Tubes

Surgery #2 for Caleb is behind us now. We checked in to outpatient surgery at OU Children's Hospital at 8:00 this morning, and Caleb was taken back to surgery at 10:30. The ENT put tubes into his ears, and then an audiologist conducted an ABR test to check his hearing.

We knew going into this that Caleb had fluid in his ears and that it might be the cause of his hearing impairment. We also knew that the hearing in his right ear hasn't been as good as the left. I honestly expected that Caleb's hearing would be great in his left ear after getting tubes, and I was hopeful that the hearing in his right ear would be fine, too. 

Two hours after Caleb was taken into surgery, the ENT and audiologist came to talk to us. The tubes went in well, and there was minimal fluid. Very good! The audiologist delivered the news I wasn't expecting, though. Even after the fluid cleared, Caleb has mild hearing loss in his left ear and mild (or possibly mild-moderate) hearing loss in his right ear. She encouraged us to have Caleb fitted for hearing aids soon. I plan to call Caleb's regular audiologist tomorrow to schedule another hearing test and to discuss Caleb's hearing aid options.

I know that mild hearing loss is not that big of a deal. He will get hearing aids. I will take Caleb to speech therapy. Brad and I will do everything possible to make sure he hears and speaks to the best of his ability. But... my heart is still broken this evening. I have prayed so many prayers for Caleb's hearing to be restored, and I just don't understand right now why those prayers weren't answered in the way I had hoped. Maybe it'll make sense somewhere down the road.

My precious boy waiting for his turn in the operating room today