Hearing Impaired

Implant day!!

I woke up at 4, I was so excited about today! Jay spent the night so he could be with me today. When I walk into the guest room, he signs, "Good morning, beautiful girl". I sign back, "I'm so excited for today!" "I know, baby," He signs, scooting over so I can snuggle with him, "I can't wait to hear your voice, baby!" "I can't wait to hear yours, either!" I sign back. Since I'm having surgery, I get to stay in my pajamas that Jay bought me for my birthday that say, "I'm somebody's bunny on the shirt and have bunnies on the pants and slippers. He is wearing a shirt that says, "My girl's deaf and beautiful" with jeans and my favorite pair of his sneakers. Jay is the oldest and only boy of 4. We go into my bathroom and he does a Katniss braid for me. (His middle sister, Lydia is a Hunger Games fanatic, so he learned to do it a week before her 13th birthday). My mom comes in and says that it is time to go to the hospital. Jake, Madi, Nick, Michaela, and dad are all waiting in the living room. "Don't you guys have school?" I ask. "I called the school Friday and excused all of them for today and tomorrow." Dad replies. We all hop in the car and head to the hospital. We only wait for about 5 minutes before a nurse calls us all back. Michaela helps me change into my gown. Jake, who is part of the nursing internship at school, helps put my I.V in. We watch television for about forty minutes, when an orderly comes to take me to the Operating Room. I don't really remember much after that.
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1 hour later
I wake in the recovery room with my family and friends around me. Dr. Jackie comes in, and turns the implants on. Jay watches me and says, "Can you hear me, babe?" I start crying and say, "Yes." "Oh wow! You speak so clearly, Austyn!" Michaela says. "Thanks!" I reply. They take my I.V out and I can go home. We stop at IHOP for breakfast and I have the chance to order for myself. I get chocolate chip pancakes and hot chocolate. Our waitress and my cousin, Eva (short for Evangeline), asks how my voice has no lisp to it. "She was signing up a storm." Jay says. It feels so weird to not need to use sign language." He says, looking at me.
After we eat, we head home, but not before Eva says that she and the rest of the family will be over later.  That gives me enough time for a shower and a nap. When we get home, I climb into bed after leaving a note for someone to wake me up when everyone starts arriving. Jay wakes me up and I take a quick shower.
I change into my dress that Eva made for me last year: a gorgeous cap sleeve number the color of seafoam with a keyhole back. Madi does my hair and makeup then we all head downstairs. It's so weird being able to hear my family's voices. So many new things to get used to like my pug, Lucy's little snorts when she sleeps or plays to Jake's guitar riffs. We end up having a talent show before dinner, leading to my discovery of how talented my boyfriend and family are. After an amazing dinner of Uncle Lawson's famous turkey and cheese soup, rolls and broccoli, we all exchange hugs with the adults, leaving the kids to get dressed in their pjs as we all settle in to watch The Avengers. Mom and Aunt Janie bring down the suitcases, as we leave tomorrow for our August vacation to Tahiti.