Yesterday Cliff took the first step toward hearing again!

Things went without a hitch yesterday with the cochlear implant.  We arrived at the hospital at 7 A.M., an hour early, thanks to Cliff's worrying that we'd get up caught in the morning rush hour.  We had picked up our daughter Rachel, who took off work to be our driver, and she drove both ways, going and coming.  That was great, because Cliff has never liked driving in the city, especially in Kansas, where he isn't familiar with any of the roads.  In spite of our early arrival in Leawood, the nurses took him in quickly and proceeded to get him ready for surgery.

The surgery itself took less than two hours.  Cliff was dizzy and a little bit silly when he got in the car to leave.  We were all hungry, and he "drunkenly" told Rachel to choose someplace for us to eat on the way home, patting her arm as he spoke.  She chose the Hi-Boy Cliff and I used to favor when we first met, just a couple blocks or so from where his family lived at the time.  Then we went to our Oak Grove Walmart to get two prescriptions, one antibiotic and one for pain.  I knew he wouldn't be taking the pain medication, because they knock him out; but I'll use one once in awhile on a bad knee day.  It's always nice to have those, in a pinch.  

Cliff was still pretty dizzy after we got home, so every time he got up, I walked with him wherever he was going.  I also slept with him, in case he had any kind of problem during the night.  Normally the dog and I sleep in my little bedroom; I on my much softer mattress, and the dog in his much-smaller kennel.  

We both got up pretty early this morning; Cliff took a couple Tylenols and is napping on the couch now.  

I took this last night.  That big thing over his right ear didn't manage to stay in place overnight, but he was supposed to take it off this morning anyway.  I told him he didn't have to smile, but he managed a tiny Mona-Lisa smile, anyway.

This behind-the-ear tapes are supposed to stay there for a week.  I hope they make it!  He isn't supposed to stoop over for two weeks, but he said he keeps forgetting and has already bent over twice.  I guess I'd better watch him closer.  He isn't to blow his nose, or sneeze through his nose.  He also isn't to lift anything over 25 pounds.  His dizziness seems to be gone, so he could drive if he needed to.  However, I made sure we had everything we need for this week, so we'll likely not be going anywhere.

So far, so good!