a touching story

Deaf girl hears Jingle Bells for the first time
By Paul Stokes
(Filed: 23/12/2005)

Josie Caven, who was born deaf, will be able to hear Christmas carols for the first time after having cochlear implants in both ears.

Josie, 12, was previously able to distinguish only a few sounds through hearing aids which she has worn from the age of two.

She beamed with delight as she listened to Jingle Bells on the radio for the first time.

"It is so nice to hear music, especially Christmas carols," she said.

"I have asked mum and dad for an iPod so I can listen to the Black Eyed Peas."

Josie, who lives with her father Richard, 43, mother Teresa, 37, sister Olivia, 10, and brother Anthony, four, suffers wide vestibular aqueduct syndrome.

The condition, which Olivia also has, causes deafness through allowing an exchange of fluids that damages the inner ear. Mrs Caven, who runs the Old Station Inn, at Birstwith, near Harrogate, North Yorks, with her husband, said: "I have never seen Josie so happy.

"She heard Jingle Bells on the radio and when she looked up her face was a picture as she realised what she was listening to.

"She wants an iPod for Christmas. There is a wire which can go directly to the implants, so it will be like having her favourite music inside her head."

Four years ago Josie was provided with a digital hearing aid, allowing her to start mainstream lessons at St Aidan's Church of England School, Harrogate.

However, specialists found that her hearing was worsening in the summer and she was referred for the implants at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Caven said: "She is having to learn what each new sound is and what it means. She will ask: 'Was that a door closing?'

"Being able to see her face light up as she takes in everything around her is all I could have asked for this Christmas."

cerita yang menarik dari news.telegraph. dan buat gw cukup mengharukan. especially the last para. what did i ask for Christmas this year? kyknya gak ada sih. gw gak ngarep apa2. but things i did these last few days can be considered as precious gifts. nyanyi di malam natal. ngobrol2 sama ajeng, tirza, debby, dan temen2 lain. jadi pengarah acara di natal effatha (so i could contribute something to the church, and ultimately, to God). sure, some were tiring (the pengarah acara thingy was very tiring, both mentally and physically). but the feelings, good feelings, were enough for me. new things were found, and old ones rediscovered. mirip spt cerita joice caven di atas. meskipun ada hal2 jelek yg jg gw alami, it'd be ungrateful not to be grateful. as i said before, i'm blessed. dan gw bakal makin seneng klo gw bisa bagi2 blessings yg gw dapet ke org2 lain. by whatever means.

on a side note, kmrn tirza bilang ke gw klo isi blog gw akhir2 ini mellow. dan gw kmrn masih blm sadar. tapi stlh gw baca2 lagi, ternyata emang iya ya. kyknya mental gw lg gak stabil nih. hehehe...