Yes, I can hear with background noise, yes I can hear voices without seeing faces and if there is no background noise I can tell if it is a man or a woman talking. Sometimes, If I concentrate I can catch some words here and there. I can identify when airplanes are flying as opposed when a car is driving by. I was in hours and hours and hours of intensive speech therapy. I am not sure if I am grateful for it cuz growing up oral and mainstreamed, I was more isolated than I am now being in an ASL environment. I just use my HAs when I am in a non signing environment.
I was born deaf due to unknown reasons same as my brother.
