Hi Loree. I returned to work after four months, but at reduced hours for another three months while I continued physical therapy. I work as an engineer, on the computer all day, and my vision was a real challenge at first due to facial paralysis and dry eye. I used Lacrilube, which is like looking through Vaseline, so I was essentially a one-eyed data analyst for eleven months.
After two years, I still tire easily, but I am finding ways to cope. I find extreme multitasking to be exhausting, so I try to structure my workload to focus on just a few things at a time. That's not always possible, but it helps with my energy and focus.
Background activity distracts me now, so I sometimes leave the cube farm and find a quiet place to work. Or I stick an ear plug in my non-AN ear - amazing how much that helps with focus and, oddly enough, with tinnitus too. I still take occasional vacation days just to rest, and I sleep a lot on the weekends. and that's frustrating after two years -- I feel like I should be past that by now. But it's usually a result of working too much (eleven hour days) or letting things get too hectic.
Hearing is an ongoing challenge, and while most people are very accommodating, some are not. Straining to hear is exhausting, and there are times when I miss something. I do ask people to speak up when needed, and to speak one at a time in meetings. And I try to position myself at the corner of the conference room table. All that helps, but I will tell you that I am starting to consider a career change. My work environment is fast-paced and multilingual, and there's only so much I can do to manage it.
All of the above -- the stress, the fatigue, the hearing. the blurry eye -- affects my balance, and I have recently had some near-falls. I love what I do, but overall quality of life is important, too. Everyone's situation is different, and many people do just fine at work. I wish you all the best in your journey.
