Cochlear Implant - is this something Ellie will benefit from??

This week Ellie had an appointment at The Cochlear clinic at the The Eye and Ear hospital to discuss if Ellie would benefit from a Cochlear Implant. This is something that entered our thoughts recently when Ellies hearing test came back with a severe to profound hearing loss, where as previously it was mild to moderate.

From our appointment this week we realised it is long process involving information sessions, hearing tests, hearing tests and possibly more hearing tests. MRI's & catscans, communication assessments etc.

So.... After sitting through an information session, providing a history of Ellie, and meeting a surgeon, we have been told that Yes a cochlear implant may possibly benefit Ellie. The first step is to start doing some hearing tests to get some more results to base this on... However as Ellies right grommit is not in any more, they are wanting to put this back in as she has alot of fluid behind her ear drum. This will prevent us from getting accurate hearing tests results.

Ellie is booked in for some eye surgery at The Royal Childrens hospital on the 3 June, so we asked the surgeon if we could organise for the grommit surgery to be done on the same day to eliminate an anesthetic.

You would think this would be easy... but in reality it isnt. Ellies eye surgery is being done by a surgeon who doesnt normally operate at The RCH, however has got permision to operate on a Dr's list there.

The next issue is that the surgeon from the cochlear clinic also cannot operate at The RCH unless on another Dr's list. However Dr's at The RCH can only allocate slots to a certain amount of surgeons...Confused yet?!?!?!

Thank goodness one of Ellies wonderful doctors, receptionists is trying to co-ordinate all of this for me... Fingers crossed!!

To add another spannner in the works, we also asked if the Catscan and MRI could also be done on the same day.... again to elminate another anesthetic... To be honest.. I think this last request may prove to difficult, but again, fingers crossed.