I had severe hearing loss.  about 15% hearing in each ear.  I wore two hearing aids which did not do me a whole lot of good.  I would mostly say I muddled thru everything.  I have put myself in a corner and usually do not go out anywhere but work without my husband so he can run interference for me.  I misunderstood everything and missed out on alot of conversation that I just did did not get and I don't always have people repeat, it gets frustrating on both sides.  I have just became a new recipient of a cochlear implant in the left side and was turned on 2/1 and I feel like I am doing remarkable well.  I am hearing things I have not heard in years.  Speech complete understanding is coming slow.  But I am hearing speech where I would have before never heard anything!!  In a noisy environment (kids school for literacy night) I made it thru all by myself with my child!!  I was hearing everything anyone said to me.  It think I am looking for it to be a more wholesome sound quality that I think I used to hear.  Time will tell.  I can hear whispering for the first time in probrably 30 years!!  Elevators ding!  I am excited.  I was very leary about going into this and alot of people encouraged me for which I am very grateful for the push. 

I made the decision to go bilateral in Nov. 2010 and am progressing nicely!  If it works even half as good as my first CI I will be very pleased.