More health issues ~ Bells Palsy

Boy did this come on suddenly. I was getting ready for work on Oct 22nd, monday morning. I thought my vision looked kind of weird, but didn't think much else. Then while driving to work, the left side of my face felt kind of weird. I looked in my rear view mirror and noticed my smile to be kind of crooked, or was it just a weird angle. I couldn't tell, so as soon as I got to work I went to talk to Sandi. First thing she asked was "what's wrong with your mouth?". Turns out the left side of my face has Bells Palsy. I don't have actual numbness or tingling, it just doesn't work. I can't smile on that side, and my left eye doesn't blink and I can't raise my eyebrows on that side. Yesterday, I began to have severe pain behind my left ear and the entire side of my face. Luckily my doctor was able to give some tramadol, which seems to have worked well (without my usual nausea/vomiting of narcotics). This bells palsy crap is very very concerning and frustrating and embarrassing to me. People look at me funny and I talk kind of funny. I never thought I was vain in the past, but I guess I must have some, because I don't like how I look and don't want anyone seeing me.

This is a pic of myself trying to smile.

This is a pic of myself trying to raise my eyebrows. Nice huh? Well, I have alot of friends and family praying for me. I pray as well. I'm told by so many people that they had bells palsy, or someone they know has bells palsy and it sounds like most people go back to normal. My neurologist said about 80% go back to normal with minimal residual symptoms. Luckily my recent MRI I had after this came on, came out stable. NO new lesions, and no enhancing lesion shown. I had a chest xray and test for lymes disease and an angiotensin converting enzyme done and all came out ok. That is good news in terms of MS, so it means this is not MS-related as which was initially thought. So in terms of that, we are still sitting and waiting. I just pray the waiting is over for bells palsy, because this really sucks!!! Thanks for listening.

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Have a GREAT day, and God Bless!!!

UPDATE ~ Bowel Obstructions

Boy, have I been late in updating on this blog, it was difficult for me to get into as well. Somehow google has now been taken over blogger services and won't allow my current email to switch it over. Anyways, I have to remember this other email to get into it to add anything to this blog. I had been doing stable in my possible MS symptoms, but then suddenly just OUT OF THE BLUE, I began to have problems with bowel obstructions. One day at work, I was overtaken by stomach cramping. It just continued and continued all afternoon. I went home and the pain worsened and worsened. Finally I had to go into the ER. Turned out I had a bowel obstruction. They thought it was due to adhesions and scar tissues from my past bowel surgeries. After about 3 days in the hospital with an NG tube up my nose, apparently the obstruction cleared on it's own, thank God!! What really sucked, was about 2 weeks later the exact same thing happened. I know what caused this one, I was trying to eat healthy all afternoon and was eating pea pods as a snack. I"m sure that is what caused it. But the same thing, started with mild stomach cramping mid afternoon, and progressed throughout the afternoon. Sure enough, another trip to the ER, and another admission to Salem Hospital for bowel obstruction. This time I learned to have the NG tube done down in the ER, they are so much better at it than on the floor. I was in the hospital for a few days longer, but then luckily it again cleared on its own, so home I went again. Thank God!!!