A Song for Noah
I don't know what else to call it, except a miracle.
Our son Noah, was born profoundly deaf. From his birth, our family worked very
hard at learning sign language and became fairly fluent within a year,
completely accepting the fact that Noah would never hear. Although I knew he was
made exactly the way God intended him to be, there were just a few sounds that I
wished he could hear. Laughter, his own children's voices when he became a
father, and music.
At the age of one, he began to respond to sound for the first time, so we
equipped him with hearing aids and began to work with him on speech therapy and
listening skills. Noah could hear sounds, but over time, we realized even with
hearing aids, his hearing was limited to just a jumble of noises and it was very
difficult for him to discern which noise was which. We eventually gave up on
this endeavor, seeing that he was very happy without hearing and the beautiful
language of signing was the only language for him.
As time passed, Noah's hearing became worse and what sounds he could once hear
began to fade as his loss became greater. His world became more profoundly
quiet. This was at times a little scary for me as a mother, as I realized how
dangerous the world around him could be if he couldn't hear certain things. The
sound of a car horn, the doorbell, the phone. And deep in the most secret
corners of my heart, I still sometimes longed for him to know what a baby's cry
sounds like, or laughter, or music. But I knew these things were not to be, and
I also knew that a quiet world has a certain peace to it that hearing people
aren't blessed with.
Last year we learned of new, improved hearing aids and did a little research,
discovering that there have been great strides made with technology that might
help Noah to hear at his full potential. A teeny, tiny ray of hope peeked out of
my heart and I began to wonder if hearing was possible for Noah. Above all, I
wondered if he would be able to hear music.
We took him to his audiologist and had him fitted with brand new, top of the
line, high-tech gadgets for his little ears. We came home and began testing them
out. After only a few hours, I realized Noah wasn't hearing anything. Tears of
frustration filled my eyes as I repeatedly tried to get Noah's attention,
calling his name, clapping my hands, cranking up the stereo. His back to me, he
played happily with his racecars, oblivious to any sound.
I tried for a few more days, but finally accepted the fact that nothing was
getting through. I decided to return the loaner aids to the school, but suddenly
they were nowhere to be found. I looked for the bright yellow ear molds, but
they weren't on top of the entertainment center, where we usually keep them.
Days went by, and then weeks, but I still was unable to find Noah's hearing aids
to return them to his audiologist. I began to worry they were lost, and started
praying to find them, as hearing aids are very expensive and not covered by
insurance. Panic gripped me as day after day I searched the house top to bottom;
still no hearing aids.
After a few months, I told Noah's audiologist the hearing aids were missing, but
promised to keep looking, and if I didn't find them, would reimburse the school
for them. Gulping at the price we would owe, I continued to pray and look for
the hearing aids. The school year ended and still no hearing aids. June passed,
then July and I knew for sure I had better just plan on paying for them.
August rolled around and our new baby was three months old. Noah was truly a joy
to watch with little Ian, so adorable in teaching him to sign, daily reporting
to me the new signs Ian was "showing" him. He was so tender with him, it made me
think about the day when Noah would become a daddy, what that would be like for
him. Deafness brings out a sensitivity to the world around Noah, and I knew he
would be a wonderful daddy one day.
Last week our miracle came.
Getting ready for church, I had on a dress that seemed to attract lint. Annoyed,
I searched all over for the lint roller to swipe my dress down before church.
Distracted by the baby, keeping an eye on Noah and Maya as they got ready, I was
only half paying attention, as I reached up and grabbed the lint roller off the
entertainment center. As I began to quickly de-lint my dress, I glanced down at
it and gasped as I saw them. Two neon yellow hearing aids stuck to the lint
roller! I laughed out loud and relief flooded me. I could return them at last to
the deaf school.
After church that day, Noah saw his hearing aids, signed "wow", and asked to
wear them. I thought it wouldn't hurt anything, and put fresh batteries in them
and popped them in Noah's ears.
I turned back to working at my laptop and at the same time, Ian started crying.
Noah whipped his head around and his eyes huge, he looked at me, then turned
right to Ian and said out loud "WOW!"
Tears immediately filled my eyes as I realized the very thing I had secretly
wished for had unexpectedly come true. "He can hear a baby crying", I thought in
amazement. Wow is right! I clapped my hand in pure joy and Noah responded by
covering his ears and laughing.
Right away I started testing him to see what else he could hear. The phone rang
and he heard it. For the first time in his life, he heard the telephone. "What's
that?" He signed to me. "Phone!", I replied gleefully. Wow.
I quickly learned he could hear very minute sounds that he had never responded
to before. A loud kiss. The snapping of fingers. Simple talking. We began a game
where he would stand in the middle of the room, eyes closed and we would take
turns saying "Noah". He would open his eyes and point at who had said his name.
We all got choked up as we saw Noah hear our voices.
I laughed in delight at this new miracle and Noah turned to me and laughed right
back.
"Did you hear Mama laugh?" I asked him in both sign and voice. "Yes!" He signed
back enthusiastically. WOW. My child heard my laugh for the first time.
Last night I got my biggest wish. Our family went to our favorite Chinese
restaurant for a dinner celebration. The owner of the restaurant, Jonathon, has
always taken a shine to Noah, and always comes to our table to practice his sign
language with Noah and play his Yun Chin for our family. Noah has never been
able to hear Jonathon play the Yun Chin, as it is very high, sweet music. I
popped in Noah's hearing aids and turned them low as he got used to all the
sounds of a busy restaurant. Noah and Jonathon watched the fish aquarium
together and Noah asked Jonathon in sign language if he would play his music.
After dinner was finished, Jonathon brought the Yun Chin to our table and gently
laid it right on the table, right next to Noah. I quickly turned Noah's aids up
a bit and eagerly waited for Jonathon to begin.
The beautiful, clear high pitch of the Yun Chin filled the room. Its melody is
sweet and pure and exquisite. Noah leaned into me and rested his head against
me. After a moment, I tapped Noah and signed "can you hear the music?" Noah
smiled a huge contented grin and simply nodded yes. He leaned his head back and
listened to Jonathon's song for him. Tears filled my eyes as I watched my little
guy enjoy this moment.
I don't know what happened to create this change in Noah. We're saying 'wow" a
lot these days. We are taking it one day at a time, but knowing Noah can hear
the smoke detector, or the doorbell - things to help him be safer is enough for
me. The other sounds he can hear are icing on the cake. Noah is still deaf and
always will be and that's just fine with us. I wish I too could hear just when I
want to – how peaceful that would be! And if he never hears it again, Jonathon's
song for Noah was a gift to always remember.
Susan Farr-Fahncke editor@2theheart.com
I am the author of "Angel's Legacy", my book about my sister's journey through
life, also the co-author of numerous books and contributor to gobs of books,
magazines and web sites. I also founded 2TheHeart, Angels2TheHeart, and I teach
online writing workshops. My favorite job is being mom to Nick, Maya, Noah and
new baby Ian and stepmom to Brandie. You can see more of my writing on my page
at 2TheHeart, or in our story archives.
Http://www.2theheart.com/susan_farr_fahncke