According to The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, it's rare that a patient does not benefit from a cochlear implant. But the procedure can be pricey. The total cost, they say, can be as much as $100,000 for the evaluation, surgery, the device itself and the rehabilitation. However, most insurance companies and Medicare will cover that cost according to AAO-HNS.

For Koch, it was all worth it. She says she's hearing much better again, but at the same time acknowledges she still has a way to go. "It's been a learning experience. This is going to take at least a year or longer. It gets down to your brain retraining itself."

This year, the holiday season was extra special -- she heard her family's voices for the first time in years. "It's wonderful to hear them speak. It was fantastic, the best Thanksgiving/Christmas that I've had in a number of years. My sons, they have low voices, but I can hear them now. I'm understanding everything better. It's just a world of difference."