Anise's story/El cuento de Anise

Happy Birthday Anise Jude Carroll-Covarrubias

As every child is a blessing, when Anise was born she was a happy and crying, like any other newborn, however a nurse in the recovery room noticed something different with Anise's ear.  We didn't think much of it, just the bliss of having a healthy baby with 10 fingers and 10 toes, right? Well upon them doing a well baby evaluation, pediatrician comes and tells my husband and I that Anise had a malformed outer ear (Microtia-doctor did not know this term), and that it would be only cosmetic and that she would be fine.  As parents we looked at each other with confusion, and without saying but knowing there were a lot of questions to be asked. Pediatrician comes back about an hour later with Anise, and let's us know that it is more than just cosmetic, and informs us that she does not have an opening in her ear (no ear canal-Atresia-doctor did not know the term). At that point I panicked, and started thinking I did everything I should have during my pregnancy, I didn't drink, I drank decaf coffee (OK, had the ocassional cup of caffinated), but all in all I had done everything right as with my 1st pregnancy with Sofía. So now instead of enjoying the fact that we had a healthy baby, my focus was on what did I do wrong, and that she didn't deserve this.


Upon leaving we were not sure what to expect.  And then all of the doctors appts came. Audiologists, Urologists, Geneticist, more doctors than I have ever seen in my lifetime, and here she was days old, and already being poked and prodded. Because the ears develop with all of the major internal organs, they needed to check heart, kidneys, and of course her ears. It did turn out that she had bi-lateral kidney reflux, in which she had to be on antibiotics (she hated the taste!) until it resolved. That resolved at the age of 2. Her ABR (Auditory Brain-stem Response) test, showed she did not have any hearing loss on her left side (her good ear, as we call it), and it was determined that the internal structure of her right side was in tact, just no ear canal. Great news!


After battling,and failing miserably with my insurance to get a Softband BAHA for Anise, we were blessed to find the AZ Ear Institute to provide us with a loaner Softband BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aid). She used religiously from about 5 months to about 16 months, and then just lost interest in wearing it, didn't want any around her hear, along with the stubborness of a normal 1 year old. I believe it did help her speech development for the time she wore it.


Anise has developed graciously, her development in all aspects are where they should be. Her speech is where it should be, at times I think that she has a bionic ear, and hears more than most. She was tested early on through the AZ Early Intervention Program as part of services provided for children who are deaf or have hearing loss, and was on track at all levels. Yay!


Como cada hijo es una bendición, Anise nacío llorando y feliz, como cualquier recien nacido, con la excepciín, que la enfermera notó algo diferente con su oreja. En el momento no pensamos nada, simplemente estamos contenta de tenerla con nosotros, y que tenia 10 deditos en los pies y las manos.  El pediatra entro al siguiente dia informandonos que Anise tenia una deformidad en la oreja y que solamente sería cosmetico, horas despúes volvío el doctor para decirnos lo contrario, que Anise no tenia canal de oido.  En ese momento, sentí que el mundo se me cayo encima, pensando en mi misma, que yo habia tomado todas las precauciones necessarias durante mi embarazo, asi como mí embarazo con Sofía.  Ahora en vez de disfrutar el hecho de tener una niña saludable, mí enfoque era, que ella no merecia esto.


Al irnos del hospital, empesaron todas las citas. Audiologos, Urologos, Genetistas, y mas doctores de los que yo eh visto en toda mi existencia, y aquí Anise teniendo dias de haber nacido y ya la estan picando. Los oidos se forman al mismo tiempo que los organos mayores, como el corazon, los riñones, y por supuesto los oidos.  Lo unico que si tuvo fue  reflujo bilateral del riñón, en cual tuvo que tomar antibiotico (el sabor era pesimo) hasta que se resolviera a su tiempo.  Se le resolvio a los dos años. El ABR (Prueba auditiva de la respuesta del médula oblonga), nos índico que el ella oía perfectamente en su oido izquierdo, y fue determinado que la estructura del interior de su oido derecha estaba intacto, pero sin canal de oido. Esas fueron muy buenas noticas para nosotros!


Despues de batallar y fallar con las aseguranzas para obtener un prótesis de oído anclada hueso (BAHA) para Anise. Tuvimos la suerte o por la gracias de Dios de encontrar a AZ Ear Institute. Ellos nos prestaron uno desde los 5 meses hasta hace unos meses.  Anise lo uso religiosamente hasta los 16 meses, con el tiempo le empeso a molestar y no tenia el ínteres de usarlo.  Siento que por el tiempo que ella lo uso le ayudo muchisimo con el habla y su desarollo total.


El desarollo de Anise ha sido maravilloso, su desarrollo en todos los aspectos es donde deben estar. Su discurso igual, yo aveces pienso que tiene el oído bionic, y oye más que la mayoría. La probaron con el programa de intervención temprano de AZ como parte de los servicios proporcionados para los niños que son sordos o tienen pérdida de oído, y estaba en pista en todos los niveles. ¡Yay!