Nucleus 6 – Sound Check Mama

Riley and I are going to Disney World in 21 days! As a UDA All-American dancer she’ll be performing in the Thanksgiving Day Parade at Magic Kingdom. She is beyond excited. I’m wondering what clothes will be comfortable, how I’ll pay for food and whether it’ll all just come back up on the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster.
I’m the mother of a 14-year-old. A 14-year-old! A 14-YEAR-OLD!
“Confident” by Demi Lovato is on repeat repeat repeat. “It’s time for me to take it, I’m the boss right now.”
I just caught my reflection dancing in the TV, which isn’t on. Heck, we don’t even have cable.
My parents are incomparable, incredible, and we wouldn’t make it without them. My former husband’s dad and stepmom are super awesome, too.
After Christmas I’m going to start saving to replace Riley’s out-of-warranty, four-year-old cochlear implant processors. The newest model, released nearly two years ago, is Bluetooth compatible, which means her music, her phone, her computer, even the TV sound can be sent straight to her processors without her being wired up. Check out this video for a simulation. And this is an older but still interesting article about the N6 and more.
Through my work, I’m meeting more families of children with hearing loss and several who are going through the cochlear implant process. I want to share Riley’s story and show them that, though the journey is hard and frustrating and stressful, it’s worth it. I hope the two of us make a difference somehow.
I want those families and others around the world to be able to come here and read about Riley and me and our adventures and find inspiration, comfort, peace, honesty, ideas to make the “CI Life” easier, and a little humor.
Mostly, I want my daughter to know that whatever happens, I am here.