Interesting having to go through what to now has mostly existed in research I've done on CI.  That is, that there is a strange, audist bias out there with audiologists and A/V speech therapists all out to "get me" and Michael and force him to exist only in a hearing world.  I thought I was going to be doing battle on this front just this last Monday, with a pre-IEP meeting with a couple of women I've never even met before - -who apparently came in an observed Michael and have declared that he will be just fine with an FM -- so I had to do a little tiny bit of fancy-talk in the meeting regarding my position on bi-lingualism and how Michael's facility in ASL has aided, NOT impeded his emerging literacy.  I just want an interpreter in the class with him.  So he can catch things he misses -- and so he doesn't lose his sign.  Our official IEP with the CSE (and how many other acronymns do I need to know) will be in early June, so I guess I'll have to remember I have a blog and actually write something about that!! I have to figure out a way to get this page out there for other moms.  I have felt so alone in this process aside from brief instances of sharing with other CI moms.  Hopefully this will be changing :)

There must be something wrong with me.  I completely forgot that I'd started this blog....my account has just been sitting here since 2009!!!!  Holy shit!  Well, what's happened since then... let's see.  Oh, I'm too tired to go into it now.  Especially to an audience of one.  I'll put it in twitterish terms:  Michael: doing GREAT - mainstreaming and going to the school for the deaf for kindergarten.  I will have to put up a video of him for "you."  I am also trying to work again on my book proposal for a CI book.  I"m teaching  a class on it, right now, actually -- it's been a great quarter.  We heard from Harlan Lane, had Peter Artinian (from Sound and Fury) visit our class and talk about his experiences making that film, and we had Michael Chorost last week talking about his memoir of CI, Rebuilt.  I'm on a new little think tank like group that is putting together ideas for creating a kind of CI cooperative here at RIT.  All kinds of exciting things.  I long for community.  Facebook hasn't worked out.  CI moms don't want to talk to me.  I have a hard time making friends so maybe something in my demeanor is turning people off.  Maybe CI moms don't want a community.  I'll have to talk to Laura Mauldin about that on Monday!!! (another CI expert)

What? What?

I was schmuck-mom yesterday. I finally after 5 hours of it got tired of Michael saying "what? what? what?" and started talking very loudly. I asked him if he couldn't hear me and he said he could hear me -- I asked him why he was saying what what what. I can't believe I don't have more patience -- I mean, I'm hard of hearing and I KNOW I say "what" a lot!!!! What is my problem???!!!

On the bright side -- he amazes every day. He is really starting to use elaborate sentence structures to tell wacky stories -- makes up stuff. I had to laugh out loud yesterday when, at one point, he started off his sentence with "Actually...." You always hear that kids are sponges, but you really don't get it until you see them soaking up everything -- EVERYTHING!!

Whoops! spoke too soon - there is what appears to be a fantastic blog on blogspot (here) at this address: http://momtotoes.blogspot.com/ -- wow -- it has all kinds of resources, etc. I have to read it more carefully. Still, I'm glad I started this one -- if only for the Rochester moms out there -- just a place to blab online.....

I'll keep you "posted" ha ha!

What is this?

I have finally had it. I am searching for an organization that I can join that is related to cochlear implants that would serve as a friendly support group environment for me, a mom going through raising a kid -- raising a deaf kid -- raising an implanted kid. I often feel like I'm the only person on earth going through this, even though I know for a FACT I am not!!!!

I am still looking for that organization; maybe there is something out there and I just haven't hit upon it yet. In the meantime, I have decided to start blogging. If nothing else, this will be one more place where I can make public my inane thoughts and comments (aside from Facebook, and God knows I'm not going to publish my angst ridden self in that venue, rife as it is w/ my students and colleagues etc etc).