Hi Everyone!I am so glad to have found this site.I think it may have saved my life.My background is I'm 45 with meniere's disease(which I havent seen mentioned in CI forum)I got sick when I was 23 in my right ear wont bore you with all medical but had 2 surgeries(right ear) got it under control after a few years.I was able to have a real life working ect.for 6 yrs.got married had my son then got it in my other ear.somewhere along the way I lost my hearing in my right ear but got by fine with my left.After a few surgeries in that ear it went down but still got by .everyone knew what ear to talk into ect.Then last winter I got sick best to everyones guess a virus lodged itself in my ear and was killing the nerve.I have such terrible tinnitus in both ears i didnt pay attention to it when it started really roaring.Long story short(too late haha)I had shots in my eardrum, steroids finally end of July 06 I got my POWERFUL new hearing aid.Did ok considering not much hearing left.My days of phone calls and large crowds were over but at least one on one I was good.Well not anymore I got sick this Jan. Couldnt hear,fluid behind eardrum,drain with needle then tube(still in I think.)Everthing sounds munchkin and Donald duck for me.No more music sounds.Dr says time for a CI. Well I freaked!!!Started crying right there in his office.He was shocked.I was always a trooper,never even got numb before shots.Thank god for Vicodin.Anyway came home went on search and the most hideous picture came up.I cried raged and mourned my hearing loss.Now seeing it as things might be ok thanks to you guys...maybe even better than before.Couple of questions if I may.I read the hole in skull is the size of this O. is that true? I was freaking thinking huge skull bone removal.2...How much dizziness did any of you have after surgery? 3..was the pain bad?And 4 i am reading the book Hear Again this adjusting of dials or whatever evertime you go out ,are you constantly fiddling with this thing? I am so sick of the up and down wheel and channels on my hearing aid..it never ends.Well.that about it .Going to ENT wed.Guess I'll tell him I'm game.Whats the time period start to finish? 2months of shots? then surgery then mapping.3months maybe?Only ask because my husband is home and I'm telling not to start a new job until I'm up on my feet so to speak.Thank you in advance to any help you can give me.