(May was Better Speech and Hearing Month. This article written by a sixth-grader should have run then.)
Alyna’s Story: Loving my Life
My name is Alyna Heitler Cook and I go to Ligon Middle School and I am in the sixth grade.
I don’t remember having my first cochlear implant surgery or having hearing aids but I do remember my second surgery a little bit.
I remember that I had to take some disgusting medicine to make me fall asleep and then I woke up later with a bandage on my head and then my parents came in and I was happy to see them.
I also remember working with Kathryn Wilson and she helped me a ton! I could have not done it without her. She started with sounds like ooo, ahh, moo, etc.
But then we got into harder stuff and I was hearing well with both ears! I was in the second grade during this surgery and everyone in my class made cards for me. They were all very nice and sweet! Everyone like my teachers, parents, family, and friends were all very supportive.
I like that I can take them off at night and when I take a shower. Some advantages are that I can take them off when I sleep, take a shower, or when I get mad at someone. I like and don’t like that I can’t hear when I go swimming. Some challenges are that it can be hard to hear other people in really loud places like at restaurants or sometimes it is hard to hear on the phone.
I can do all the things that other kids can do at school. Like videos, anything with noise on the computer, sports, and anything else.
I use an FM at school and it makes a big difference. Whenever the class watches a video the teacher puts the FM by the speakers for me. I am glad I have an FM at school. I also have one at home but we never use it. We just always forget.
My life could not be any better! I am so glad to be living the life I am living right now! My parents, family, and friends have helped me so much through my journey. I am so thankful for all of them!
(Personal frequency modulation (FM) systems are like miniature radio stations operating on special frequencies. The personal FM system consists of a transmitter microphone used by the speaker (such as the teacher in the classroom, or the speaker at a lecture) and a receiver used by you, the listener. The receiver transmits the sound to your ears or, if you wear a hearing aid, directly to the hearing aid.)
