I finally got my left hearing aid back tonight. I've been without it nearly three weeks now. It had a problem that couldn't be fixed locally so it had to be sent to the manufacturer. It was out of warranty but the repair was far cheaper than a new set of aids. It's great to have both aids functional. Wearing one aid is like wearing a patch over one eye. It makes for a miserable experience.
My aids are nearly five years old. That is generally the life expectancy of a set. My audiologist suggested that I might try a Phillips brand aid that she is very proud of the next time I get refitted. They are supposed to have a better quality sound and they play well with Android. I've never been happy with the sound quality of my Resound aids and they have not been completely compatible with the last two revs of Android. Better aids for a lot less money is what she advocated. I'll definitely be checking them out after my five year anniversary.