Since sometime around April, we (ok, I, but I share with Randy) have been corresponding with a family from Lincoln, NE, both through e-mail and Facebook. They have a daughter who just entered kindergarten way ahead of the game. She received bilateral cochlear implants from the same doctor who did Audrena's surgeries. Lily's grandmothers came up with an absolutely ingenious idea for a tank top that holds the Advanced Bionics Neptune processors very nicely! We are very thankful to Lily's mom and grandma (who sews them by hand!) for sending one to Audrena. I have since purchased some tank tops and am in the process of making some for Audrena, using the other tank top and her detailed instructions as a guide.
Here is a link to their original blog post about the tank tops. I cannot praise them enough. Before the tank top, we were constantly putting the headpiece back on Audrena's head because the little cord clips would catch just enough to pull the headpiece off when Audrena would move a certain way. We always struggled with where to clip the processor on her clothing, and we could already predict that it would become a problem during potty training. The AB harness is pretty bulky, so although it was a decent solution for certain outfits, it was not our preferred method for "wearing" the processor. This tank top solves everything. Daycare has even noticed that the headpiece doesn't fall off as often. The cord tabs (our tank has 2) in the back allow the cord to slide as needed while still keeping it in place. The processor fits nicely into the pocket, and it sits at her side, so diaper changes and the car seat are no problem. So for this wonderful invention, I send out a public THANK YOU to Lily's family for the tank top and for the instructions so that I can make more.
To everyone else, I completely recommend reading Lily's blog, which is full of great information about cochlear implants, and it's a wonderful testament to what cochlear implants can do for a person. This blog is what has lifted our spirits during tough times. We could see the possibilities for Audrena by reading about Lily's progress. She is truly an amazing child, and we pray that Audrena can have the same kind of results from her CIs, with some hard work of course. Her parents are an inspiration, and her mom has been a great mentor for us.
http://ardinger.typepad.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment