God is still God and prayer still works!

Joey's hearing history:

1-14-2010 Born...apparently hearing.

1-23-2010 Newborn hearing screening...passed left ear, but not able to get reading on right ear...tried several more times over the next week...not able to get readings (both ears). Referred for hearing testing.

3-15-2010 first hearing test...got nothing in the right ear, and 2 Frequencies @ 95-100dB, possible AN (auditory neuropathy)...told he was deaf, learn ASL, consider hearing aids and CI's

4-08-2010 absent OAE's and no mobility in right ear. Possible AN.

4-28-2010 3 frequencies @ 90dB, 1 @ 100dB, 1 @ 110dB all left ear. Severe sensorineural hearing loss in left ear, with AN component. No responses on Right ear, absent OAE's

6-24-2010 sound booth with hearing aids: 1 @ 70dB, 1 @75dB, 2 @ 80dB all left side responses.

8-16-2010 sound booth test no hearing aids...frequent responses to sound and voice @ 50dB (no voice responses before this in any of the tests...tho tried a couple times.)

8-17-2010 ABR testing both ears to 15-25dB on almost all frequencies...just a couple frequencies w/o responses.

Yesterday, they said his right ear still looked a little yucky. They planned to put tubes in today. They said he would need them, because he has has “chronic fluid on the right ear since birth”.

Today, they went in to do tubes, and said he didn't need them, his ears were fine! This is the 1^st time in his life anyone has looked in his ears and not seen “something” wrong. I've never seen a Dr. back down from doing tubes once his mind was made up that they were needed, and the kid was already sedated in the OR ...I've never seen a kid go from yucky ears to perfect ears over night w/o intervention. I've never seen a kid go from “almost stone deaf” to “almost normal hearing”. No one really understands why he has had so many “profound hearing loss” tests, and patterns for AN, and now he is testing “almost normal” with no AN.

We watched him not respond to sound...we watched as he seemed to get sound at times, but not always....
Causes:
Maybe stress from all he went through
Maybe fluid that was always in his right ear
Cure:
Maybe time and love healed the stress
Maybe the ear infection 3 weeks ago ( w/temps up to 104.4 even when on Advil...I gave Tylenol too, and it came down...) melted loose whatever was keeping his right ear from draining.

I believe there are some questions about Joey that we may never have all the answers to. The Dr's just shrug. They don't have answers either. If they answer it is to say, “we don't have those answers, and probably never will, all we can do is move on from today.”

But, this I know, God is still God, and prayer still works!
Joey could not hear, now his hearing is near normal... That is God!
Why have we gone through all this? That remains to be seen...but God is still good...

Even busy with 2 days of Dr stuff, we enjoyed spending time with Joey. He is such a sweet happy boy. He charms all the nurses, and even most of the Dr's.

Daddy got to go this time and see Joey respond to sounds in the sound booth...that was really cool! I'd seen it a little @ 70dB, but this was good, really responding to sound, responses, still not every sound, but more than we had seen before, and without hearing aids!

I don't know about tomorrow;

I just live from day to day.

I don't borrow from its sunshine

For its skies may turn to grey.

I don't worry o'er the future,

For I know what Jesus said.

And today I'll walk beside Him,

For He knows what lies ahead.

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand.