We received a phone call yesterday and a letter today from our insurance company that they would approve our previously denied request for a "bone conduction hearing aid evaluation"...What? Not quite what we requested. We had requested a referral for the Baha evaluation so that we can get Jackson his Baha. Once Shand's calls to set up the appointment, I will clarify with them that we are needing to make the appointment for the Baha evaluation. Some families have just had it done as part of the normal procedure when they have the audiological exam done. I'm not quite sure what the difference is between having his hearing tested unaided and then aided with a bone conduction hearing aid...other than the fact that they would use a Baha instead. Any families out there with this specific experience know the difference? We would love to hear from you! Hopefully we will also be able to get a loaner Soft band Baha during this process.
Today I also had the transition meeting for Jackson. This meeting is the transition between our Early Intervention (Early Steps) program to the PreK program with our school system. We are waiting for appointment times for the school system to do their testing to determine the best placement in the fall. The team really feels that although he is delayed in areas due to being in an orphanage that he will catch up and that his "true" disability is the hearing impairment which would qualify him more for the Language Impaired Program which is part time. The other part of the day he would be in a prek program with his hearing peers (these peers would actually be younger than him by approximately 6 months because Jackson is not potty trained). This would probably be best as well due to being behind.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Mother's Day
I get choked up when I think about writing this post. To think that God gave me the desires of my heart. The chance to celebrate Mother's Day, again, as a NEW mom! How blessed I am. How humbled I am when I think about Jackson's birth mom. And greatful that God had provided a way...to work something so good out of something so bad. My heart aches for her and for the decision she had to make, no matter what the reason was. I can only pray that a piece of Jackson remains in her heart. I pray that God will somehow let her know how loved he is. How safe he is. How happy he is. And I pray that she will know that a part of her will always be carried with us in our hearts!
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My children are known for playing practical jokes on me! There's no mercy, not even on Mother's Day! I thought we would be able to get out of the house on time for church, but everyone insisted that I open my Mother's Day cards and gifts. No surprises there...until Jadon asked me if I would smell my flowers! And there it was!!!! Hidden so well between the stems! Beware my sweet little ones!!!! It will show up when you least expect it!!!!
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My children are known for playing practical jokes on me! There's no mercy, not even on Mother's Day! I thought we would be able to get out of the house on time for church, but everyone insisted that I open my Mother's Day cards and gifts. No surprises there...until Jadon asked me if I would smell my flowers! And there it was!!!! Hidden so well between the stems! Beware my sweet little ones!!!! It will show up when you least expect it!!!!
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Friday Nights
There are plenty of Friday nights around here that end with Chinese Food. We always make it a point to provide chopsticks for Jackson (and everyone else)! For a short time, Jackson stopped using them. I guess because it was much quicker to eat with his hands! But, I think he's back in full force! What-do-ya-think?
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These would be Jadon's cheeks STUFFED FULL!
Friday, May 7, 2010
MIA
Sorry that we have been Missing In Action. Between school, work, strep throat, Jackson's appointments, soccer, dance, homework and our 95 degree weather, I have been finding it hard to post.
Jackson had his Early Steps evaluation a week ago. He obviously qualified for Speech/Language services and also Hearing Impaired services. His results from what was evaluated is technically invalid due to the fact that he has a hearing impairment and has no language, whether it is Chinese or English. But...it was a step in the right direction. We are assuming that after more evaluations for the school district, that he will possibly only qualify for the 1/2 day Language Impaired Program. We have contacted the preschool where Sydney and Jadon went and they will have room for him in their part-time program if it turns out that way.
This Tuesday, Jackson will have his first speech therapy session at home with the Speech/Language Pathologist. It will be interesting to see how this all works out. I will have to have Sydney to dance by 5:30 and then be back home by 5:45 for Jackson's therapy. Jadon is starting up 3v3 soccer again and practices will also be on Tuesdays at...5:30 We'll get it all worked out though.
Diane, our Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf, will be servicing Jackson for his hearing impairment. She will be focusing on Auditory Training. I am very excited about this. She will be using the S.P.I.C.E. kit. About 10 1/2 years ago, she and I and 2 other hearing impaired teachers traveled to St. Louis to CID, Central Institute for the Deaf for our training in SPICE. All of us had been trained in manual communication through our Deaf Ed. progams in college. It was AMAZING to see what these children were able to do with the hearing that they did have! It was a wonderful new perspective.
Almost 2 weeks ago, our pediatrician sent in a referral request to our insurance so that we could go back to Shands audiology for a BAHA Evaluation. Apparently, we were unaware that you had to have this specific eval in order to be able to purchase the BAHA. The audiologist on our health insurance plan does not provide this service. Unfortunately, our insurance denied this request, but STRONGLY encouraged us to follow our dr.'s recommendations...don't you just love it??? So, we are joining the rest of the ranks in the insurance battle for our child! The sad part is, I called Shands to inquire about the cost of the eval. if we just came in and didn't file a claim with our insurance, and it really wasn't an outrageous amount of money. I probably pay a quarter of that in my insurance premium in 1 month!!! It is something that we can afford to do on our own, but it does all add up, especially if we have to purchase the softband BAHA out of pocket.
Jackson has had a difficult week. We're not quite sure if the Honeymoon period is over or if he has just been grieving lately. I think part of the problem has been that he has been on antibiotics for quite some time now to try and rid him of chronic sinus infections. This is his 4th course of antibiotics. (Two 10 day course folled 2 weeks later by another 2 10 days) If after taking this last dose he gets another sinus infection, our dr. will be requesting an MRI. I'm not sure how much is related to his microtia/atresia/anotia. He has been getting angry frequently this week and then just sobbing and wanting to be held.
I love to see his bright eyes and smile when I walk in the door after work! He just BEAMS when the big kids and I come home! They chase each other all around the house! They play ring-around-the-rosey, dance to music, and Jackson loves to play up on Sydney's bed when she's in her room.
I guess that's about all we've been up to lately.
I'll keep you posted on his progress with speech and auditory training!
As Jackson would SAY...."Nigh-Night!!!!"
In Christ,
Stacy
Jackson had his Early Steps evaluation a week ago. He obviously qualified for Speech/Language services and also Hearing Impaired services. His results from what was evaluated is technically invalid due to the fact that he has a hearing impairment and has no language, whether it is Chinese or English. But...it was a step in the right direction. We are assuming that after more evaluations for the school district, that he will possibly only qualify for the 1/2 day Language Impaired Program. We have contacted the preschool where Sydney and Jadon went and they will have room for him in their part-time program if it turns out that way.
This Tuesday, Jackson will have his first speech therapy session at home with the Speech/Language Pathologist. It will be interesting to see how this all works out. I will have to have Sydney to dance by 5:30 and then be back home by 5:45 for Jackson's therapy. Jadon is starting up 3v3 soccer again and practices will also be on Tuesdays at...5:30 We'll get it all worked out though.
Diane, our Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf, will be servicing Jackson for his hearing impairment. She will be focusing on Auditory Training. I am very excited about this. She will be using the S.P.I.C.E. kit. About 10 1/2 years ago, she and I and 2 other hearing impaired teachers traveled to St. Louis to CID, Central Institute for the Deaf for our training in SPICE. All of us had been trained in manual communication through our Deaf Ed. progams in college. It was AMAZING to see what these children were able to do with the hearing that they did have! It was a wonderful new perspective.
Almost 2 weeks ago, our pediatrician sent in a referral request to our insurance so that we could go back to Shands audiology for a BAHA Evaluation. Apparently, we were unaware that you had to have this specific eval in order to be able to purchase the BAHA. The audiologist on our health insurance plan does not provide this service. Unfortunately, our insurance denied this request, but STRONGLY encouraged us to follow our dr.'s recommendations...don't you just love it??? So, we are joining the rest of the ranks in the insurance battle for our child! The sad part is, I called Shands to inquire about the cost of the eval. if we just came in and didn't file a claim with our insurance, and it really wasn't an outrageous amount of money. I probably pay a quarter of that in my insurance premium in 1 month!!! It is something that we can afford to do on our own, but it does all add up, especially if we have to purchase the softband BAHA out of pocket.
Jackson has had a difficult week. We're not quite sure if the Honeymoon period is over or if he has just been grieving lately. I think part of the problem has been that he has been on antibiotics for quite some time now to try and rid him of chronic sinus infections. This is his 4th course of antibiotics. (Two 10 day course folled 2 weeks later by another 2 10 days) If after taking this last dose he gets another sinus infection, our dr. will be requesting an MRI. I'm not sure how much is related to his microtia/atresia/anotia. He has been getting angry frequently this week and then just sobbing and wanting to be held.
I love to see his bright eyes and smile when I walk in the door after work! He just BEAMS when the big kids and I come home! They chase each other all around the house! They play ring-around-the-rosey, dance to music, and Jackson loves to play up on Sydney's bed when she's in her room.
I guess that's about all we've been up to lately.
I'll keep you posted on his progress with speech and auditory training!
As Jackson would SAY...."Nigh-Night!!!!"
In Christ,
Stacy
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