Welcome Ron. Don't think of tinnitus as a disease because it is more of a symptom of something else. You indicate you have hearing loss and that is most likely the cause of your tinnitus. It also looks like you have been dealing with it for a very long time so I am sure you have many experiences and insights of your own you could share with us. Research has made great strides into understanding tinnitus and how it affects the brain. I am confident that a viable treatment will be available sometime in this decade.
For me, tinnitus is there and does still bother me from time to time. I try to keep busy, keep meaning in my life and make the best of it. As long as I can continue to do that, then T will only ever be nothing more than a "symptom".