When Silence Speaks: Surgery - What to Expect

 When Silence Speaks: Surgery- What to Expect 

There are moments in a family’s journey when time seems to behave differently.

Chapter 7 of When Silence Speaks: The Hearing Together Series, Volume 1 focuses on one of those moments: the day of cochlear implant surgery. Not the procedure itself, but the experience that surrounds it.

Parents described preparing for a day they had thought about for weeks, sometimes months. They spoke about early mornings, hospital corridors, and waiting rooms where minutes felt longer than usual. Many shared how the hours passed slowly, filled with quiet thoughts, hopes, and unspoken worries.

What became clear while working on this chapter was that surgery is rarely experienced as a single event. It is a collection of moments. The conversations beforehand. The explanations offered by the care team. The waiting. The relief. And the emotions that linger even after the day has passed.

Parents did not describe this experience as purely frightening or purely hopeful. Instead, they spoke about holding both at once. Feeling anxious while also trusting their decision. Feeling nervous while reminding themselves why they had chosen this path for their child.

Working on this chapter alongside Dr. Vie reinforced how important information and reassurance are during this stage. Families shared that knowing what to expect, having their questions answered patiently, and feeling supported by professionals made the experience more manageable. It wasn’t about removing fear entirely. It was about not facing it alone.

Many parents spoke about the waiting itself. Sitting in a hospital chair. Watching the clock. Holding onto small comforts. One parent shared that while the waiting room felt endless, the presence of supportive people around them made all the difference.

As a cochlear implant user, reading these stories reminded me that courage is often quiet. It doesn’t always look like confidence. Sometimes it looks like waiting. Trusting. Taking one breath at a time and believing you are doing the best you can for someone you love.

Chapter 7 does not rush past this moment. It acknowledges the seriousness of surgery while also honouring the care, preparation, and support that surround it. It reminds families that feeling nervous does not mean they are unprepared, and that needing reassurance is part of being human.

This chapter exists to gently steady families during a significant milestone. To say that waiting is hard, that mixed emotions are normal, and that support truly matters.

When Silence Speaks in these quiet spaces.
 In the waiting rooms.
 In the moments between fear and relief.

And in the shared understanding that no family walks this part of the journey alone.

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