The publicity surrounding the Quebec government's decision made Ryan a celebrity. Monday, five television crews from Quebec swooped into Burlington to document the boy's ear surgery. At an evening news conference, Dr. Robert Sofferman, the surgeon, pronounced the three-hour procedure a success. He said Ryan would experience minor discomfort for one or two days. He would be able to return to school in about a week.
Children bounce back so quickly.
Once the incision heals, Ryan will have no restrictions on physical activities, Sofferman said. The diagnostic procedure called magnetic resonance imaging messes up the receiver implanted behind his ear. In a month, Ryan and his parents will return to Vermont so his new hearing device can be hooked to a miniature computerized processor and activated. That will be the first time he will hear sounds. He expected Ryan to learn to modulate his voice.