Got word on Tuesday that the insurance approved the surgery! We were given the option of having the surgery as soon as February 27 or March 6! I jumped at February 27 as that's only 1 week away! I also got the first of two Pneumococcal Meningitis vaccines that I need prior to surgery (CI implantees are at a slightly higher risk of developing this type of meningitis). WOWzers was that shot painful afterwards! Much worse than after a Tetanus shot! I have to get the booster in 8 weeks as well. Yuck! I'm very happy to get the surgery out of the way before midterms. I won't miss anything important at school, and I have all of my subs lined up for my 3 weeks off of work (starting tonight). All of my Professors are being very understanding and supportive. I will only miss one in-class assignment that can not be made up, but it's a very tiny amount of points and I was assured it would not affect my grade at all. For my other classes I have already begun handing in homework early that would be due while I am out. I plan to have it all finished and turned in by Tuesday. If I have time I want to get another week ahead beyond that so that I'm not doing homework while recovering.I took off of work tonight so that I could get ahead on some assignments, and took off on Sunday so that my Mom and I can attend the San Fransisco BEA Social! This is a gathering for those who have AB implants, who are in the process of getting, who are candidates, etc. They do it quarterly and I will get to attend it just days before my surgery, just in time! The men and women on the message board for AB are absolutely wonderful, and many of them will be there. It will be nice to put faces to screen names! It is a 4 hour drive in the opposite direction of UCI where I'm having my surgery. Mom and I will split the driving so it's not so hard on her come Tuesday and Wednesday when she'll be doing all of the driving. Although now that I type that I realize that there's no reason I can't drive us there! We will be driving to Irvine on Tuesday, the day before surgery, after I finish my classes and a tutoring appointment. So we'll leave at approximately 3pm and be there in time to have a late-ish dinner. Don't know my surgery or arrival time yet, but I do know they will try and get me in as close to first as possible since the procedure is outpatient and we have a 3 hour drive home, not including traffic. Praying we can get home before dark as it stinks major to drive down the Grapevine in the dark! I will return to UCI the following Thursday, March 7, for my post-op appt. After that, I will wait up to another 5 weeks before I can be activated! This means that I will be hearing before the semester ends! I will also be hearing before my Uncle's retirement party in D.C. in May, and a tour of Gallaudet University while were there! How much I will understand is unknown but I have high hopes due to my hearing history.
SO! On the list to accomplish before Tuesday is to;
1. Finish all of next week's homework and turn it all in
2. Do even more homework if I have time
3. Buy a button-up pajama shirt for post-op (not allowed to lift your arms over your head post-op)
4. Buy "Floaties" for my glasses, which will keep my glasses on my head despite the giant cup and bandage over my ear.
5. Pack a "Post-OP Car Ride Home" bag
6. Pack an overnight bag
7. Pack a "just-in-case-I-have-to-be-admitted-overnight" bag (haha)
8. Get post-op prescriptions filled
9. Anything else my brain can't think of at this time of night :P
I probably won't get to writing my post about why I chose AB (Advanced Bionics) before surgery, but I will definitely get to it no later than Spring Break :) AB is years ahead of the other 2 cochlear implant companies and I am very blessed to have had the choice in which brand I wanted. In that post I will talk about the processor that I ordered and the additional one that I will get once it's approved by the FDA.
That's all for now, need to finish a homework assignment before I can call it a night! Thanks for everyone's support :)
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