I have SSD for ten years now, originally misdiagnosed as a viral infection, I did have a MRI scan at the time but nothing showed up. Though everyone now believe that was when the AN reared its little head.
You feel a bit hard done by buying a full dolby surround sound system, but I will be installing some buttkickers to the system to make up for the lack of stereo. I just discovered a little adapter that plugs into your mp3 headphones so all the sound on both channels comes through one earphone, though you have to wear both ear buds because some poor unsuspecting chap next to you could be chatting away and you wouldn't have a clue. its quite handy if they are a total bore.
In wedding etc when I sit down I tell the person on my deaf side they will have excuse me if I cant hear them and the wedding invite makes a handy sound deflector and can be rolled into a ear trumpet.
Conversation in noisy environments are a real pain and I avoid them. My days of hitting the dance floor are long over but saw the other day silent raves, everyone is handed a wireless set of headphones and dance away to the dj music, but when you go for a drink at the bar take off the headphones and its total silence, very strange and could be adapted for the next AN convention?
Alot of people say you have to be extra careful when driving, but these days in hermetically sealed, double glazed cars with the stereo on, even normal eared people would be hard pushed to tell where the outside honk is coming from.
When ever anyone yells in the house to come over they all say "come here to the living room, study" etc. because I haven't a clue where the yell came from.
I am booked for the surgery in a few weeks time and was asked if i would consider a hearing aid, and turned it down, as I am quite happy with the current SSD set up, why add another layer of potential complications, plus I always shave my hair so a box stuck to my bald head will really make people assume I am some sort of retard.
So for me at least does not bother me at all, and I love music and movies, Oh always leave your mobile phone in the same place in the house, trying to find a missing ringing phone is a challenge.
Rick