To answer your questions: 1) This was my decision 2) I was born deaf, but I got hearing aids when I was one. I was speaking by age 2 (with the help of intensive speech therapy that continued as I got older). The hearing aid never helped in one of my ears so I got implanted in that ear in the 3rd grade. Then my second ear started to deteriorate so I made the decision to get that ear implanted as well. This video shows the activation of my second implant. Why does it look like I'm hearing for the first time then? Right before my 2nd surgery, I listened to John Lennon's "Imagine" with my hearing aid for the last time, scared it would never sound the same again. There's a big difference between the sounds of an implant and the sounds of a hearing aid. When my 2nd implant was turned on, I was so surprised, overwhelmed, and relieved with how loud and clear it was, that I cried. I was not expecting that reaction to be honest. Everyone has a different experience when it comes to cochlear implants, and that should be kept in mind if you're considering getting one. Thanks for all your kind comments!