Welcome To My Blog...

This blog follows my journey of 2 different cochlear implants and my condition: Multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions I have started this blog 15 yrs too late but ill try my best to fit it all in! I have packed a lot of medical jargon into my life since I was 8.

There has been happiness and tears but I've come through it all with my family and my friends.I'm profoundly deaf as a result of a condition called Multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions or mitochondrial disease RRM2B as my professor Sir Dough Turnbull calls it! I have had since birth but I didn't find out this til I was 19. I have had 2 cochlear implants (at the age of 8 and then i lost the 1st cochlear implant in my right ear after 7 years due to a bad, accruing ear infection (which I couldnt fight off because of my mitochondrial condition) at the age of 15 and had a 2nd one implanted in my left ear that same year which I have now.

My Story


10 September 2008

Old school memories...

I had both my appointment at hospital and interview at my old junior school today (for volunteering see post Moving on) I wasn’t keen on the hospital appointment, but the interview at the school was good. It was great to see my old junior school and how everything’s changed since I left. It has certainly improved since I was there and lots of new teachers! I start next week to see how I get on! Hopefully I can gain a bit of self confidence in myself rather than asking people what I have to do. I’ve always been a follower of people so to move into being my own boss in my head will be different but it should help my self-confidence. I’m going to be helping the kids with their work so hopefully I can follow the lessons!!! It’s been a while since I’ve been at school learning different subjects! My mum has told me I should use my initiative and learn to do things by myself rather than wait for someone to help me! I just hope I can and don’t feel a bit lost!! The head teacher showed me around the school and told me if I miss anything in the class just ask! Also the kids were very noisy talking amongst themselves so I hope I can overcome it all and listen carefully! I think the head teacher was impressed with how I cope with my cochlear implant and my speech!

I also think that I might ask If I could get a lead to connect to my laptop to my cochlear implant so I can listen to music although the problem with that is I will only be able to listen to the music directly to my cochlear implant so that means I cannot hear what is going on in the family house, like my mum shouting me for tea etc. I had a lead on my last cochlear implant but I never used it because I preferred to listen to everything really! The music, the humdrum of my house and family talking basically all the wonderful sounds you can hear with the cochlear implant!!!

1 comment:

Jennifer Bruno Conde said...

Hi Laura!

Fantastic! I'm so glad you are preparing to start volunteering at your junior school!

When I was teaching three year olds I would've loved to have someone like you volunteering in my class!

They are lucky to have you!

Let us know how it goes.

Jennifer :-)