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MY STORY AND EXPERIENCE
Well, we moved here June 1st (without John) ... I had to find daycare, unpack and get ready to start work on the 5th. I did it, but by the end of the first work week I was a wreck!! That weekend John was also moving in and that even stressed me out more .... I was scared, it's another BIG step!! John knew I was stressed and told me I didn't need to return to work if I didn't want to .... I finally broke down and said I couldn't handle it (I hate admitting to failure). I agreed to quit for the time being and maybe look for something later. I had planned on waking up the next morning (Monday - start of the second week of my job) to tell them I would have to quit. I went to bed that night with my gums feeling sore, my tongue feeling numb, and a headache, thinking nothing of it.
Well, when I woke up that morning, it was a whole new ballgame .... I woke up with half my face paralyzed .... I thought I had had a stroke!!! My face felt HUGE and swollen, I couldn't close my left eye, it was WIDE open. My left side of my face was lopsided ... I couldn't eat out of it cause everything fell out on that side ... I drooled when I drank fluids. When I could eat my eye watered. My eyes were sensitive to sunlight also, so I wore sunglasses all summer and driving was OUT! My hearing was sensitive ... anything loud (ie: a scream) was 100 times louder to me on that side, it was like being inside a barrell. I taped my eye closed every night for 5 months with a patch over top. I couldn't smile and I looked horrible .... one side of my face was literally lopsided .... I dont know how else to explain it!!
Anyways, when I went to the doctor, he knew what it was immediatly and asked if I've been under any kind of stress lately .... ummmm, well, just a little!! lol I explained to him about the seperation, moving, the job, the rush hour traffic, the new relationship, my father being ill, etc .... and he said "You have Bell's Palsy - this is the result of your past year". I could not believe that stress could do this much physical damage!!
Bell's Palsy does go away with a 95 - 99% recovery rate. The norm for it to stay with you is approximately 3 weeks; however, 4% of those who get it have it up to 6 months or more (depending on how severe the case).... well, I was one of those 4%. I got Bell's Palsy on June 13th and the first time I 'cracked' a smile was in mid November!! I'm still not back to a complete smile, but it's not very noticable anymore. When I smile one side shows more teeth then the other. You can see more of my right eyelid then you can of the left. When I'm tired you can see my left side droop a bit, but you'd really have to look and know why.
I take life a little slower now and try and handle my stress a bit differently!! I realized I did too much too fast and tried to do it all!! Well, I'm a 'Stay At Home Mom' again ...... and enjoying it more then ever!!
Just don't over do it and get too stressed .... sloooooow down .... and don't forget to stop and smell the roses!!
If you have Bell's Palsy and you're looking for on-line support groups, CLICK HERE!
For more Bell's Palsy Links, CLICK HERE!
