One day I awoke to an uneventful Saturday. I was 21 and my best friend and I had big plans to hit the town mall. We always looked forward to days like these. I really didn’t have a care in the world. Sure, at 5 I had to be back at my father’s restaurant to waitress but I had the whole afternoon before that.
E (my best friend) and I took our lunch in the food court of the mall. The food court featured such delicacies as Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips (E worked there), Mc Donalds and Sabarros. It was right before Easter and I still believed I was a good Catholic so I got a fish sandwich, fries and a coke.
As I ate and drank my coke I noticed my mouth would not tighten around the straw like normal.
“That’s funny,” I said as I pulled the straw from my coke.
“What?” E asked.
“This is silly but my mouth won’t tighten around my straw.” I responded.
E, my best friend for almost a decade responded with “that’s weird, I wonder what could cause that?”
Being 21, you really don’t think anything as silly as your mouth not fitting around the straw being an issue. We quickly dismissed it and focused on the collar necklaces at Claire’s Boutique.
Later that night I looked in the mirror and realized I couldn’t smile, at least not half of my face anyways. The left side of my face went up while the other did not. I worried a little but decided to wait till the next morning to lose my shit.
The Next Day- All Hell Breaks Loose
The next morning came and in addition to not being able to smile, my right eye lid wouldn’t shut. I officially lost it. The entire right side of my face wouldn’t move.
I lived about 30 minutes away from the family doctor. I cried on the phone to my mother the whole drive there. My mom was already at the doctor’s office when I pulled in. Normally our physician was a hot young Italian but he was unavailable for the day.
Like a freak, I was quickly moved into the “infectious waiting area” because my ailment was making me act like Snots from Christmas Vacation. I don’t know why but it was making me sneeze a lot and the drainage was awful.
After a few minutes we were allowed through the door that led to the examining rooms only we didn’t make it to a room. We were in some sort of make shift ER that was empty.
A young Indian woman stood before us with her left leg crossed over her right, arms folded, leaning against a gurney.
The Diagnosis
“Bell’s Palsy.” She said in a deep Indian accent.
“Excuse me?” My mom asked.
“Bell’s Palsy. That is what she has.”
That bitch knew what I had without even examining me. Turns out Bell’s Palsy is a paralysis of one side of the face caused by stress. A nerve in the back of your neck is pinched thus halting all actions on that side.
I was given essentially horse tranquilizers and told to take them but also massage my face three times a day so that nothing would get weak and stay paralyzed. If I did this, my face would go back to normal.
As embarrassing as it was, I still had to work at my father’s restaurant with a 1/2 paralyzed face. I looked like the hunch back of Notre Dame and incredibly embarrassed.
One evening, 2 bar patrons sat at the bar. I asked what they would like to drink. After they gave me their order I smiled but then quickly realized it was a 1/2 smile so I bent my head down so they wouldn’t see.
Eventually I explained to them why only half of my face would smile.
“Naw, it doesn’t look bad” hillbilly #1 called out. “You look like that Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman.”
‘Wait, what? How do you get complete right face paralysis with Dr. Quinn, medicine woman?’ I thought.
But as time went by I appreciated the comment because I felt ugly and horrible for several weeks. I continued to massage my face like a crazy person and eventually movement returned.
All told, my mouth still shows a very slight droop. I don’t think anyone would notice unless I pointed it out. To this day I am so scared it’s going to come back and I will then again have to explain why I look like a leper.
I knew what it was when I read the title. It must have been frightening for a young girl.
How did you know?
Someone I knew had Bell’s Palsy.
Never heard of it before, but glad everything came out okay. It must have been very scary.
Yeah, me neither. I didn’t even know the condition existed. Here is a list of stars that have had it at one point: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-with-bells-palsy/celebrity-lists
Wow, that must have been so scary! I once had a bad reaction to a medication, and my vision became extremely distorted, and I couldn’t recognize my own face in the mirror. It was freaky. I too ended up calling my mom in tears…Poor moms!
That sounds pretty awful. I’m glad you are past that. What would we do without moms?
All I could think of when you first mentioned your symptoms in this post was, BELL’S PALSY, BELL’S PALSY, BELL’S PALSY, BELL’S PALSY. And sure as sh*t, that’s what it was! (I’m a nurse BTW!) 🙂
And yes, it’s quite unnerving to have. I’ve treated many people in the ER setting who thought they were having a stroke.
Bells palsy is like the best kept secret of the medical community. Its like you guys are the only ones that know about it!
Oh my! I’ve heard of a few who had Bells Palsey
Yeah, you and me both till I couldn’t blink! LOL! I’m always worried it’s going to come back. If you Google “famous people that have had bells palsy”, it’s an interesting list of actors that have suffered from it. Personally though, I’ve never met anyone else that was afflicted by it.
One of the parents in my class had it last year actually ?
Ok, be honest, did you wonder what it was or did you know? Did he address the elephant in the room?
I knew because my colleague had already told me what it was!
Ahhh…..got it!
?
We usually used Antivirals as well as Prednisone when we had a patient with Bell’s Palsy. There is some thought that a virus can cause this as well. But, not everyone follows that line with treatment. Scary stuff for those who haven’t seen it before.
Yes, it was very scary. I was so young and at a place where your looks mean more to you so it was pretty traumatic. I had never in my life, heard of such a thing. I’m just glad I got the movement back!
I am glad too. Some people do end up with some residual side effects, but most do clear up with time.
I am certain you did not look like a leper! A novel I read had a character with Bell’s Palsy, but otherwise I would’t have heard of it. A friend of mine got a very bad strain of Chicken Pox and it had essentially the same effect. She recovered but it took over a year. I am sure it must have been hard to experience that! Especially with a job like waiting tables. When I was a server if I had a pimple that couldn’t be contained I know it made me self-conscious, so this would be even harder! I’m so glad it resolved for you.
Yeah, I felt like I had to give the speech to every single table as my face would be the elephant in the room. “Hi, my name is Hot Mess and I’ll be your server tonight. Before I tell you the specials, I’d like to explain why 1/2 my face is paralyzed……”
That sounds SUPER fun. Character building?
Yes, I also though Bell’s Palsy as soon as I saw the title (my friend got it when she was pregnant). That must’ve been so scary for you though. I wonder why you got it?
No idea! It just sucked beyond belief. I can’t imagine being pregnant and with bells palsy!
Wow. Stress can bring that on? Uh-oh.
Thats what they say….so go get a massage or something. LOL!!!
Once a month like clock work. 1.5 hours because an hour is just never enough.
Nice! You are so lucky!
Several people I know have gotten that affliction out of the blue! I’m glad you recovered! No one’s face is symmetrical.
Thank you! You are right about that. And since it was more like a 95% recovery, I sometimes look at the side that is drooping and I’m like “JESUS!”
Eep. You poor thing! That must have been so scary!
You can’t have looked ugly though. Dr. Quinn, medicine woman is really pretty!
Well, I just have no idea where they got the similarity from b/c at the time I was 21, she was probably 41 and we look nothing the same. It was so out of the blue, ya know? I’m just glad it went away and I hope it never comes back.