Thanks guys, due to a recently diagnosed medical condition, I am losing my hearing definately on one side and probably in both. I am pretty terrified by this. The hearing loss is irreversable and after a while a hearing aid will be useless also.

I already have difficulty with background noise and I get very embarrassed having to tell people that I simply cannot understand a single thing they are saying to me.

I also worry about silly things like not hearing smoke detectors, telephones, door bells - .

I know that I will have to learn to lip read and I am trying - hopefully the rate of loss will slow down and I will have time....

Thanks again

Allis