LAST EDITED ON 07-08-12 AT 07:29 PM (EST)

I have absolutely no problem with his decision as he was an adult and obviously did the research behind it (my step-sister also had the procedure in her 40s). But it's important to realize that it is a TOOL to facilitate the ability to recognize sounds, it does not "make" someone hear but rather the patient would have to undergo extensive speech therapy in order to allow this tool to help refine the ability to recognize sounds. It gives a 'sense' of sound, and really, serves as a prosthetic substitute for hearing and does not produce normal hearing.

Your friend may have the C.I. but he's still legally considered a person with disability. The fact that he still needed to be tapped on the shoulder when there was an announcement or drill, whatnot, tells you that he still does not have the full ability to hear but rather depends on this tool as one part of the process of receiving information from others. He uses C.I. as one part of the process and it likely works for him because he may already have the speech perception and neural pattern down pat. Without actually meeting him, I'm merely making a guess.

I get why it appears to be a "semi-miracle" but you'd be surprised at the number of deaf adults who were implanted when young who regret they did not get the chance to learn sign language at a younger age to give them more options.

It probably sounds like an hot-potato issue and you'd be right. The reality is that, with today's technology advancing at a rapid level, I probably am a part of the last generation of the Deaf community that will live on and the community will likely be extinct by the 2050s.