#lvas

Absolutely.

First of all, basically just denying you're disabled (and your experiences) by saying it's not a real disability.

Second of all, trying to make you do things you know (and I assume he has been told) you cannot do.

None of that is okay.

I'm currently at home and not able to work today because of a flare-up of my balance disorder (bilateral vestibular hypofunction/loss). Apparently, the flare-up is happening because I had COVID-19 a few weeks ago, and it has caused my brain to de-compensate for my lack of vestibular function. This is (according to my doctors) super common for people with this after they have any sort of illness.

Because it's not a painful condition, I think people forget how debilitating balance problems can be. The vertigo, the nausea, the blurred vision whenever you move your head, the falls, the people thinking you're drunk, the difficulty explaining your symptoms because they are super weird, not knowing whether or not you need a mobility aid because your legs are fine but you still can't walk in a straight line.

This opportunity is even more special because, in our nonprofit organization, positions are limited to two terms, but the board of directors and our members held a special vote to allow me to serve another consecutive term. I am immensely grateful for this show of confidence in my leadership and in the vision we share for our programs and initiatives, which not only educate but also connect people from diverse backgrounds through their shared curiosity about the universe, bringing astronomy closer to the community.

I hate hearing a song and wanting to dance to it, and then realizing that if I tried, I’d fall and get hurt again.