Bell's Palsy Update

Praise the Lord, there has been significant improvement with the face! The doctor informed me that at three weeks following onset, I should begin to see improvement. Well, Easter Sunday marked week two for me. I noticed when I woke up that my left eye was not as swollen and I was able to close it completely. No more eye drops or ointment for me! I was also able to open my mouth up a bit more, and when I smile, you can see almost all of my front teeth again. I am still unable to pronounce words with "b," "p" and "m" sounds. And as for rinsing my mouth after brushing my teeth...well, it isn't pretty. The amount of times I have drooled onto my clothes has also gone down considerably. More lines appear across my forehead when I raise my eyebrows and my face generally isn't so tight and stiff. Things are definitely looking up! Now, if I could only whistle....

St. Patty's Day

As requested, here is the highly coveted
Sugar Cookie recipe that I use.

Bon apetite!

1 cup soft (unsalted) butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour (sifted)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Cream butter and vanilla, add sugar and stir until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.
Add dry ingredients together in sifter, then add to mixture.

Chill 3-4 hours.

Roll out on floured surface.
Bake at 375 degrees for 6 minutes. (Or less!)

Icing:
4 cups powdered sugar (also called confectioner's sugar)
1 stick oleo (this is butter, Ms. Angie)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk

The Face Update

Unfortunately, the face is the same. There has been ZERO improvement regarding my Bell's Palsy. Eating and drinking is difficult, and I usually drool or miscalculate while swallowing and end up spilling some of my drink all down my shirt. Other obstacles include putting on lipstick, brushing my teeth (especially the left side of my mouth), and talking clearly. It is impossible to say any words that have "b" or "p" sounds, and to close my left eye (unless I do it with my finger)! I hope to get better soon! Sometimes it can take MONTHS for this to get better! Ugh!

Springing Ahead

Before going to bed last night, I made sure to set my alarm clock ahead one hour, and make sure that my alarm was set. I was worried about over-sleeping and missing yet another choir performance at the 9:30am Mass in Champaign. As it turned out, the time change was the LEAST of my worries...

I had no trouble getting up and running. My hair still looked good from yesterday, and as this never happens to me, I was excited that all I needed to do was wash my face off and put on new make-up. While applying said make-up, I noticed my left eye was slightly "poofy" and I had trouble closing it all of the way. Hmmmm...what was happening?

My tongue felt swollen and my entire mouth felt numb. My ears had been hurting, so I opted for contact lenses. By the time I had driven the 45 minute drive into church, I had felt like I had just been to the dentist and I had a numb mouth from Novocaine. As I spoke to a friend, I could tell that only half of my mouth and face was moving. How embarrassing! The vision in my left eye was blurred, but I wasn't sure if this was due to wearing my contact lenses for the first time in over a year!

After some difficulty swallowing after Communion, I decided I was not getting any better, and I phoned the Patient Advisory Nurse. She instructed me to go the the Emergency Room. Well, I wasn't about to call for an ambulance as she suggested and have it come and pick me up causing a raucous in front of a large church crowd. After all, if I didn't try to speak, I looked fine.

I called my dad to tell him and my mom the plans. I would need them to bring me my glasses, as the doctor told me to remove the contact lenses ASAP. I told him what was wrong. He seemed a bit concerned that I had had a stroke. He told me to get out of the car, stand up, and hold my arms up. They should be even. And also, I should be able to walk without trouble. He could tell my speech was a bit slurred, but that was due to the swelling/numbness in my mouth. I told him I was fine, and that I would just need the glasses before being discharged from the Emergency Department. So he asked if he had time to change the oil in my sister's car. Sure Dad....sure.

I drove the the hospital, and two hours later, they decided that I did NOT have a stroke, but instead, I had Bell's Palsy. Which, basically means, one side of your face is paralyzed due to facial nerves being inflamed or swollen. The likely cause of it is, of course, a VIRUS. (Go figure...this seems to be the standard diagnosis for everything these days.) I was sent home with steroids and an anti-viral medicine.

I phoned my Dad once more to find out what his location was. He and my mom were at the mall. So, I said I was leaving the hospital. No one had eaten any lunch yet, so we decided to meet at Culver's. I love Culver's! Eating was quite interesting. I couldn't get my sandwich in my mouth without pulling my lips down. I bit my tongue a couple of times, too. I think I definitely provided some comic relief.

My dad still doesn't seem 100% convinced about this Bell's Palsy deal. He joked that my pupils were different sizes, which could mean brain damage, or "drain bamage" as he likes to say. I think it was just the light, or the fact he was five feet away from me. Regardless, we took some pictures of the paralyzed face. Have a giggle on me...

This picture isn't so bad...you can tell a bit
more that the eyebrows are not even as I smile.

Bah! In this picture, I am scrunching
up my face as tight as I can. But the
left side of my face is perfectly smooth.

And the last photo, a dramatic smile.
It finally looks like my eyebrows are not
so uneven. Hopefully, my mouth will even
out next. I cannot even whistle!

The Maniac

Meet Bruno.

Bruno was residing in the West Wind with me. He is slowly migrating to the back porch. He is currently halfway there, as his "den" is now in the living room. Next stop: the porch. It is enclosed, and it will be heated. He isn't allowed to be outdoors because Dad is afraid the coyote's will get him. (Yeah...and they would probably win too because Bruno is kind of an idiot.) Here are some more facts about stinky:

He is about four years old.

A full-grown Dalmatian.

Very energetic.

Graduated from three classes in obedience and agility.

Likes to play B-A-L-L.

Fast friends with ANYONE who will throw the ball for him to chase after.

Chews anything that is plastic with great fervor!

Spoiled rotten.

Frequents parades, where he assists the Fire Chief (my Dad) greet the public.

Fairly friendly, yet protective.

Pretends to have a "hurt paw" when he wants attention. (Only Dad falls for this one!)

Likes to chase the "red light" (the laser light we shine around).

Tears open "his" mail.

Eats apples and peanut butter for snacks when he is a very good boy.

Loves to bury his ball in the snow.

Enjoys drinking water directly from the spout at the outdoor well.

Will spend hours chewing on a rawhide bone!

Sneaks up on the couch when Mom or Dad is not around.

Steals people food whenever he can.
(Including whole sticks of real butter, muffins - with the wrapper still on it -
my blueberry waffles, Krispy Kreme donuts and anything else he can get his paws on!)

Enjoys snooping around while I scrapbook.

Oh...and is a MANIAC! Observe the video of him playing with an old sheet he has confiscated from inside his den.