A Month of Thankfulness

This is a month of Thankfulness, as a good friend put it. Thanksgiving will soon be here once again.

I recently learned that my CI surgeon is leaving the hospital where I had my CI surgeries and moving on.  It will be a big loss for the hospital, and I feel so privleged and blessed to have had this internationally famous doctor and to have been his patient.

I have several friends who are having birthdays this month. Earlier I was in a store looking through birthday cards and thank you cards. Not one card seemed to convey "thank you," to my wonderful surgeon. I am so thankful he was able to do both my CI surgeries, and that my recovery in both instances went a lot smoother than I expected.

I did the next best thing.  I composed a letter of thanks to him. I could not have looked into a Crystal Ball in October, 2010, and envisioned how dramatically my life would change.

I am so thankful for the gift of cochlear implants and bilateral hearing.  I am so blessed my younger sister was able to be with me during both CI surgeries, taking time away from her family to be with me.

I am so thankful that both of my sisters were able to be with me during Activation Day, November 2010. 

I am thankful for my many new friends within the cochlear implanted community all of whom I consider my extended family.

I am thankful for each and every opportunity I have to give back to people who are considering cochlear implants, have met candidacy requirements for cochlear implants, and guiding them on their own journey in hearing.

I am thankful for employment, food, water, clothing, reliable transportation, a roof over my head, health insurance, the ability to pay my bills in full every month, friends and family.

I am thankful to the person who invented cochlear implants, and who is still alive today to bear witness to the fact that cochlear implants have changed lives, mine among them.

I am thankful for my wonderful and capable audiologist, who has been patient with me during our mapping sessions.  I still call them "tweaking sessions."

I am thankful that with the cochlear implant processors on, I can hear. 

I am thankful that I can share my blessings with people who are truly in need.

I am thankful for an enriched and improved quality of life because of cochlear implants and bilateral hearing.

Hearing with two cochlear implants continues to be a priceless gift, and I continue to reap blessings in my Hearing Journey.

Here's wishing everyone abundant blessings and grace this Thanksgiving.