A Wave and a Smile
December 14, 2009 8:00 PM

Since my last update Juliana has had several surgical procedures, and will have another one in a month or so. Each procedure is but a step in the direction of Dr. Wolf's goal, and our goal, of providing Juliana with a functional face that doesn't hinder her in presenting the wonderful person she is to the world.

Actually, Juliana's level of self-esteem and self-confidence is so high, she has never held herself back from anything. She has refused to be hindered despite ongoing challenges. She greets the world with a wave of her hand and an exuberant friendliness, expecting a similar response.

She's been through so much physical pain, I couldn't bear for her also to be hurt by human meanness. There's an incredible amount of it out there directed at her, but so far it hasn't touched her. She's very special and very loved, and she feels special and loved.

Here's some great news: Juliana now has "normal" hearing thanks to the wonderful Cochlear Baha Sound Conduction System. She actually has a small titanium implant in her skull above each ear with an abutment into which the "sound conductor" (hearing aid) snaps. The titanium implant integrates with her skull (through a process called osseointegration) which allows sound to be conducted via her skull directly to her cochleas. This allows her to hear normally. Absolutely wonderful! The sound conductors are about the size of the tip of your thumb, and are unnoticeable under her hair. They are snapped off at night and back on in the morning. Her previous hearing aids were held against her head by a head band. Sometimes they made a good connection with her head and sometimes they didn't. With these, the connection is always good. She loves them.

Juliana is almost 7 years old now—a great age for enjoying Christmas. She loves the Christmas tree and the lights on the house. She doesn't have a big list of things she wants. She's more interested in doing the giving part. She continues to be just a nice little girl.

—Jeanne ("Party")