While Baby K’s diagnosis of profound hearing loss affected us directly, it impacted our family members too. Below are the reactions from Baby K’s aunt, uncle, and grandma.
Baby K’s Aunt’s Reaction
The day I found out my brother and his wife were expecting their first baby just 3 months after my husband and I were expecting our first, I was thrilled! Living on different coasts had made it difficult to maintain a very close relationship, but now the four of us were on the same journey of parenthood.
So you can imagine the shock, sadness and disbelief I felt when my brother called me that evening in [October] with some of the most upsetting news I have ever received. How can this happen? When I heard that Baby K failed his initial hearing test, I was confident that it was an error. With no known genetic predisposition to hearing impairment, I didn’t even think about the possibility that the test was accurate.
The test results that confirmed our worst fears left me reeling. I couldn’t stop thinking about Baby K’s future and how my brother and sister-in-law will handle the stress, time and effort that parents of a special-needs child face.
Fast-forward a few months later – I have learned that most of my fears were born from ignorance. After learning about all of the treatments for Baby K, I feel very optimistic that he will grow up just like every other child. After all, we are all different from each other. One child may have to wear glasses, while another uses a hearing aid – at the end of the day these are minor physical limitations. I trust that our family and friends will provide all of the love, support and guidance needed (and more) to raise Baby K – just like any other child.
Baby K’s Uncle’s Reaction
“Reality is harsh. It can be cruel and ugly. Yet no matter how much we grieve over our environment and circumstances nothing will change. What is important is not to be defeated, to forge ahead bravely. If we do this, a path will open before us.” -Daisaku Ikeda
When I first heard the news that Baby K could not hear, I was devastated. Imagine not being able to hear the gentle ocean breeze, the sound of a comforting voice, or even your own cries. We take our hearing for granted. The news of Baby K’s hearing loss reverberated within me for weeks. “Why did it have to happen?” “How cruel and unfair?” were the first thoughts that entered my mind.
My wife and I are practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism. We turned inward and chanted “Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo” with vigor in the weeks that followed, to better understand and seek answers to our questions.
After many months of careful reflection on the matter, I have collected my thoughts.
To sum them up:
We cannot control outside circumstances that influence our lives, but with the right attitude we can reshape how they affect us. While Baby K’s hearing loss is unfortunate, it is important for us not to lament the problem with self-doubt and conjecture (“Woulda-shoulda-coulda”), but instead we must strive earnestly to find a solution.
It is important that we never place limitations on Baby K. He doesn’t know that he cannot hear, and he should never be meant to feel like this is somehow a disadvantage. Instead, we should all support and encourage him.
Baby K has a lot of challenges ahead, but I am convinced he will be victorious. Why do I feel this way? He has a great father and mother who love him very much. And his parents have a wealth of love and support from their respective families as well.
So while some may lament Baby K’s circumstances, I feel that Baby K is a very lucky boy. We are all very fortunate and blessed to have him in our lives.
Baby K’s Grandma’s Reaction
In January of 2011, my daughter and her husband called to say that they had some news to share. Right away, I guessed that they were expecting. I was overwhelmed with joy and excitement. All through her pregnancy, I often thought about the baby growing in my daughter’s womb, how he would look and how I would feel when I saw him for the first time. When I looked at Baby K, right after he was born, it was love at first sight. I could not take my eyes off of him. I wanted to hold him all the time, sing to him, and baby talk to him. I poured out my love to him.
When Baby K failed the first two hearing tests, I was not even bothered and did not believe the hearing tests. As the days rolled by, more and more tests were done and the final verdict shattered all my dreams. Every day, I saw the pain in my daughter’s eyes, as I sat in their apartment feeling helpless. I feared the future.
Baby K is the most adorable and beautiful baby and I questioned how can this happen to him. I prayed for a miracle day and night with an aching heart. After I returned back to my home, I decided to contact a friend of mine who lost his hearing at the age of 25 and who received a cochlear implant at the age of 60. He and his wife invited me to attend the local Hearing Loss Association chapter meeting. The meeting was a big eye opener for me. I saw grown men, women of all ages, and children with cochlear implants — all leading normal and productive lives. As I was introduced to a few of them, my eyes filled with tears of hope. My heart prayed and wished for Baby K to have the same opportunity as the people I had just met. Technology and innovation are God sent for a second chance in life. Because Baby K is so precious to me, I am set on helping him obtain every tool and opportunity so that he can succeed in life.
Baby K learning to hear 