Annika's Story

We decided that we should start at the beginning for you to understand where we have been and how far we have come.

Our daughter was born into a family of 3 older boys (they were 8, 9 and 11 at that time). She was going to be the princess no matter what. Annika then came down with bacterial meningitis at the age of 2 1/2 months old. I can't even begin to explain how our whole life changed at this time. But I can tell you that God has been so good to us through it all.

As we prepared to leave the hospital, her neurologist sat down with us and explained all the things she might not be able to do. She may have lost her hearing so she won't talk, she may have cognitive delays, she may not be able to walk, she may not get back the full use of her hands and the list goes on. Her neurologist ended that heartwrenching conversation with the statement that he was just telling us the worst scenario and the best part of his job is when kids come back year after year and prove him wrong. To this day, Annika has proved him wrong with everything that he told us.

She was diagnosed, about 3 months later, with a moderate-severe hearing loss and we started with hearing aids. Now this child has known exactly what she wants from the beginning. We started to work with her and teach her sign language and also use speech to communicate with her. For about 1 1/2 years we used sign with her. She understood everything we would sign to her but she absolutely refused to use sign herself. She would just try to speak. Around the same time we learned that Annika's hearing loss was progressing due to ossification which is common with kids that have meningitis. So we then started the journey of cochlear implants.

At the age of 2, Annika received her bilateral cochlear implants. I remember watching her a couple of days after the surgery pressing her head against the radio in our living room because she couldn't hear the music but could tell it was on because of the equalizer lights that were on the radio. My heart just broke for her but it also told me that we did the right thing. This child wants to hear, she wants to talk, she wants to listen to music, she wants to dance!!

Annika has also been diagnosed with a form of cerebral palsy which causes her leg muscles (her hands and arms are no longer an issue) to be overly spastic and makes it difficult for her to move her legs and balance. But about the time that we had decided that she would never walk indepdently and had purchased her very own walker, she decided to surprise us all and walk right out of it. I wish I would have recorded her walking into school the first day because her face was undescribable and her teachers were amazed. This child has truly taught us that "if there is a will, there is a way."

Annika attended Northern Voices, an oral school for the deaf for about 3 years and has made great progress. This past fall (2007) she transitioned back into our home district and became fully mainstreamed in the local preschool classroom. Mom, of course, was so nervous about the bigger class size and how she would do. And just about a week after school started, we asked Annika what she liked about her new school. She didn't miss a beat to respond, "I like all my new friends!" She loved the big classroom, she had lots of kids to play with. The kids have just accepted her for who she is and are very helpful in areas that she needs help with.

As this school year is coming to an end, we are working with and looking forward to her new transition into the Kindergarten classroom and the "bigger" elementary school. Annika is very excited about moving to a new school and loves the idea that she is going to school where her brothers went to.

I think that is enough for now. I will post more hopefully tomorrow.

Love Mom