July 12, 2014

Hearing the Grandchildren

With a Cochlear Implant

July 12, 2014

My Cochlear Implant got a workout the last couple of days.  Our daughter-in-law went to Kansas for several days to be with her dad who is undergoing cancer treatments.  Added to her trip to Kansas, was the fact that our son was starting his new job 1 1/4 hours away, so his days were long with that drive added on each end.  Then throw in that his new job required him to be at a 2 1/2 day retreat the end of the week, and it is THE GRANDMOTHER TEAM to the rescue.  As much work as 6 children can be (one was away at camp), our days were probably easier than hers.

Watching a video.  I must explain that our youngest grandson had a mustache painted on his face and it didn't want to come off!  I finally got it off the evening before his mom got home.

My mom watched the kids Monday, Wednesday, and 1/2 if Friday.  Barbara's mom watched them Tuesday and Thursday.  I worked at our office most of the week and brought supper Wednesday night (and was there along with my mom until about 10:00) and returned Thursday after work and stayed all night. 

After the kids were up and fed Friday morning I took the two oldest girls to their other Great Grandma's house where they worked on embroidery projects for a few hours.  Then early afternoon, I picked up the girls, got them some lunch and went back to their house and stayed until Barb arrived just before midnight.  Jeff's retreat ends mid day today.

When there are lots of voices/noises and they are similar in pitch, it can be a real challenge with the Cochlear Implant.  I told the kids last night at the supper table that I was hearing "rumble, rumble, Grandma, rumble, rumble, Grandma, rumble, rumble..."  When they were all talking to each other and giggling, it was all just a garbled rumble, but every little bit (pretty often) I would hear a "Grandma" called out as one or another tried to get my attention for more food, more Kool-Aid, a funny face, or funny story.

When it was bedtime Thursday night, I explained to all of the children that when I go to bed, I take off my Cochlear sound processor and become deaf.  I told them if they needed me in the night they would have to shake me to wake me.  Standing by the bed saying, "Grandma" would not work.  My oldest granddaughter wanted to sleep in her parents' bed while they were gone and the next morning her little sister climbed in with her to cuddle for a little bit.

Everyone has probably had the experience of trying to understand a toddler who knows exactly what she is saying but you don't have a clue.  Throw into that mix the Cochlear Implant limitations and I did struggle understanding the baby, but we did fairly well and the few times that I was clueless, so were her siblings.

Thursday afternoon when I arrived the two oldest girls had gone to a movie with a friend and the other little girl's mother.  When they returned the mother and little girl stayed for a couple of hours to visit.  We had a good time together and she helped me get supper on the table.  She works nights and had been up for almost 24 hours, so about the time we were ready to eat, she realized she was just too sleepy to stay. 

There were bath times, hair washing times, lots of meals to prepare and clean up after, games to play, stories to share about when their dad was a little boy, and some laundry, but they all help and all look out for one another.  It was a good, busy time.  When Barb arrived home late last night after a delayed flight, we talked about how blessed we are with family who can help out.  Her mom and mine have always been there for us and now for the next generations.  We have a friend with no relatives at all except her one child.  What a blessing to have family that not only loves you, but can jump in to be helpers.  Driving home last night I thought of my oldest granddaughter who last year helped me after my second elbow surgery.  She had to remove the bandages the day after the surgery and it pushed her past her comfort zone, but she did it and grew in inner strength from it.  I am thankful for a caring family.