Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Hearing loss, could it be a complicaton of T1D?

I was putting the final touches on this blog post while David was napping when the phone rang.  It was the school nurse informing me that she had tested Bekah's hearing twice in the past couple of weeks and neither time did she pass in her right ear.  We discussed how this was an issue last year and I had taken her in to her pediatrician where she seemed to pass after a second try. (If you have read Bekah's dx story, this is when my mom-dar started to go off just a bit wondering what was it that just wasn't right) The nurse referred Bekah to the district audiologist where there is a sound proof booth to get a more accurate test result.  I hung up and promptly called the audiologist to make an appointment.  I had to leave a message and then as I sat at my computer in silence the thoughts came rushing in, you D-moms know the thoughts.  Those thoughts that we keep in the back of our mind, the possible complications of T1D. 

Ask any mom of a child with T1D, she knows well what the possible complications are and she will rattle off a list that you would never know from her smile and cheerful attitude that she kept inside of her head.  That list looks a bit like this but it is not something we as D-moms dwell on or we would literally go crazy. "The list" just stays back in the recesses of our brain and tries to push it's way forward only on sick days or days when we are battling high BG after high BG.  Total strangers think they have the one up on us when they inform us of some of these complications.  (That is a blog for another day) What they don't know is that sometimes when it is quiet and we are alone with our thoughts that "the list", sometimes in graphic detail, is right there in front of us and we can't push it down.

This was one of those times "the list" came to the forefront of my head.  I know retinophathy (or blood vessel damage in the eyes specifically the retina) is a complication but I had never heard of ear damage being a possible complication.  I am a nerd, my brain wants to soak up information like a sponge and there are times when this is a blessing and times when it's not so much of a blessing.  This was one of those times that it wasn't a blessing.  I began to think about the fact that general neuropathy (nerve damage) was a complication and we have nerves in our ears.  I decided that I needed to know if indeed hearing loss could be a complication of type one diabetes.  So I consulted the all knowing one...Google. 

The first article that I found was awful, I can't find it again or I would share the link.  It talked about a little girl with T1D who was experiencing hearing loss in her right ear and it turned out to be what the doctor thought was a rare complication and she could possibly go completely deaf.  (If you saw my facebook plea for prayer support that is where it stemmed from).  I then took a deep breath and furthered my search.  Thankfully nothing else I found was as scary.  This was the main gist that I got from the rest of my research.  I decided that I need to wait and "cross the bridge" when (if) we get there.  I don't know why I torture my self like that.  I think in this case, nothing could have prepared me for the day Bekah was dx with T1D and I don't ever want to be that caught off guard again.

I didn't write this blog post to bring up that bad D stuff.  I wanted to share my research with you other D-moms and I needed to get it out of my head.  Tuesday is Bekah's appt with the audiologist.  I will keep you posted.  It's probably just that her right ear doesn't drain properly or she gets wax build up in that ear.  Probably has nothing to do with D.  Hopefully it will be an easy (painless) fix.  I did go to that dark ugly place for a little while but I am back now looking at the glass half full, knowing we will get to meet yet another special person on Tuesday and God only knows the reason our paths need to cross.  

6 comments:

  1. I have a post sitting in my drafts folder about "googling with care". Half the time I scare the poop outta me with some of the things that come up in my google searches.

    Praying for your sweet little girl.

    P.S. I don't think I sent you an email thanking you for the gifts... I've received them and am loving the book (haven't found the time to use the card yet).

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  2. "What they don't know is that sometimes when it is quiet and we are alone with our thoughts that "the list", sometimes in graphic detail, is right there in front of us and we can't push it down." That really struck a chord in me. It is SO true!

    I am an information-seeking nerd, too, and I've learned that I need to watch myself on Google or I'll make myself crazy. Sometimes, that's easier said than done.

    I'll keep Bekah in my prayers! Hopefully, it's nothing serious! Keep us posted! xo

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  3. I will be praying for you! Please know that we are hoping for a painless fix for her as well. and then for you a big sigh of reliefe. We are sending you a big VA hug

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  4. I went through something similar last year with Ally, and unfortuately let Google get the best of me too! Ally's hearing problem turned out to be fluid in her ears. She never complained about them hurting or anything. Hoping for an easy fix for Bekah too. I will be thinking about you guys.

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  5. will be thinking of you guys....hope it is an easy fix.

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  6. Thinking of you guys.

    I am curious did they check her ear canal for blockage before any of the tests?



    PLease dont forget to message me after appointment, I may be able to get some additional info for you. xoxo

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