Day 3: Patch Work

I've tried that eye patch thing and it's no working for me. I've come to the realization that I can't wear it for long periods of time because it's uncomfortable. I've also come to find that I can't sleep in it because it applies no pressure to my eye to keep it closed. So, One Eyed Willie only comes out when I'm going outside.

Today was an ok day. I was actually going to go to work but in a conversation with my manager yesterday afternoon, he told me not to rush it. So, I'll see them on Monday. I know there won't be much change from today to Monday but hey it will give me time to master those words and letters that use "f" "p" "w" "b" and "m". In phone conversations I've been told that you can hear the slur more. I'm trying to maintain my proper, lol. Aside from that, my eye was burning more and my neck was hurting. I just knew that massage was going to stretch me out some but maybe not. I had to take a pain pill and relax. No more pain!



Here's tonight's Video Log:

Laughing Matter

What can I say, I have to laugh about this. I'm prayerful that I will recover 100% and I'm thankful that i have support of my family and friends who are constantly checking on me, making sure I'm ok, not having any pains inquiring about my progress. My massage was good for what it's worth. I'd originally scheduled this massage last week but canceled because of the Great Blizzard that was to hit Baton Rouge...FAIL! I didn't want to cancel on her again so I went anyway. Like I said, everyone says it's stress related so I figured this massage would do just the trick. She'd had previous interaction with Bells Palsy and didn't want to cause any more issues so she was reluctant to do the massage with confirmation from my doctor. I can dig that. She did however, give me a little reflexology by rubbing my neck and shoulders and then my hands, arms and feet. Felt lovely.

This video log this is coming in handy I guess, so I'll keep it going.

Day 2: Manifest Destiny

You know, I thought when the doctor said it may really be crooked I was kind of hoping she was joking. No haps! There is a noticeable difference from yesterday to today. *breath* "Why So Serious?" - Joker

So I've been up and out, still trying to get those prescriptions that had not been called into the pharmacy even this morning. Once they were ready I headed to CVS to pick them up and grab something other than Visine. Those bad things I heard about it must have been true. I needed a lubricant for my eye. I also needed something *insert gross moment* to moisturize my right nostril because that thing is dry as all get out. One last thing to pick up, an eye patch.

While out, I talked to my daddy who also went through a battle with Bells Palsy, last year around the same time. he suggested that I get a couple nutmeg balls from a Health Food Store. After driving around for however long looking for the Health Nut Hit they did not have any nutmeg balls. My dad went on about other home remedies he thought helped him recover such as sleeping with a cucumber on my eye and massaging my face in an "upward motion."

It's amazing, everyone that I've mentioned this to, who've some knowledge of it all say, "what are you stressing about?" or "stop stressing!" It's no so easy to stop stressing when you think you aren't stressing, lol. Anyhoo, tonight I have a date with the massage therapist @ Lux Salon. So excited.

Day 1: What's That Twitch?

Let me preface this by saying I really don't know much about anything, lol, but something weird is happening here. Follow me as I tell you about my battle with bells Palsy in a series of posts titled, Freeze Frame! Read About It

Picture it, Sicily.... *snicker* As I lay in bed this morning contemplating rolling over to look at the clock to see how much longer I could stay in bed, I felt a weird twitch in my lip. Almost to the post of pulling. Surely there is noting yanking at my lip in my bed. If so, we've got much bigger problems. Almost instantly I notice that my right eye isn't closing as I blink. Again, weird! So I rolled over and called my mom.
Me: Mama, have you ever had this happen when you blink but your eye doesn't close?
Ma: Well, *picturing her doing it* Yeah I guess so. I'm blinking now and my eye isn't closing
Me: Nah ma, your eyes have to be closing. This is odd.

After going back and forth a few times about this I decided to get up and prepare for work. Off to the facilities. Nothing looks out of place. I'm touching my face and I still feel it. I'm smiling and it's still there so I proceed to brushing my teeth. As I lean over to spit, wooooooooooooomp, my lip goes to the left. You know I'm looking in the mirror like who what right now? I immediately call my mama back like, "yeah, something is definitely wrong!" I explain to her what's happening attempt to call the doctor - who's not open yet. By this point I'm working myself into a tizzy because I'm scared, not sure what is going on. I let me manager know what's going on and wait for a chance to speak to the doctor AND get an appointment.

So I'm in the doctor's office seeing the nurse practitioner at 10:10 (I got in a little earlier) and I'm giving her the details of what has happened. I let her know that (a) I was previously treated for a sinus infection and (b) the day prior I was having pains in the back of my head and above my eye. She looks, does a few tests, comes to a conclusion but confirms with the Dr what she'd already known. Yeah that was kinda sad. She had to give me a hug because I was not feeling it. I actually sat in the parking lot of the doctor's office and cried out that one eye for an hour, lol.

An hour later, I have beginning stages of Bells Palsy could be caused by sinus infection which lead to an inflammation of the facial nerve. It hadn't worsened at that point, however, she said tomorrow it may really be crooked if it manifests. Yay me, lol. The doctor said they treat Bell Palsy aggressively and would get the ball rolling on follow-up visits such as MRI, Occupational, Speech Therapy, and Eye Doctor. I ended up not getting the visit with the eye doctor but was instructed to use Visine to keep my eye from drying out. I was still having pain from the previous day so I went home.

They called in the Rx (or so I thought) and are scheduled the appointment with the Speech Therapist. I had the MRI down around lunch time today. So It's now Wednesday evening and my prescriptions never made it to the pharmacy but I did pick up the Visine which I've heard mixed things about. I'm going to have used this whole bottle by the end of the week because my eye keeps burning (which means its parched, lol).

Take a look at today's Video Log