@erikas Thank you for your nice note and for making every effort to learn about the challenges all of us with medical problems, not just hearing issues, face. A few other people in the hearing discussion group posted things about the importance of professionals working to help people with hearing issues knowing more about those challenges. I don't know the ins and outs of how we hear, but I do know what happens when you have only one good ear. All noise comes in at the same level and intensity, I often don't know where it is coming from, and my brain can't filter out background noise and let me focus on what I want or need to hear. It's just noise. To understand, I think if you sat in a car with 4 people and turned the volume of the radio up to the highest level and tried to carry on a conversation in a normal voice you would get an idea of how hard it is to hear when your brain can't filter out background noise and you can't hear comments from people in the back because you don't know they are speaking. Then turn away from the other person next to you so you can't see his/her face. Trying to hear when you can't filter out background noise, don't know where sound is coming from, and can't see the face of someone talking to you is exhausting, terribly frustrating and really impossible. If I am in a group setting, there is only so much I can deal with before I have to zone out or leave...which is why it is easier not to put myself in those situations. Anyway, I really applaud you for listening to the people on this site. We're all learning from each other. I'm really thankful for the wonderful work MayoConnect is doing to provide so much valuable information, for the knowledge, support and countless hours your volunteer mentors are spending to help us, and for the contributions my fellow travelers on the road to better health are making. Thank you all. Nancy