Lennex’s ADHEAR
Donation protected
So Wednesday, September 26, 2018, we took Lennex to a hearing seminar for a new bone conduction hearing aid called an ADHEAR. Most who know Lennex know that he is completely deaf in his right ear. A normal hearing aid will not work for his type of hearing loss so he needs a bone conduction hearing aid. Until ADHEAR, this limited him to either wearing a head band, which he refused, or having a surgical procedure to put a magnet or a metal clip in his head that we thought he was still to young to understand and planned on waiting til he was a little older.
A couple weeks ago Lennex stopped me while putting him in the car and asked, “mom, when will you be taking me back to kaiser?” I didn’t understand his question so I asked him what he meant. He replied with his normal little attitude and said, “ you know mom the doctors! When are you taking me to get my ear fixed?” Until that moment it had never really bothered him. We talk about it, he knows he can’t hear out of one side, but he has been okay with it. I then asked him if he was wanting his ear fixed and he said, “yes mom I want it fixed so I can hear out of both ears like all the kids.” I said, “okay buddy I’ll see what I can do,” and shut the door and took a moment to myself because my heart just broke. As a parent I never want him to feel like his hearing loss stops him from doing or accomplishing anything. I never want him to feel not “normal” or like he’s missing out on something because he can’t hear. He’s always handled it so well. But now my little baby was asking me to fix something I’ve been trying to fix for him since he was born.
About a week later his old audiologist gave me a call telling me about ADHEAR and how she thought it would be perfect for him. So we told her we’d be there.
Lennex was reluctant about going at first, but once we got there and he saw some familiar faces he was fine. They were doing a presentation talking about the adhesive sticker that attaches the hearing aid to the bone and Lennex wanted to try it right then! So while they were still doing the presentation I gave him one of the adhesives to feel and see. He wanted it on so I placed it where it belonged and Amy came and saw his excitement and just showed him the device and popped it on. The presentation was still going, but she wanted to take the opportunity while he was so excited. She said Lennex can you hear and he responded “only my sister crying! Cause she’s too loud.” So they took him in the hallway while I calmed her and told him secrets on his deaf side. A few moments later my little man came running at me with the biggest smile! He said, “MOM tell me a secret in my bad ear!” So I leaned over and whispered, “bananas.” His entire face lit up and he turned to me and said, “MOM!!! Bananas is not a secret, but I can hear now!!!” You guys, I can not explain to you the overwhelming feeling I felt at that moment. It was the most amazing moment! He just kept asking for us to tell him secrets so he could repeat them to us.
When it came time to take it off my heart broke. He was so upset. He wanted to keep it on. He wanted to wear it. He wanted to hear on both sides! Something we take for granted everyday, he was experiencing for the first time. He refused to take the adhesive off and wore it to bed and to school the next day.
Two days later I had to take Teigen to the doctor for shots and he knew that. He did not want to go to school because he wanted to go to their doctor with us so he could get his “sticky hearing helper.” It is so hard to explain to him that it doesn’t work that way. Ever since that day he has continued to ask me when I would be calling the doctor so he can get one.
That being said our insurance does not cover this type of hearing aid. USC keck center has quoted me for a fitting fee of $500 and Medel the company that makes the hearing aid quoted me for $3400 directly though them. We need some help. We love everyone of you and appreciate any help we can get. Even just keeping us in your thoughts and sending good vibes our way. Lennex deserves this and we will make it happen for him.
We are trying to raise $4000. This will cover his hearing aid, the fitting fee, and maybe a couple boxes of the adhesives for the device.
A couple weeks ago Lennex stopped me while putting him in the car and asked, “mom, when will you be taking me back to kaiser?” I didn’t understand his question so I asked him what he meant. He replied with his normal little attitude and said, “ you know mom the doctors! When are you taking me to get my ear fixed?” Until that moment it had never really bothered him. We talk about it, he knows he can’t hear out of one side, but he has been okay with it. I then asked him if he was wanting his ear fixed and he said, “yes mom I want it fixed so I can hear out of both ears like all the kids.” I said, “okay buddy I’ll see what I can do,” and shut the door and took a moment to myself because my heart just broke. As a parent I never want him to feel like his hearing loss stops him from doing or accomplishing anything. I never want him to feel not “normal” or like he’s missing out on something because he can’t hear. He’s always handled it so well. But now my little baby was asking me to fix something I’ve been trying to fix for him since he was born.
About a week later his old audiologist gave me a call telling me about ADHEAR and how she thought it would be perfect for him. So we told her we’d be there.
Lennex was reluctant about going at first, but once we got there and he saw some familiar faces he was fine. They were doing a presentation talking about the adhesive sticker that attaches the hearing aid to the bone and Lennex wanted to try it right then! So while they were still doing the presentation I gave him one of the adhesives to feel and see. He wanted it on so I placed it where it belonged and Amy came and saw his excitement and just showed him the device and popped it on. The presentation was still going, but she wanted to take the opportunity while he was so excited. She said Lennex can you hear and he responded “only my sister crying! Cause she’s too loud.” So they took him in the hallway while I calmed her and told him secrets on his deaf side. A few moments later my little man came running at me with the biggest smile! He said, “MOM tell me a secret in my bad ear!” So I leaned over and whispered, “bananas.” His entire face lit up and he turned to me and said, “MOM!!! Bananas is not a secret, but I can hear now!!!” You guys, I can not explain to you the overwhelming feeling I felt at that moment. It was the most amazing moment! He just kept asking for us to tell him secrets so he could repeat them to us.
When it came time to take it off my heart broke. He was so upset. He wanted to keep it on. He wanted to wear it. He wanted to hear on both sides! Something we take for granted everyday, he was experiencing for the first time. He refused to take the adhesive off and wore it to bed and to school the next day.
Two days later I had to take Teigen to the doctor for shots and he knew that. He did not want to go to school because he wanted to go to their doctor with us so he could get his “sticky hearing helper.” It is so hard to explain to him that it doesn’t work that way. Ever since that day he has continued to ask me when I would be calling the doctor so he can get one.
That being said our insurance does not cover this type of hearing aid. USC keck center has quoted me for a fitting fee of $500 and Medel the company that makes the hearing aid quoted me for $3400 directly though them. We need some help. We love everyone of you and appreciate any help we can get. Even just keeping us in your thoughts and sending good vibes our way. Lennex deserves this and we will make it happen for him.
We are trying to raise $4000. This will cover his hearing aid, the fitting fee, and maybe a couple boxes of the adhesives for the device.
Organizer
Kierstin Nicole Schnaidt Peltz
Organizer
Taft, CA
