I've worn hearing aids for over ten years now and find myself struggling more than ever to cope at work with my hearing loss. I went for a hearing test about 5 months ago and they adjusted my hearing aids but I went thru a lot of stress over the summer and I think more of my hearing was lost. I got close to being diagnosed with auto-immune hearing disorder but my ENT did not fill in my personal physician who thought it was a bunch of B.S. but went ahead and referred me to an immunologist. (This was like 7 or 8 years ago when I think the idea was still fairly new.) He sent me to the wrong kind of immunologist and by the time we all figured it out, I had researched it enough to know I didn't like the sound of the treatment. Anyway, I am a hairdresser and 50% of my job is communication (psychologist/counselor/magician). I have to answer the phones now and then tho I try to avoid it like crazy. I have a volume control on my work phone which everyone else in the salon can hear while I'm on it but I get only pieces. I have recently changed my hours to quieter times in the salon and that helps some what but if there are still more than 3 of us in there, it turns into a struggle. I'm not ready for disability. I'm trying to hold for another couple of years and then think maybe I will go to school to become a message therapist. I don't think I will have to hear so much with that job. Anyway, that's me.
P.S. For those who were talking Burning Man, I've been 6 times now and the people there are so great about hearing loss I think.