Originally posted by Sabrina
I would say yes due to good reason medical issue with deformed skull. If it is a risky with surgery of Bacterial Meningitis. It would be very difficult for me to approval or not. If the doctor said, the skull is necessary to be surgery due to deform. It is gamble to make decision. If the skull outgrow as normal when they become older. I would leave that skull like that. It is very difficult to make the decision if the child who has the meningitis. I would not take that risky.
Doctors will
always say that it's risky with any types of surgery anywhere on the body. Surgerys around the head always risk the chances of Bacterial Meningitis because of the close encounters with the spinal fluid in the area. Even some people COULD get Bacterial Meningitis from having wisdom tooth pulled out and a deep infection could spread to the spinal fluid. I was told by the dentist when I had it pulled few weeks ago.
Remember that Doctors also understand all those risks...they had schooling (I know it's a misspell but it's just funny to use this word)....they have to...they sure don't want to have a dead patient on their hands. FDA just released this statement to acknowledge that those patients (all of cochlear implant patients regardless of age) to KNOW that if they have a lot of health problems that they should go in and check to see if they have Bacterial Meningitis infection.
My point is the cochlear implant for 18 mos old babies. They have born into this WORLD as innocent. They are very good healthy, happy, smile, adorable, etc... It just likes when the parents become very upset and panic to see their babies are not normal due to deafness. Take them to operation room to put a huge bandage aid around on their adorable little heads. It is too painful for me to see that Deaf innocence born into this world. They did not ask to change their identify from Deaf to hearing. God makes them natural born Deaf.
Cochlear implant surgery is so less risky compared to a surgery that would relieve a brain pressure. The cochlear implant is NOWHERE near the brain. The huge bandage aid is just same as one put on your ass if you fell back on your ass on a floor full of broken glasses. How is that bad? (I know it'll be funny if you walk around a mall with bandages all around your ass :p)
I didn't become hearing when I got my cochlear implant. I was still DEAF. There's no changes.
What is the heck wrong with parents for panic to see their children were born Deaf? They feel ashamed themselves because they did not want to hear other people feel sorry about their Deaf children that are label as disability.
Cochlear implant is a tool. If you see a deaf kid walking around with his/her parents....go and tell the parents that you are proud of them taking care...how the hell did that deaf kid walk?? Parents taught them just like human beings.
To be honest with you, I do not consider labeling myself as disability because I am Deaf. I can do everything expect can't hear and speak. I teach sign language to my colleagues, we are able to communication. I would write the pad and pen to talk with strange hearing people. If they are afraid to communication with me, I speak strange as a monkey. Fuck them.. They have to learn to accept for who I am...
A guy in a wheelchair can do everything except to walk.
A blind man can do everything except to see.
A person with any sort of mental handicap can do anything but what their mental limits them to do.
All of those above sure don't like it...just like you who don't like being labeled someone who cannot do everything a human being should be capable of.
Those strangers definately would get the bad thoughts of the entire deaf community because of your actions just because they were scared to talk with you. If I had someone doing that to me...I'll put up my finger up saying 'Wait'...and walk around looking for piece of paper and pen...and write down, "Ok I know you're afraid to talk because you think that there's no way that you can talk to me...so here's the paper and pen...." Now....I'll walk off after talking with that stranger knowing that if he/she encounters a different deaf person....that person WILL KNOW what to do.
18 mos old to 8 yrs old Deaf children can't speak up themselves, they can't make their own decision due to young. Parents make the decision for them. It is their bodies NOT the parents!!
Funny....those children aren't supposed to make any decisions. That's the parents' jobs. I agree with you. But it's their life that the parents can control. Remember, parents want the best for their children just like you want the best for your children. The huge difference is.....their parents are clueless. Your parents sure was full of clues. Why don't you go and educate those clueless parents?? That is what happened to my mom. That's why I was in preschool with other hearing impaired children. She was an assistant teacher. She says that she has never met a deaf person before I was diagnosised with hearing loss. Now I'm grateful and PROUD that she learned full sign language. That all happened because someone else (a lot of people) has taught my mom....and she was willing to learn.
Why can't they find them in the Deaf school with good many Deaf teachers who use ASL visuals. I was so amazed to see many brilliant Deaf children at The Learning Center for the Deaf in Massachusetts. I know one young lady just graduated, her reading level equal College level because she grows up ASL with Deaf parents, teachers, friends, etc...
My mom was very fortune that this hearing impaired preschool was nearby. Even many and many of those new-found deaf parents are clueless of where the deaf schools are. I was shocked to find out that when I went to meet a hearing impaired child about 150 miles south of me close to the Arkansas border...this boy about 12 yrs old...had no clue there was a school for the deaf in Little Rock. I talked with him and I invited him to come with me (I'll pick him up) and we could go to a basketball game at the school for the deaf. He signs in SEE. His parents did too. So his parents approved for me to come...so I'm awaiting for next week to take him out. But when I talked with his parents..they had no idea of the deaf community. What I am doing is what I THINK is something great for deaf children. I volunteer as much as I can to make myself feel proud of what I am doing to help.
Deaf is not the reason medical emergency. Oh please....
Getting Cochlear Implant definately ain't a medicial emergency. You just call an audiologist for an appointment. You go in and have your hearing tests. The audiologist can deterimine that if you can hear or not. If you can't...you're approved. When you set up an appointment for the surgery. Hell..you could go in the morning and have the surgery then leave during the afternoons. Children are more senstive so they are kept more longer to make sure there's no discomforts.
Cochlear Implants are just tools to help you overcome the barriers of the hearing disability. I'm not talking about making you have the ability to be able to talk fluently with other hearing people. I'm talking about hearing things around to experience. Remember how important adaption is when you start with young children.
Ask you a question, if you will have your Deaf children. Would you consider to getting them cochlear implant at 18 mos old to two years old ?
Lisa and I have talked about this so much. If both children were full deaf and we were living close to our families....I would say yes so they could learn how to talk and speak. I do not know if I would have the money to afford to hire a speech therapist but I would suggest it. If we lived somewhere inside a deaf community....I would weight against getting cochlear implant for them because it's possible that they could have close friends with another deaf children when they are growing up. I still haven't made the final decision. It would all depend on what I see in the future. Thanks for asking.
I'll continue onto the next post.
