Tiny tot Mercedez Smith has become the first Bermudian to undergo a pioneering operation to let her hear again.

Mother Mrs. Keivamae Smith said: "My daughter will be able to have a much more normal life now.

"Deciding on the operation wasn't an easy thing because she's so small and there is always a fear something will go wrong.

"But it all went very well -- she came through everything with flying colours and was very brave.

"She even happily jumped up on to the operating table. She was a very willing and cheerful patient.'' Mercedez, 3, became totally deaf after she was stricken with bacterial meningitis more than a year ago.

But today -- thanks to the $26,000 hi-tech surgery -- she has regained her hearing in one ear.

Mercedez had to travel to Boston to have the operation, called a cochlear implant.

Surgeons cut in behind her ear and installed tiny electrodes in the inner ear.

They are linked to a decoder implanted in the bone behind the ear.

Then doctors fitted a small headset like a normal hearing aid linked to a microphone and a speech processor which translates sound into an electronic code. The speech processor sends the code deep into the inner ear, where it is turned into sound.

Now Mercedez has started the long process of coming to terms with hearing again and catching up with other kids in speaking.

Mrs. Smith, of Long Ridge Pass, Devonshire, said: "There is still a lot of work ahead of us, but so far, she's progressed very well.

"She's got a lot unrulier because sometimes she can't explain how she feels and lashes out and fights more with the kids at pre-school. But it's just frustration and that will pass.'' The surgery was carried out at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston after months of tests to assess Mercedez. The little girl went through exhaustive tests, including interviews with psychiatrists, to make sure she was a suitable candidate.

Mrs. Smith said: "The fact that she had been able to hear before she got meningitis counted very much in her favour. She was just a normal little girl until then.'' And the 35-year-old divorcee revealed that she and her two sons Kyle, 14, and Michael, 11, were learning sign language like Mercedez, who attends a pre-school class in Devonshire.

Mrs. Smith said: "Eventually Mercedez won't have to use the sign language, but it's good to know it. She'll also have to go back to Boston regularly because the speech processor needs to be replaced as she gets bigger. As she grows, so will it.

"But it's all been worth it -- she's a happy and lucky little girl. She's a lot more alert and taking more of an interest in everything.'' "I'm extremely grateful to the team at the hospital in Boston - they were great and explained everything so we could understand what was going on.''