Three Weeks!

I can't believe it's already been three weeks since surgery! I feel great! When the weather is bad, I can feel pressure in my ear but other than that, I'm 100% back to normal. The 3 week mark is a big deal because heavy lifting (ha!) and blowing my nose are allowed now. Y'all don't realize how difficult it is to not blow your nose for 3 weeks. I was also told to avoid sneezing if possible...and it's spring in the Valley!:). Fortunately, it hasn't been bad. I only sneezed twice the whole 3 weeks. It scared me the first time - lol!!

Everyone asks me if I'm excited about activation. I am, definitely, but I'm also scared. I know being able to hear well and all the time will be wonderful but being deaf is all I know. I'm not a fan of change in general so the idea freaks me out. I'm SO thankful for this opportunity and feel so unworthy and just in awe of what God is doing...but it's overwhelming, too. The surgery was a lot less frightening. I knew what to expect. Activation is different, though. Everyone has a different experience. Some people have those great super emotional "I love this already!" activations but a lot of people hate it at first. See, hearing with hearing aids is nothing like normal hearing. What I hear all the time is what you hear through speakers. Of course, I don't know any different so it doesn't bother me, but this will be a HUGE adjustment.

Just to illustrate what being deaf is like...one morning last week, I was getting ready for work, so I had turned on an oscillating fan and my hair dryer. I got ready and unplugged them both, then I flushed the toilet. When I put my hearing aid in, I heard a noise and was sure it was the blow dryer. I checked and it wasn't. Then I checked the fan...not that either. It was the sound of water running in the toilet. I can't distinguish those sounds. They're all alike to me.

I don't say any of this to complain. I've been so blessed and hearing the difference between a blow dryer, fan and toilet is not exactly important. :). The Esteem is miraculous, though, and in order to show how life changing it is, I have to try and describe what hearing with hearing aids is like. The apostle Paul was afflicted with a "thorn of the flesh" that most people believe was vision loss. He said, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV. That's my prayer, that God will be glorified through this. It is ONLY possible through the power of Christ and I am so humbled that He is demonstrating His power through me.

Recovery pics, day 21: