Yesterday was my cousin Hailey's birthday party. We weren't able to make it. Grama was about to let me go when she said that she had to tell me something that happened at the party. She said that there were only two steps in the whole place, she was almost done with the last one when she started to fall (that's not the remarkable part, quite common actually!). When she pulled it together there were two people standing there, my Aunt (who drove her), then Hailey walked up and said "Hi Grama Dee!". She said "Missy it was plain as day, you could hear her clearly, I almost cried". I almost cried when Grama told me about it.
That probably does not sound too remarkable to most of you, but Hailey just turned 9 and that was the first time Grama had heard her speak like that.
Hailey is deaf.
Four years ago she received a cochlear implant. A few weeks after that we were able to stand in front of her and she would repeat simple sounds like "ba ba ba, ma ma ma". Hailey is not my child but I was so proud of her at that moment. She was 5 and it was amazing. Two years ago she got her second cochlear implant, her speech and interaction with others have flourished.
Hearing a child speak for the first time at 2 or 3 is wonderful and special. Hearing a child speak for the first time at 9 is remarkable.....
Grama and Hailey
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