MUSIC TO MY EARS

I sometimes think that loosing the ability to hear music is the most devastating result of hearing loss.  I have tried many of the remedies that have been suggested by many people to no avail.  My profound asymmetrical loss qualifies for a cochlear implant which is in the approval phase now.  I am told this will help.  There comes a time when understanding is the primary focus for one's life.  In much the same way that I simply avoid musical venues and situations I find that I avoid situations where I am supposed to understand what others are saying.  This is not healthy.

Withdrawal is a debilitating action in and of itself.  I know that.  For me, music has become a distraction, an irritant rather than a balm.  Communication with another human being, however, is essential to wellbeing and happiness.  If life would present me with conversations with one person at a time who, incidentally, sounded like Walter Cronkite, I would score 100% in understanding.  Alas, life is not that accommodating and, by the way, is becoming noisier every day.  

Whatever the outcome of my quest for more effective hearing "hardware", the most significant challenge for me is not whether I can once again appreciate music but whether I can participate fully in a conversation with friends and attend gatherings as a participant who understands the words.  That would be music to my ears, indeed!