An implanted friend finds he is unable to get medical certification to pursue his sport in competition. He was not given this information before the surgery. Nor information on the other things one cannot do, the things that are on that little wallet card of Don'ts. Many of us who resist implants have good reasons. And we are unnerved by cochlear implants advocated as the answer rather than an option, or the best option rather than something that is right for some and wrong for others.
Adults seeking to be implanted usually want hearing again, very badly.
But what many of them get from an implant is perception of sound. The hearing most yearn for is not just the acoustical phenomenon, but the entire lifestyle. They don't want hearing, they want to be hearing. These people want symphony, the charming prattle of toddlers, whispered sweet nothings. They want to pick up the telephone and be able to understand anyone who calls them.