--------------------------
It all started two days back , December 1st 2010, Day1: There is a weird sensation on my tongue and I simply can’t move my nose to the left side of my face. After a few hours I realized that my lips were also drooling. The whole day I was under the impression that I might have eaten something and it’s an allergy because of that.
Day2: I woke up feeling even worse. Whatever little facial movement I had yesterday was gone. Still sure that it was just a minor allergy, I went to a doctor. After a minute of examining me, he simply told me that I had facial nerve paralysis, better known as Bell ’s palsy.”
The closest anything that came to my symptoms was Bell's Palsy. Everything matched. The statistics said that 1 in 65 can get this , but i just couldn't believe something like this would happen to me. But now i know better.The neurologist , as expected , told me that i had Bell s palsy and gave me a course of steroids (For ref:Wysolone-10 40mgx3,30mgx3,20mgx3,10mgx3 and 5mgx3 with vitamins).
Today is day 3 ,I know this will stay with me for sometime and the situation is getting worse. I am starting this blog to make a journal of these days , for anyone else in same situation and for myself to read someday later.
I am realizing today that everything we take for granted, is a privilege. After losing my smile , literally , I know the value of being able to smile.
--------------------Day6
When all this started , I was sure that it is temporary. It cant happen to me for long. Today is day 6 and i am starting to accept it. I guess acceptance is the 1st step towards a good recovery or at least getting over it.
The biggest problem is the eye. Always keeps on getting watery and strained. I am applying regular eye drops but they dnt help much after a while. I can only move my left cheek a little , all other sensation in the left side of my face is now gone :(
I think its all about keeping a positive mindset.
I once used to say this often ; "Look at the bright side"
This too has a bright side.With all the time , now I can finally get around scoring 780 in gmat and get my mba over with.
-------------
Day9
I feel very happy today simply because of all the wonderful people out there , esp at this fb community
I have always been a big advocate of social networking but never before yesterday did i realize how important it really is. Sometimes , all we are looking for is a small push or just someone , who has been in a similar situation , to say that "it's gonna be allright".To read their stories and to share their pain is a very moving experience and I highly recommend it. Infact , I think its highly addictive.
Also do check out these videos (Video1 & Video2) . They are a strong testament to what human spirit is all about and the most important thing i got from them is HOPE.
Which brings me to the first line of this post. Is it too weird to be so excited when you are down with Bell's Palsy? - I am excited because i am full of hope. I know its going to be alright and i can't wait :) . I am , like so many others , grateful to Bell's Palsy , for it is the strongest reminder i have ever got about how important it is to take care of yourself and how unexpected life is.
As cliched as it may sound , i do believe in those forward mails that come in your inbox sometimes. Something like - " Go out live , jump , dance , do one thing that scares u , try , challenge , fight , win , lose , cry , laugh , laugh till you cry , make mistakes." Do any of it or all of it but dont stop from anything just because you got BP.
Updates:
There is a little pain that has started creeping in near my ear and cheek bones. From others experience , i read that it happens to quite a few of us. Still, i am planning to get a second opinion on how things are progressing. The infamous eye twitching is here now. It's kinda irritating but the bright side says that if it goes on like this , atleast I can use this as an excuse to wink at cute girls :)
Another thing i discovered is the Power of Bubble gum. Chew any gum at least a day and it ll do the massage for you even while you are at work.
Take care of yourself :)
---------------------
Day 13,End of Steroids
had held the image of being these super scary and harmful medicines in my mind. After researching heavily into it , the image has only gotten stronger. Of course they get rid of the problem but prolonged usage of steroids have such scary side effects that its just better to avoid them if possible. Today , as i took the last tablet of my prescribed dosage , i was really glad that my course of steroids is done for now. I will continue to take vitamin supplements esp V B12. since they really beneficial for the nerves without much harmful effect.
Update :
I am actually surprised how less this bothers me now. In fact not only has there been no affect on my schedule , but i have also become more focused towards my life goals. There were a few things that i had been procrastinating for a very long period of time and now due to Bells Palsy , I think i am going to do better than i would ve originally.
Keep Good :)
-----------------------------
Day33
Haven't posted here in a while and not a lot has happened either.
After consulting with another neurologist , i decided to go for physiotherapy and electric simulation. It aint as scary as it sounds.Kind of fun actually. Slowly and slowly i do feel there is some change but it still aint enough to be quantifiable. The research data seems to be inconclusive to decide whether it will help or not but I still thought of giving it a shot. Maybe i just wanted to feel that i am trying to get it right and not just accepting this and moving on.
Eye is still a pain but kind of getting used to now. The pain behind the ear and cheek bones , is gone. Maybe the nerves are recovering or maybe not. Hopefully something quantifiable will happen soon :)
Cheerz
----------------
Today
The biggest problem is the eye. Always keeps on getting watery and strained. I am applying regular eye drops but they dnt help much after a while. I can only move my left cheek a little , all other sensation in the left side of my face is now gone :(
I think its all about keeping a positive mindset.
I once used to say this often ; "Look at the bright side"
This too has a bright side.With all the time , now I can finally get around scoring 780 in gmat and get my mba over with.
-------------
Day9
Is it too weird to be so excited when you are down with Bell's Palsy?
I feel very happy today simply because of all the wonderful people out there , esp at this fb community
I have always been a big advocate of social networking but never before yesterday did i realize how important it really is. Sometimes , all we are looking for is a small push or just someone , who has been in a similar situation , to say that "it's gonna be allright".To read their stories and to share their pain is a very moving experience and I highly recommend it. Infact , I think its highly addictive.
Also do check out these videos (Video1 & Video2) . They are a strong testament to what human spirit is all about and the most important thing i got from them is HOPE.
Which brings me to the first line of this post. Is it too weird to be so excited when you are down with Bell's Palsy? - I am excited because i am full of hope. I know its going to be alright and i can't wait :) . I am , like so many others , grateful to Bell's Palsy , for it is the strongest reminder i have ever got about how important it is to take care of yourself and how unexpected life is.
As cliched as it may sound , i do believe in those forward mails that come in your inbox sometimes. Something like - " Go out live , jump , dance , do one thing that scares u , try , challenge , fight , win , lose , cry , laugh , laugh till you cry , make mistakes." Do any of it or all of it but dont stop from anything just because you got BP.
Updates:
There is a little pain that has started creeping in near my ear and cheek bones. From others experience , i read that it happens to quite a few of us. Still, i am planning to get a second opinion on how things are progressing. The infamous eye twitching is here now. It's kinda irritating but the bright side says that if it goes on like this , atleast I can use this as an excuse to wink at cute girls :)
Another thing i discovered is the Power of Bubble gum. Chew any gum at least a day and it ll do the massage for you even while you are at work.
Take care of yourself :)
---------------------
Day 13,End of Steroids
had held the image of being these super scary and harmful medicines in my mind. After researching heavily into it , the image has only gotten stronger. Of course they get rid of the problem but prolonged usage of steroids have such scary side effects that its just better to avoid them if possible. Today , as i took the last tablet of my prescribed dosage , i was really glad that my course of steroids is done for now. I will continue to take vitamin supplements esp V B12. since they really beneficial for the nerves without much harmful effect.
Update :
Things always go worse before they get betterI think my rock bottom in terms of the nerve damage has been hit and slow signs of recovery are on the way. There is some sensation back on parts of my tongue and there is slight ,very limited , movement in my left cheek. If only there was a solution to this supersonic hearing , i would be in bliss :p .Though on the bright side , I can always gear up as a superhero who specializes in eavesdropping by his left ear :)
I am actually surprised how less this bothers me now. In fact not only has there been no affect on my schedule , but i have also become more focused towards my life goals. There were a few things that i had been procrastinating for a very long period of time and now due to Bells Palsy , I think i am going to do better than i would ve originally.
Keep Good :)
-----------------------------
Day33
After consulting with another neurologist , i decided to go for physiotherapy and electric simulation. It aint as scary as it sounds.Kind of fun actually. Slowly and slowly i do feel there is some change but it still aint enough to be quantifiable. The research data seems to be inconclusive to decide whether it will help or not but I still thought of giving it a shot. Maybe i just wanted to feel that i am trying to get it right and not just accepting this and moving on.
Eye is still a pain but kind of getting used to now. The pain behind the ear and cheek bones , is gone. Maybe the nerves are recovering or maybe not. Hopefully something quantifiable will happen soon :)
Cheerz
----------------
Today
Looking back , the only regret i have from my treatment is the electric simulation. Dont Go for it.There is a lot of synkinesis or residual effect left on me but thats on very few things and hardly bothers me anymore. Everything else is awesome in the lala land :)
0 comments:
Post a Comment