6 months post op...and exciting updates!
6 months. Woo hoo! Here I am over halfway to my 1 year post-op AN-niversary. I love being able to say that. 6 months! 6 months and I feel whole again and healthy and am embracing life and cherishing the little things with more tenacity than I ever did prior to May 11th.
To mark this happy occasion, I went to my home away from home, the Cleveland Clinic, to check in with my favorite doc. Since my right eye still wasn't behaving the last time I met with her over the summer, she wanted to see me back this month to make sure that I really was 100%.
I'd be lying if I said it wasn't strange driving back up to the clinic after so long. After my last followup, part of me felt like I was finally closing that chapter on my life. Tumor's gone. Case closed. But being back on the road to the Cleveland Clinic felt like I was reliving those crazy moments all over again. The anxious, sweaty-palmed drive up there in the 4:00am darkness on the morning of May 11th. The week long roller-coaster stay in the hospital that followed. The treks back and forth to Cleveland to address the swelling that just wouldn't go away.
And then there I was--sitting in the room waiting for Dr. Woodson to stop in and I just happened to catch my reflection in the mirrored windows. And I smiled. Because I can smile again. And because with a little creativity and carefully placed headbands no one can tell that my hair still looks a little funky. And because I can throw on my workout clothes and lead a Zumba class again. And because I now know with unwavering certainty that I am a stronger person than I had previously thought. And because He is good.
Thanks to all of that wonderful-ness, the appointment itself was more of a "hey, it's been a few months, let's catch up" than a "what can I fix for you today?" The best news came at the end when Dr. Woodson and I began discussing my hearing aid options. I mentioned my trip to the audiologist to see about the Phonak Cros and told her that while I really wanted to get some sort of assistance I had stalled because of the price and lack of insurance coverage and the fact that it needed its batteries replaced every 2-3 days.
Remembering that I had originally come up to the Cleveland Clinic to see about the SoundBite device (Remember that? If I only knew what was to follow...), she brought up that option again and was I still interested? Well, of course, but I knew it was even more expensive than the Cros. (By like $6,000!) Well, good news! Apparently, Sonitus, the company that manufactures the SoundBite, has had success marketing their device as a prosthetic to insurance companies--so if your insurance covers prosthetics than there is a fairly good chance that they'll cover your SoundBite, too.
The first thing I did when I arrived home was to hop online and check out our insurance's benefits and coverage and, thank the Lord, prosthetics are covered! So, I'll be headed back up to the Clinic (seriously, I'm going to look into renting a room up there) on October 31st to have another audiogram and to be evaluated for the SoundBite. Nothing is guaranteed yet, of course ,but I'm happy that it's at least a very real possibility. I've caught myself daydreaming these past few days about what it will feel like to "hear" again and I'll admit I got a little teary. After five years I feel like I've adapted rather well to my single-sided deafness and rarely do I dwell on it. But, goodness, it really would be nice to get my other ear back.
So, yes, very exciting news there and I will keep you all updated on how things progress. Please pray that it all goes well and that our insurance company doesn't try to give us the run around.
There's more though!
In February of next year, I will be leaving the U.S. to spend a year teaching English in Ecuador with WorldTeach. I have looked into doing this program several times over the past few years and each time I talked myself out of it due to the cost, fear, homesickness, you name it. However, after going through everything with Izzy and coming out standing on the other side I realized that life was entirely too short and too unpredictable to waste time fretting over my lengthy list of "what-ifs." So next year I'll be packing up my bags and moving to South America to spend a year in service volunteer teaching. It really is an amazing opportunity and, as my godmother reminded me yesterday, it will allow me to continue to develop and mature in ways I hadn't even considered before.
To learn more about WorldTeach and what I'll be doing in Ecuador, please feel free to visit the Facebook page I created www.facebook.com/ecuadoryear. I'll be posting updates on all of my pre-departure plans and information there as well as tracking and announcing all of my fundraising activity. You can click here if you'd like to go directly to my donation page to make a contribution. Also, please note that since you're donating directly to WorldTeach and not to me, all of your donations are totally tax-deductible!
These next few months are shaping up to be quite the ride. I'll do my best to keep you posted each step of the way and as always feel free to comment below!
Keep on turtlin'!
To mark this happy occasion, I went to my home away from home, the Cleveland Clinic, to check in with my favorite doc. Since my right eye still wasn't behaving the last time I met with her over the summer, she wanted to see me back this month to make sure that I really was 100%.
I'd be lying if I said it wasn't strange driving back up to the clinic after so long. After my last followup, part of me felt like I was finally closing that chapter on my life. Tumor's gone. Case closed. But being back on the road to the Cleveland Clinic felt like I was reliving those crazy moments all over again. The anxious, sweaty-palmed drive up there in the 4:00am darkness on the morning of May 11th. The week long roller-coaster stay in the hospital that followed. The treks back and forth to Cleveland to address the swelling that just wouldn't go away.
And then there I was--sitting in the room waiting for Dr. Woodson to stop in and I just happened to catch my reflection in the mirrored windows. And I smiled. Because I can smile again. And because with a little creativity and carefully placed headbands no one can tell that my hair still looks a little funky. And because I can throw on my workout clothes and lead a Zumba class again. And because I now know with unwavering certainty that I am a stronger person than I had previously thought. And because He is good.
Thanks to all of that wonderful-ness, the appointment itself was more of a "hey, it's been a few months, let's catch up" than a "what can I fix for you today?" The best news came at the end when Dr. Woodson and I began discussing my hearing aid options. I mentioned my trip to the audiologist to see about the Phonak Cros and told her that while I really wanted to get some sort of assistance I had stalled because of the price and lack of insurance coverage and the fact that it needed its batteries replaced every 2-3 days.
Remembering that I had originally come up to the Cleveland Clinic to see about the SoundBite device (Remember that? If I only knew what was to follow...), she brought up that option again and was I still interested? Well, of course, but I knew it was even more expensive than the Cros. (By like $6,000!) Well, good news! Apparently, Sonitus, the company that manufactures the SoundBite, has had success marketing their device as a prosthetic to insurance companies--so if your insurance covers prosthetics than there is a fairly good chance that they'll cover your SoundBite, too.
The first thing I did when I arrived home was to hop online and check out our insurance's benefits and coverage and, thank the Lord, prosthetics are covered! So, I'll be headed back up to the Clinic (seriously, I'm going to look into renting a room up there) on October 31st to have another audiogram and to be evaluated for the SoundBite. Nothing is guaranteed yet, of course ,but I'm happy that it's at least a very real possibility. I've caught myself daydreaming these past few days about what it will feel like to "hear" again and I'll admit I got a little teary. After five years I feel like I've adapted rather well to my single-sided deafness and rarely do I dwell on it. But, goodness, it really would be nice to get my other ear back.
So, yes, very exciting news there and I will keep you all updated on how things progress. Please pray that it all goes well and that our insurance company doesn't try to give us the run around.
There's more though!
In February of next year, I will be leaving the U.S. to spend a year teaching English in Ecuador with WorldTeach. I have looked into doing this program several times over the past few years and each time I talked myself out of it due to the cost, fear, homesickness, you name it. However, after going through everything with Izzy and coming out standing on the other side I realized that life was entirely too short and too unpredictable to waste time fretting over my lengthy list of "what-ifs." So next year I'll be packing up my bags and moving to South America to spend a year in service volunteer teaching. It really is an amazing opportunity and, as my godmother reminded me yesterday, it will allow me to continue to develop and mature in ways I hadn't even considered before.
To learn more about WorldTeach and what I'll be doing in Ecuador, please feel free to visit the Facebook page I created www.facebook.com/ecuadoryear. I'll be posting updates on all of my pre-departure plans and information there as well as tracking and announcing all of my fundraising activity. You can click here if you'd like to go directly to my donation page to make a contribution. Also, please note that since you're donating directly to WorldTeach and not to me, all of your donations are totally tax-deductible!
These next few months are shaping up to be quite the ride. I'll do my best to keep you posted each step of the way and as always feel free to comment below!
Keep on turtlin'!
Manders,
ReplyDeleteGlad to read that you are doing so well! Thanks for the update and I will keep following you into your next adventure.
LizAN
Thanks, Liz! It's so great to hear from you! I hope all is well with you on your journey and that you have a lovely holidays. :)
ReplyDelete