I woke up this morning and the whole left-hand side of my face was paralysed!
A quick check of all my other parts showed that everything else was in working order (phew, not a stroke), but absolutely no movement whatsoever on the left side of my face. Full feeling, but no movement.
Not what I want to do on the fourth day in a new job, but I called in sick and hightailed it down to the local hospital.
To cut the story short, I have Bell's Palsy. Not uncommon, not life threatening, nothing to worry about (so they say), and above all, it will get better on its own. It's just that it may take a while.
So what's it like to have half your face paralysed? Weird! I can't eat properly, I dribble my drinks (unless I use a straw) and my speech is slurred. Oh, and I look lopsided!
At the moment I'm quite upbeat, I suppose it's the new job etc, but I can't help thinking that I ought to be more upset/depressed about this than I am. But if I got upset at everything that life threw at me, I'd have given up ages ago...
Posted at 22:46A quick check of all my other parts showed that everything else was in working order.....
That really could be taken in quite an amsuing light...
Get better soon
Posted by: Sunny at September 5, 2003 02:42 PM
9 September 2003 St. Paul, MN
Neil, Sorry to hear about the Bell's Palsy aggavation. It appears to be quite common. Several years back, my brother-in-law, newly hired as second oboe player at Pittsburgh, came down with a dewsy of a case. Hell of a note for an oboe player, but it did resolve. It was a personal affront, nevertheless. The family name is Bell.
Jim
I still Love you
Hi Neil, sorry to hear about your face. I hope everything else is ok.
I was told by jeff about this site, so I hope you don't mind.
email me if you need to.
Clare
Posted by: Clare Lake at December 12, 2003 03:11 PM