Very sorry to hear about your mum. A close friend of mine is going through the same thing with her mother right now and from everything she is sharing with me, it is absolutely brutal and heartbreaking. She's lost the person she knew and loved even though she's still in the next room, sadly unaware of who her daughter is anymore.
I think DivaFonda is right, I think geoffalter11 was merely commenting on individuals in these forums who tend to be extreme in their opinions regarding a certain headphone's merit or lack thereof. There tends to be a lot of proclamations and judgements based on, often times, anecdotal information and individual personal preferences being expressed as "definitive."
People experiencing problems with the Elear are justifiably upset and disillusioned with Focal. Paying $1K for a piece of audio gear is no small investment for the majority of us, and it is not unfair to expect a flawless, quirk-free performance when laying out that kind of money. When that doesn't happen, and expectations are dashed, people get vocal! Tyll has addressed the disappointing consistency in expensive headphone manufacturing by the likes of Focal and Audeze, and even shared a story about a recent glitch in the rollout of the Aeons from MrSpeakers, though their response was a lesson in excellent customer service. These are highly technical and complex pieces of gear, offering a level of sound and refinement not previously seen at this, albeit expensive, price point. It is unrealistic to expect problems won't occasionally arise. However, what is critical is the company's response, a rapid fix for the problem and prioritizing customer service so buyers walk away with a positive view of the company and their experience of how the problem was handled.
I'm not going to lie, after going through selective sections of this thread, I'm more than a bit paranoid about Focal's quality control and the long term performance of my Elears. That said, until there is a problem (if ever) I'm going to try and put what I've read on here in perspective and try to enjoy these amazing new headphones for as long as possible. As a participant here, I do want to thank everyone for sharing their opinions and constructive criticism and advice. In the end, it helps all of us enjoy this hobby to its fullest.