure to identify the correct settings for Trey’s hearing aids. Trey was once again a super patient and much more compliant than I ever thought he’d be (but of course!). Even though the audiologist suggested I sit Trey on my lap in the sound booth to administer the hearing test’s, Trey decided against it and was ok with me sitting outside of the booth looking in at him while he tested.
Both the doctor and I were surprised that Trey was good with being in the booth alone and such an independent guy! immediately after the testing, we talked about the results in depth. After that, we examined the numerous options available to us for Trey’s new hearing aids. One of the factors we discussed had to do with Trey’s elementary school and what device, if any, they had in place to optimize Trey’s classroom experience. A mold was made of Trey’s ear to fit the rubber tubing that would be inserted in and around Trey’s inner ear that will connect to the aid. Trey was a perfect little solder and stayed very still for 6 minutes (on each side) as the “play dough” hardened and set. Next we picked the color of the back portion of the aid (the part that wraps around the back of Trey’s ear). The audiologist suggested a darker color than Trey’s actual hair color due to the fact that it sits in the shadow of his ear and will be less noticeable. I agreed with the darker color along with the fact that I believe Trey’s hair will keep getting darker with age and will eventually be just a dark as his aid.
Tim suggested that in addition to the hearing aids, we also have the tube in Trey’s left ear replaced. I was hoping that Trey wouldn’t have to have the tubes as well as the aids but sounds like that is not the case. I will make an appointment with Dr. Fucci to bring him up to date on Trey’s issues and talk about the non-functioning tube in Trey’s left ear.
As soon as I get a hold of the elementary school we can decide on the best options for Trey’s aids. The doctor will immediately order the aids because as we are told, it will take three weeks to receive them at which time we will return to learn all about how to operate and take care of Trey’s new “door’s to the world”.
I am even more excited than I was before going into this appointment because not only am I anxious for Trey to hear 100% of everything going on around him, he too is excited about this new experience.