Part 4

6 years has brought hundreds of doctors appointments.  She's been poked, prodded and examined a million times.

I don't know how many hearing tests she's had but it feels like thousands.  She's become well acquainted with the sound booth.

{Dr. Elizabeth Preston - Audiologist}

In August of 2013 she had a CT Scan.  With it came with devastating news.  In my journal after we were given the results I wrote, "I watched intently as they did the scan last week and had my own ideas of what was in store.  I told Jared that I thought she had all the parts but I also thought it was possibly deformed.  I was anxious to see the official results.  For whatever reason I was shocked when he confirmed my ideas.  I guess I secretly hoped that it would be different.  He confirmed that the structure of the inner ear is fairly normal, however, it is surrounded by bone which means that we will never be able to restore hearing.  My heart literally sank.  Tough words to hear.  I held back the tears and squeezed Jared's hand just a little tighter.  He showed us the scan and pointed out specific things.  He showed us a diagram of a normal ear and compared it to her abnormalities.  He sat with us and answered our questions.  We explained it to Kambri who cried and said, "I just want a hole like my other ear".  Talk about heart wrenching.  They looked at her sinuses and have decided to move forward with some allergy testing.  We will also be scheduling an appointment with a physician at Primary Children's Hospital to discuss what this means for our future.  After we left the office, my brother-in-law Tony (who works at the hospital) treated her to Cheetos & Strawberry Milk.  When I got to my car, I sent a mass text to our family and closest friends and started to cry.  Jared had already headed back to work, so Kambri and I sat in the car and cried together for just a moment.  I don't know what the future holds.  I don't know what will come in the years ahead.  But I do know that I love this little girl with every fiber for my being and that it will be alright.  Although my heart feels heavy, I also feel gratitude that it isn't something bigger or something life threatening.  It's a part of who she is and who she will become and I love that about her.  She has already proven that she can do hard things.  She is an outstanding little person who will do amazing things."

It was then that we decided that if it wouldn't function, there was no reason to pursue reconstruction and for a time we thought the door was closed...