Last webpage update: 3 May 2012

Valentines Ball Pictures

My Little Story
Hello, my name is Hannah Denise Marshall, thank you for taking the time to go through my website. I am almost 9 months old now, and I came into this world on the 24th of November 2010 with very little hearing. To me, this was normal as I had never heard what real sound was, I didn't know what my Mommy or my Daddy sounded like. At the time of my birth, my parents didn't know I had a hearing problem.
When I was about 3 months old, Mommy and Daddy were worried about me not focussing on things in front of me. It was then that I met Dr. Dean Barclay. One of the most amazing eye doctors! Unfortunately, his news to my parents was quite devastating, I was diagnosed with Pendular Nystagmus. I had to go into this big, loud machine at the hospital, the nurse also made me wear these really funny headphones, but I'm sure they weren't working properly, cause I heard absolutely nothing when I went into that big machine. I think they called that machine an MRI, but I'm too young to know what that is. Pendular Nystagmus is a condition where I don't have complete control of my eye movements. They continually move from left to right. With a lot of practice, I know I'll be able to control them one day.

At about 6 months old, I met another amazing person, her name is Karien Fourie. What a lovely lady! She said that I had to go into hospital again, where I slept for a little while. Mommy and Daddy said that it was an ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) that I had to have done. All I remember is that I was really hungry when I came out of that test. It was then that my parents found out that I have permanent severe hearing loss in both ears. She also said that I would have to wear hearing aids for the rest of my life.

On the 2nd of June, I had my hearing aids fitted, wow!! What was all this noise? Who's talking? It took me a little while to get use to the sound, it was very different to what I was used to, and loud noises made me cry, but my special audiologist Aunty Karien turned them down for me a little, and it was much better. I heard mommy say that she wanted me to have pink hearing aids because it would make me look cool. On the 28th of July, I got my pink hearing aids and now I am so cool! Mommy says that I'm her special little girl with wings on my ears. I also know that my pink hearing aids cost a lot of money and Mommy and Daddy are worried about where all the money is going to come from, but in my head I say to them, don't worry, you will see everything is going to be okay.

Mommy keeps telling me that no matter what, her and daddy are going give me the life that I deserve. Mommy sometimes has a tear in her eye, if I could, I would wipe it away and tell her not to worry ( but i'm too small to do that).
Now, I have mastered rolling over, sitting, standing (with help) and i'm reaching for things now too. All this took a while but I have done it with the help and dedication from Mommy and Daddy. I love them so very much and I know they love me too.

I know that there are many more tests and doctors to see and I am very worried that my Mommy and Daddy will not have enough money to pay for all of it by themselves. So they have decided to open a trust fund for me, I think its for people with big hearts that can donate and help them a little. I also have a Facebook page!!! How super cool is that?

So as I end off my little story I would like to ask you from the bottom of my little heart to help me hear. If you would like to donate, please contact Mommy or Daddy through My Contacts page or Facebook.

Much love Hannah