Nathaniel has graduated high school

 Something in my brain told me to remember about this blog site!  I found out!! It’s been since 4th grade since I’ve wrote. In here so here we go.  Nathaniel has done excellent with his cochlear implants.  All throughout school he had speech therapy and vocabulary and a language specialist that pulled him out of class for an hour a day.  By the time Nate hit his Junior year, he asked that we be done with speech because it was interfering with his class and he was missing important information while being taken out of class.  We had a meeting and all agreed.  

Nathaniel went to the Area Tech and got his diploma in all in the areas he studied.  He has always been great with his hands.  You take one sense away and other senses get stronger.  His strong skill is definitely motor skills. He can jump on a bike, motor cycle, car, semi, etc and it’s like he’s a natural. 

Nathaniel met his now amazing girlfriend after high school. She is super friendly and pretty and I couldn’t be happier for him.  He has a job and has had one for almost a year now at the car wash. 

Nathaniel I am so proud of you!!! Keep up the hard work and you will go far!!

Love MOM

Update on Natre Dawg July 9th, 2011

To start off, like always, Thank you Lord for all you do, all you have done and for everything you will continue to do for me and my family!!!

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!!!

Nathaniel is now 4 years old. He has graduated from Preschool 2 time so far and has one more year before entering Kindergarten. YAY!!! He is learning so many new things. He is finally beginning to understand full sentences and trying to repeat those sentences back to you verbally as well. He is such a blessing and growing up way to fast for me.

He has already mastered riding his bike (no training wheels), he had the 4 wheeler mastered last year. Honestly, anything that has wheels or a motor, he can ride it like it wasn't nothing... lol We have currently moved due to some hard times, but we have stuck together as a family, put our faith in the Lord, and are expecting for him to do his will and get our family back up on our feet.

Please keep me and my family in your prayers and we will remember to do the same for you. God Bless!!!

Left Cochlear Implant Hook Up Date 8-31-10

It's a Success!!! Nathaniel went to his Audiologist today and got his Left Cochlear Hooked Up... Sure the surgery is the hard part but today makes all the heartache worth while. He heard sound out of his Left ear for the first time today. We go back every week for the next 2 weeks to "tune" his device to the correct settings and he will be "Set"!!!! Praise God Thank you for all your prayers and God Bless!!

Nathaniel's Cochlear Implant Surgery 9-29-2009

When we found out the date of surgery was right after his last ABR test, The Cat Scan of the Skull. Anytime you have to put them asleep it breaks your heart. This was his 2nd time being under so far... The scan turned out fine so the surgery was on as long as he was in good health.

September 29th, 2009

The staff was wonderful, Dr. Raleigh Jones at the UK Clinic preformed the surgery. Once again and hopefully the last time he will have to be put to sleep in his life. The surgery normally takes 3 hours, well from the time they took him to back to the time it was done, it was 1 hour 50 minutes. The longest 2 hours of my life... We stayed in recovery for 3 hours sitting in that chair but no pain could compare to what he must of have been feeling. There was a blood drain attached to the lower part of his ear, besides the IV in his hand, was the worst kind of pain I am sure. They took his dressing off the next morning, cut and pulled the stitch through on the drain area, and we finally got to see the scar.

It was sad and it still is to this day. As I am sitting here watch Josh fix us lunch I am creating this so other people can hear Nathaniel's story and get educated about this procedure. If anyone ever has any questions regarding deaf children and The Cochlear Implant, feel free to write, or email me and I will respond when I get a chance.

Nathaniel is still healing, his scar is still being treated everyday, his facial nerve is still weak to make his smile not the full smile we usually see. He goes back for a check up with his doctor next week so I will post an update then.