Circles

Somehow, I find myself writing these seven words: Grace is a senior in high school.

I look at the cover photo for this blog page, and it makes me smile to think that I saw her running with the same joyful abandon as in that picture several times this weekend - on Saturday at her field hockey tournament and on Sunday at her lacrosse game. But the thing is - this weekend she also attended the 18th birthday party for one of her close friends, and drove herself there.

Nothing changes… everything changes…

BloghcrosbykowalSeptember 9, 2019ASL, sign language, vestibular migraine, cochlear implants; teens with CIsComment

Sign Language 2.0

There were quite a few reasons Grace was determined to go to W___ High School. She was excited about the opportunity to play on the lacrosse team. She was really excited about enrolling in the biomedical pathway of the Science, Math and Technology Academy there. She was also looking forward to shifting foreign languages from Spanish to American Sign Language (ASL), which we had heard was offered as a language option at W___.

BloghcrosbykowalMarch 25, 2017ASL, pigeon sign, learning to sign Comments

Fourteen

This past Sunday, Grace turned fourteen years old. That day, she had a lacrosse game (her team won, yay!). That night, we got to dig in to her birthday dinner: she requested steak, pierogis, potato latkes, avocadoes, and, for dessert, eclairs. This list of items makes me smile, as it wraps up both sides of her family heritage, as well as her now-favorite pastry, the preference for which was locked in on our recent trip to France during spring break.

BloghcrosbykowalApril 22, 2016cochlear implants; teens with CIs Comments

Being Heard

At the end of her fifth grade year, Kali learned from her language arts teacher about a city-wide essay writing competition for DC students. Kali decided to enter. The subject of the competition that year was to write about “something unfair that has happened to you.” Kali’s essay was called “Being Heard.” Here’s how it starts...

Choices

Anyone who spends time talking to or reading about parents who opt for cochlear implantation for their children becomes accustomed to hearing one particular sentiment expressed over and over again: "We wanted to give our child choices."

BloghcrosbykowalNovember 30, 2015cochlear implants; deaf identity; choices in communicationComment

My People

When I was first introduced to Facebook, I was not a fan. “I hate Facebook,” I would say to my husband. “Why do I care about what someone I barely know from high school ate for dessert?”

BloghcrosbykowalOctober 29, 2015online community, social support Comments

You Gotta Have Friends

Social situations are hard for people with CIs. They are going to be hard for Grace. We heard this so many times when she was young. Keeping up with conversations on playgrounds, in cafeterias, at noisy parties, is going to be an ongoing challenge for your kid.

Six Days Post-Surgery

Surgery is never fun. It feels awfully good to have it behind us.

The Bright Side

am not the most optimistic person on the planet. I have been known to expect the worst. This is easier for me than thinking everything is going to be great and then being disappointed.

Goodnight Grace

My mistake... Nights are long and strange when you have a new baby. It’s such a gigantic adjustment, bringing this little person home and figuring out how to take care of her while still getting enough rest to do your job as a parent.

Chapter 6: Learning to Listen, Part II

BookhcrosbykowalMarch 25, 2015auditory verbal therapy, AVT and CIs, cochlear implants, learning to listen, ling sounds, speech therapyComment

DIZZY

Last spring, Grace came down with a stomach bug. Or, that’s what it seemed like at the time. It started with a headache, and dizziness and nausea. Then she got sick to her stomach. It didn’t last too long, so we assumed it was a 24 hour thing. We all waited to catch whatever it was that she had. But none of us did.

Chapter 6: Learning to Listen, Part I

BookhcrosbykowalFebruary 25, 2015building spoken language, CI activation, learning to listen, listening strategies, narrate your lifeComment

Genetics, GATTACA, and Grace

This just in. Here is One Of Those Moments. It is a sort of epilogue to the piece I wrote many months ago, called Knowing Grace. Grace is studying genetics (my favorite subject!) in science class. She went in a little over-prepared, because in my geeky excitement over the years I’d already taught her about Punnett squares, and basic concepts like the differences between recessive and dominant genes.

BloghcrosbykowalFebruary 12, 2015deaf identity, deafness, hearing parents of deaf children, genetic deafness, bioethicsComment

Chapter 5: Activation Day

BookhcrosbykowalFebruary 2, 2015CI activation, CI activation day, CI Switch-on, Cochlear Implant activation, Cochlear Implant switch-onComment

Tia Sio

When I was in my mid-twenties, I moved to Washington, DC for graduate school. My decision to come here had a lot to do with who was here already – Jason had moved down a year earlier, and my youngest brother, Ben, was in DC for college.

Chapter 4: Surgery

BookhcrosbykowalJanuary 6, 2015Comment

Chapter 3: Cochlear Implants & Culture Wars, Part III

BookhcrosbykowalDecember 17, 2014blocked tear ducts, CI manufacturers, deaf identity, eligibility for CI, insurance pre-approval Comment

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Grace and I were watching The Voice the other day. She loves that show. During one of the performances, she saw me wince. “Why’d you do that, mom?” she asked.

“Because,” I said, “He missed a note.”

After a pause, she whispered to me, like she was letting me in on a little secret, “I can’t hear the difference.”

Chapter 3: Cochlear Implants & Culture Wars, Part II

BookhcrosbykowalNovember 21, 2014cochlear implants, Deaf culture, deaf identity Comments

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