Ron, It's a very good realistic post, should be made sticky.
This is one of reasons why Cochlear have Cochlear advocate, AB have Contact Network, they train people to help potential candiates. I have been trained and had few patients of similar age and length of deafness. I have heard from one patient had done well with hers. And another had chosen not to go through with it. I am seeing another on thursday.
When I was being trained, they told us to be very honest with our experiences, obviously they knew we all had been through bad patches and want us to share the good and the bad to the potential candiates to give them realistic expectations of what might happen to them. I talk to Cochlear Advocate manager if i feel this person is expecting too much or not expecting it would take a lot of work etc so that the CI centre knows what to expect too.
