This one really is short and sweet. 

God is Great, God is Good.  Thank you Lord for Bentley’s little electronic miracles!  That’s right. Little miracles.  I’m pretty dang confident my angel heard me today, many many times. 

We started the day split apart.  I couldn’t drive up until this morning.  Lindsay was running around like a chicken with her head cut off.  At least that’s what she sounded like on the phone.  We finally met up at the HEAR Center just in the nick of time (mom was with me).  Lindsay’s parents, Mom, Jessica, and Ryan were all in attendance, along with a few friends from Children’s media team. 

It all moved so fast.  It’s weird.  Since surgery, I’ve been going 90 mph.  I’ve hardly had a chance to think about today.  Which is sort of nice, because I didn’t want to get my hopes up.  Although I’m naturally a realist, I couldn’t help but send my imagination into a flurry of dream reactions.  I have to try my hardest not to imagine her face lighting up as we turned her ears on.  I didn’t get the dream.  I got so much more.

The audiologist hooker her processors up to a computer, and slowly played a series of beeps until we got a reaction.  She was so happy.  We had her sitting up in a high chair, with Lindsay and I on each side.  She was playing with her toys, smiling and rocking back and forth.  I’m sure the anticipation was all over my face.  We were just sitting there waiting on something.  We weren’t exactly sure what, but something.  As Bentley chomped along on one of her toys, a new series of beeps started.  The first few series of beeps didn’t elicit a single wince, but this series was different.  Suddenly, B just froze.  She stopped everything she was doing and just froze.  Lindsay and I both locked eyes.  It was like we were speaking to each other.  We both telepathically said “She just heard that! Can you believe it? She just heard that! I love you. She just heard that!”  The series of beeps stopped, and she went straight back to chomping away at her toys.  So simple.  What else is she going to do?  When we switched to testing the other ear, we got a similar response, but not quite as obvious. 

The beeps stopped.  It was now time to say something.  The room went so silent.  Lindsay and I just froze.  Neither of us said a thing.  We didn’t realize we were supposed to.  Haha.  Finally I realized it and nudged Lindsay…Lindsay spoke….Bentley paused what she was doing.  Her eyes turned up toward the sky.  She turned her head toward Lindsay and said “Stop yelling at me mom!” hahahahahaha jk.  She didn’t do that.  She did pause, but she didn’t do anything crazy obvious.  She stalled her chomp, like something weird was going on, but nothing crazy.  At least not that I can remember.  We did get response from her, but I don’t have the video of those first words.  Not yet.  It was taken with a fancy camera, and I’ll upload it once I get it. 

After talking to her for a few minutes we wore her out.  She passed out, and took a nap.  During nap time we learned all about her new toys.  The new processors, their functions, the colors, all the bells and whistles, it was fun. 

As Bentley started to arouse, I thought, “will she startle to sound?”  Babies do, why wouldn’t she?  So I stuck her processor on and spoke softly.  She moved.  I took it back off.  We let her calm down, and then we decided to try one more time.  I told everyone to pick up their phone and start shooting, haha.  Then I spoke, and she startled!  Just like a little baby would.  The video of it is perfect.  She was spooked, startled, maybe a little scared.  She perceived the sound of my voice, and reacted!  That’s all I needed.  The potential that exists is endless.  I’m cautiously optimistic of the near future, but with Lindsay by her side, she’ll be awesome!

I’ll pull all the footage together soon, and throw up a few more pics.  She’s really cute with her new ears.  Thank you to everyone who has prayed for my angel over the last year.  Thank you to the therapists, the doctors, the nurses, the teachers, everyone.  I can’t thank everyone enough.  We are so appreciative of all the prayers and support. 

The Book of Bentley started a new chapter today.  I foresee a few extra chapters as well.  Let’s see where this next one takes us, shall we?


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Jesus put his fingers in Bentley's ears last week, and she hears today.  I just love it!

February 17th, 2014 is a day that will live in infamy……at least for us. 

What a great weekend.  You have no idea how awesome it was to have so many people with Bentley on their minds.  Except for when we sang Happy Birthday to ken.  Operation Lonely Girls was still the mission, but we had to make a few exceptions being it was Mercedes Marathon weekend.  Saturday night was the spaghetti dinner.  We met family and friends there, but I had to sanitize my hands after every person I shook hands with.  Lindsay was still a little anxious going into the weekend.  We experienced the same quarantine affect on Sunday morning during the marathon.  We didn’t let anyone get near Bentley.  It was kind of funny.  Jessica, my sister ran the half-marathon for her, along with a few of her friends.  They wore some super sweet “Team Bentley” shirts.  I mentioned the two teams who were raising money for the Bell Center in Bentley’s name.  They all did great.  We really appreciate the effort and time so many people put into that event.  I can’t believe so many people just offered to run really far up and down the streets of Bham.  I love the Bell Center too, but….

Thank you so much for everyone who showed Bentley love this weekend.  We really appreciate it.

Now, to the part everyone really wants to know, how was surgery?!!!!

It was kind of funny.  If only you could have heard mine and Lindsay’s conversation on the way up to Bham on Friday.  Our nerves were actually starting to get to us.  We almost turned around and didn’t drive up until Sunday night, just because we didn’t want her getting a last second cold prior to surgery.  We got a huge surprise on Sunday, and got some Facetime with Uncle Jarod.  That was pretty special.  We were pumped to see him before surgery. 

Fortunately, we didn’t have to get to Children’s too early.  We left the Villa de Shocka around 730am.  Perfect timing.  The surgery registration area was packed.  We had to sit at a little kitty table as we waited to be called back.  Our Outback pager finally went off around 945.  We went back and got the usual questions.  All 50 of them.  I laugh, because Lindsay doesn’t like this part.  Dr. Woolley came by, and many other people.  I tried videoing as much as possible.  Bentley must have known it was a big day, because she never cried or fussed a bit.  Even though she hadn’t had anything to eat since Sunday night.  They pried her from our arms around 1000am.  Well, we knew at that point we had about 5 hours to wait.  No worries, just 5 hours of my baby passed out with a tube shoved down her throat, her head cut open in two spots, two holes drilled in the base of her skull, and an insanely fragile electrode placed inside the most fragile seashell (her cochlea) I’ve ever known.  No reason to worry, or get stressed, or sit there staring at the Outback pager hoping for an update.

Well, we tolerated it well.  We were blessed to have both sets of parents around us.  Quite a few friends stopped by as well.  It was a great way to pass the time.  However around the 5.5 hr mark, I was starting to get a little anxious.  I decided that was the perfect time to shift to some actually work-work.  That kept me occupied until Dr. Woolley appeared.  He came bearing good news.  The surgery went well.  It was a huge success from their end.  They just had to take things slow because of her size.  It was great, we were so relieved.  Unfortunately, he also said it would be another hour or two to wake her up.  I’ve mentioned how rough anesthesia is on her before.  She must have prepared for this, because although it took 2 hours for us to see her, she was almost completely awake. 

When we walked through those doors and saw that bunny rabbit wrapped up on that gurney,  I was just elated.  “Thank you Lord!”  I can’t begin to tell you the relief I had knowing I could see and touch her.  She was a tad swollen, and had some big ole earmuff bandages on, but she was as precious as ever.  The rest of the evening was basically Lindsay and me fighting over who got to hold her.  We were obviously treating her head as if it contained two cracked eggs, but what do you expect?  She was a little fussy for a while, but Lindsay was pooped.  She crashed and I just couldn’t take my eyes off of B.  She was so sweet laying there in the crib.  Around 1130pm she started rubbing her feet on the blanket and smiling.  All I could do was pray “Thank You! Thank you thank you thank you!”  I watched her until she fell asleep around 1am.  I think her big day finally hit her.  I’m not sure it was long afterward when I passed out. 

This morning, everyone was feeling better.  We were discharged around 1pm, and headed straight south.  Bentley was awesome.  She never whined or complained.  She made some sweet little coos, but that’s about it.  Back home we realized how stinky and smelly we all are.  I didn’t take my shoes off for 36 hours.  Right now we are all debating where the hospital stink is coming from.  Is it from Bentley’s headband and dressing change, or is it from me?  Lindsay, as a source of the stench, isn’t an option.  Bentley has to wear these funny headbands to hold on the dressings.  The incisions are right behind her ears, and her ears are draining pretty good.  All in all, the surgery couldn’t have gone any better. 

Thank you to everyone who threw up some prayers.  I can’t thank you enough.  Bentley has a couple of new knots on her head, where the implants sit, but otherwise seems back to her old self.  We’ll head back up for a post-op appointment next week, and we’ll try turning them on February 27th!  It is so hard to believe she’s got them.  This has been such a milestone to achieve.  A milestone that holds so much potential.  Thanks again for all of the support and prayers.  I’ll let you know how the turn-on day goes.

Not a lot to talk about, other than we are 1.5 weeks away from Bentley’s implants!  Sorry if the dates confused anyone.  Originally we were told January 27th.  It changed. I’m praying it was a blessing in disguise, like so many other things we’ve experienced lately.  –As Lindsay was proofreading my work, she notified me of the blessing this was, because we would have most likely been caught in the Polar Vortex that consumed Birmingham on the 28th- Surgery is now on February 17th.  

Since we are two weeks away, the quarantine has begun.  Operation Lonely Girls has commenced.  Bentley can’t get sick for the two weeks prior to surgery.  We’re cutting it pretty close as we spent a good chunk of our Saturday in the ER because she spiked a temp of 105.  It was not fun.  Bentley was feeling so bad.  I know kids get sick all the time, at least the ones in the Greater Bryant-Clark family do.  As a result everyone is always fighting off something.  Well, with B it’s hard to tell who or what she got.  She had her 15-month shots on Thursday, but also spent time with Momma B for the first time in a while and Momma B has had every bug imaginable lately.  We also had our first dose of what it’s like to have a baby that really doesn’t feel good.  Last night B cried for like 3 hours straight.  That has literally never happened.  Not even close.  She cries for 5 seconds max.  I know, we’ve been spoiled.  We passed on family lunch yesterday as our first missed event due to Operation Lonely Girls.  Instead of eating a huge spread with everyone, we ate a sandwich, and then went to Sam’s where I carried B in the Bjorn and was under executive order not to touch ANYTHING!  5 min in I was walking around looking for hand sanitizer because I had touched the tablet computers and the paddleboards.  I just forgot the mission.  Don’t worry, I didn’t touch B again until I hit the hand sanitizer row and disinfected….Sorry whoever bought the 3 liter bottle missing one squirt.

We’ve just about made a decision on the implants Bentley will receive.  Nothing like waiting until the last second.  I swear Google has been holding out on me.  In the last 72 hours I’ve discovered articles, videos, and tech sheets that I haven’t uncovered in the last 12 months.  Where did they come from?  I have no idea, but they have been a huge help.  Mostly they’ve reinforced the brand I am leaning toward.  But they have also brought up great information about the other companies that have brought things back to a very tight race.  There’s a good chance we will have made this decision before this update goes to print.  No pressure huh?  Just picking an electronic device to implant in my child’s head that will hopefully stay with her for life and provide her the perception of sounds and make, possibly, the single largest impact on her future development as a kid.  No biggie. 

It’s crazy to think where we’ve been over the last year.  January 30th was the date we discovered Bentley is deaf.  It has been a busy year.  If someone had told me we could experience a year like this, I would have told them they were nuts.  So many changes for the Bryant family.  Some good, some bad.  I’m just so thankful Lindsay and I could experience it together. 

I’ll go ahead and wrap this bad boy up.  Shortest post yet, I believe.  I’m going to end by asking for something.  Please support the Bell Center at the Mercedes Marathon.  A very famous blind and deaf girl will be on hand.  She is super cute. Come out and meet her in person (If Operation Lonely Girls doesn’t have her on lock-down).  We are blessed to have two teams running in Bentley’s name.  I honestly can’t find a link to one of them, but I just did.  They both support the same amazing place, The Bell Center.  So, thank you to Team Bentley and Team Achilles’ Bells’s.  (The green means you can click on it and go donate if you are super generous and actually care like that)  Team Bentley is a group of some great friends who we love very much from our days in Hoover.  Team Achilles' Bells's is a team who runs for the Bell Center and one of the runners has a child with cochlear implants.

Thank you for keeping up with B.  Please throw up a quick prayer on Feb. 16th, because you’ll probably still be asleep when she goes to surgery on the 17th.  We’re praying for God to guide Dr. Wooley’s hands, and a quick recovery.  I’ll keep you posted on her progress.  Then, I may share something when we turn them on, on Feb. 27th!!!