Advocating for Workplace Accommodations: My Experience and Lessons Learned

I look back on my return to work and wish I had asked for more accommodations. Following my profound sudden hearing loss in my left ear, I took several months to recover and adapt to my new sound levels. My hearing loss didn't come alone; it was accompanied by constant tinnitus, noise sensitivity (hyperacusis), and balance problems, including subsequent diagnoses of Meniere’s disease and vestibular migraine. These conditions left me feeling exhausted and off-balance much of the time.