long version...trip

First, I was really happy to have my mom and sister accompany me. Adam had already exhausted his personal/sick days with my surgery and subsequent appointments. I actually felt it was best for the kids too to have dad since mom would be gone.
Upon finding out about the trip, my mom planned a short jaunt in Las Vegas. It is really hard to describe the Vegas experience... it is one you all need to experience at least once. The town is literally in the desert. What killed me was the airport was pretty much right down town. I probably only saw about 4 major casinos and little bit of Old Vegas, so I didn't even begin to tap into it all, and sadly I didn't see one Elvis, not one!!! I won nothing... I wasn't even lucky enough to keep the slots running for long... mom was pretty lucky, winning a few times and jenn pretty much fell into the unlucky category too, but got more playing time than me. I would love to go back out there!!!!

I have to say about the company I was a guinea pig for, Advanced Bionics, are truly from my perspective a great organization. I enjoyed everyone I met. I spent most all of my time with one person. The tests were different than anything I have done before. I wanted to do well and I was concentrating so hard, I got a headache. One of the things he did was he kept having me change processors (the part I wear w/ the magnet) and he wouldn't tell me what he did to them as far as changing the programming strategies and one of the changes he made, made a tremendous difference in the clarity of what I was hearing(it would have ruined his experiment to tell me what he had done, I called him a mad scientist..lol). Unfortunately, they are not allowed for a variety of reasons to give me the programming, only my own audiologist, Joyce can do that... so when I left, I felt like I could hear nothing with my usual processor. I could have cried. Yes, the difference was that big for me. The good news is that, I am scheduled to see Joyce on October 5Th, so it won't be long until I get those changes. They had indicated I may be asked to come back out, and that is in my opinion a great opportunity... Mushy part here.... When I lost my hearing suddenly, it was a horrible and sad time for me, and yes for a while I thought my life was over. I adapted, adjusted the best I could... when my hearing dipped last year and I got the implant, it was the first time I really felt hope again... honest to-goodness pure, sweet hope. I am not an engineer, but if what I can describe for the smart guys can help a little, then it makes all of the sad stuff a little bit better.
Which brings me to my next little bit of drama....
So, I immediately emailed my principal and let him know it was a really cool experience and that they may want me again in the future and the company had said some of their test subjects have no problem getting sick leave to do the testing.... my principal said that I needed to contact the superintendent, so I did... The next day I was being hammered because I forgot to do the professional leave request (I was totally at fault, had gone through all of the other steps as far as talking to my union rep about days off, my assistant principal about arranging a substitute and lesson plans)... The conversation got ugly between myself and my boss and he said that he would recommend any further testing with the company and time off result in a "deduct day." May not sound so bad, an unpaid day off work, but it is a scam... because we only work 9 months a year but get paid over 12, they charge almost 2 days of pay.... one deduct day is probably the equivalent of a months worth of groceries for my family.... no exaggeration... So, now I need to go see the superintendent on Monday.
To make matters better or worse.... the university of Washington in Seattle is doing a music and CI study and would like me to participate. This all puts me in a real pickle. Being hearing impaired and wearing a cochlear implant is my life now. I want to help the research, I want to be a part of that... and don't feel I can turn my back on these wonderful opportunities, yet I have a financial obligation to my family too...
Even as I write this, I tear up... Say a few prayers for me that it will all have a way of working out... I am emotional about it, because the road I have traveled has had quite a few bumps....