11.11.13 The Wonderful Glimmer of Hope

Friday was Aimee's 4th BAER exam. Although there had not yet been any change to her hearing, we continue to have this test done to first ensure that her hearing aids are programmed correctly and second as a test of her nervous system. Aimee is mildly to moderately hearing impaired due to her nervous system challenges, specifically the auditory nerve. This test is similar to an EKG or EEG in that it tests electrical responses in the body.

This is me, all gowned up, preparing to carry Aimee and Tilly Bear back with the anesthesia team:

The test takes about 2 hours, so Caleb had lots of time to visit the fish:

Elliot played happily:

After the test was over, we were thankful to pull out the electronics in the recovery room to entertain tired parents and napless Caleb. The boys were so good all day!

While we waited for Aimee to wake up, we discussed the test results with the Audiologist. Happy surprise: Aimee's hearing showed some improvement in the lower tones! It is such wonderful news because it means that there has been progress in the nerve connections in her brain. Considering we have been told that Aimee will not make any more progress going forward, this news gives us great joy. 

Yesterday, we were able to spend some time with my amazing sister-in-law and her kids. My sweet nephew has a very tender heart for Aimee and frequently asks lots of questions about her. I am always encouraged by his hopefulness and prayers that Aimee will be "normal" some day. What a pleasure to see a glimmer of this prayer fulfilled!

PS. I applied for Aimee to be matched with a runner through WhoIRun4.com. I encourage you to check it out if you are a runner yourself or if you know a special champion who cannot run for themself. More details soon!