The Abnormal Life of a Deaf Person

Birth

6:42 P.M. August 13, 2001 

"Mr. Mercier, your wife is in labor right now. You need to come back to the hospital," the doctor called to inform my father and my soon to be brother and sister Nate and Molly. They had just left to eat some pizza for supper because the dilations were going slowly and they thought it wouldn't happen soon, but it did. 

They came back into the hospital and Nate and Molly stayed in the waiting room by themselves. They were 10 and 5, but Nate could watch her. He was so mature for such a young boy, everyone would always tell him. Molly on the other hand had been deemed Molly Houdini. I think it's pretty self-explanatory, but she behaved on this one occasion and stayed in one spot, playing with her new doll, as Nate played with his new G. I. Joe. Both were waiting patiently while occasionally arguing whether I would be their new brother or sister. Molly won; I was a girl.  

I had entered the world with ten fingers and ten toes and was soon named Lana. I passed all my tests with flying colors, but soon the doctors took notice that I had difficulty regulating my body temperature, therefore they kept me in the NICU for 13 days. My dad and my siblings went back home because of school and work, but they visited as often as possible. 

In order for my body temperature to regulate, the doctors had administered a medicine, that of which I still do not know the name of to this day, and all was believed to be fine. I was soon no longer sick. 

I was released and my family took me home, not knowing what was in store for them at all. 

They'd soon become blindsided by what neither them, nor I had any control over.