On June 1st the left side of my face developed a significant droop and numbness. Much to my surprise, eating my lunch became a challenge since there was a feeling of novocaine numbness but, I hadn’t been to the dentist? I couldn’t chew on the left side of my mouth without leaking all over myself! Is this a stroke? What is happening?
The Emergency Room doctor told me I had a classic case of Bell’s Palsy. I was told my face probably would recover full expression and function in 6 weeks to 6 months but each person is different. I read online that for some people the recovery period can be much longer and there are cases where full recovery is not achieved. I was given a follow up appointment with my Primary Care Doctor, an Opthamologist and two Physical Therapist appointments.
I took the one week of prescribed meds, lubricated and patched my eye often during the day and my husband taped my eye shut at night for sleeping. Without normal blinking and lubrication, there was the very serious consequence of corneal abrasion and possible vision loss.
Two days later and just before the next Osteofitness Class, Beverley Ikier
“Get yourself a patch for that eye and come see me, I can help
you rehab your face.”
I laughed to myself with the thought, “What, did she have little dumbells for my cheeks, lip and eye lid … how do I determine “extreme fatigue”? (Osteofitness ladies will understand this reference and appreciate the humor, I think.)
After about a week, Beverley assessed that the facial nerves and muscles were ready for therapy and she put me to work with strengthening exercises. During each appointment, one each week for four weeks, she would massage and tap the affected areas ever so gently to encourage healing and circulation and give me additional exercises appropriate for the next stage of healing.
After just one week people began to comment on noticeable improvements.
After three weeks, most of the droop in my face was gone, creases in my forehead almost matched my right side, my eye almost closed fully on its own and my smile was almost back. The Opthamologist said my eye looked GREAT and to keep doing whatever I was doing but, I had to have a follow up in a month.
At four weeks I had my first Physical Therapy appointment. From pictures in her notebook I had to imitate 30 facial expressions or movements. She was AMAZED that I could do 28 of them. The remaining two became homework. She pronounced me almost fully recovered and I smiled the most balanced smile I could produce! No follow up appointment needed and I was to continue doing whatever I was doing. Her comments were music to my ears.
Thank you Beverley for your care, expertise and push during this partnership to heal and rehab my face!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
let me share one unexpected benefit we discovered. The exercises for muscle strengthening on the left side of my face resulted in less wrinkles since the muscles filled in under the skin. Guess what I am doing? You got it; I am continuing the exercises on BOTH sides of my face. Will I look younger? Who knows but certainly I’ll stay balanced!!
Submitted by Renee Vigoroso, Administrator, First Baptist Church , Lexington , MA
