Comments on: Falling Off the Face of the World

By: Nick Hodge

Nick Hodge — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 02:41:36 +0000

debra

Rest is the best thing — time does heal.

Sadly, in my case, your face will probably never feel quite the same

Nick

By: Nick Hodge

Nick Hodge — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 02:40:39 +0000

Terry

Rest, up. The ringing of the ears and pain are normal — a part of the infection of the nerve.

The best solution is to take it easy and rest.

Keep in touch

By: Terry

Terry — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 23:33:12 +0000

I just found your page and thank you so much for sharing your experience with BP. I am going on day 20 and the ringing in my ears and pain at top of head are driving me crazy and to become depressed. My doctor says I have a severe case and no one can say when and or if I will have full recovery. I have noticed some improvement in eating, do not hear loud noises as much and the pain behind the ear is improving. I am now taking sleeping pills as I have had very little sleep. Just wanted to connect with someone who has gone through this. Thanks

By: debra

debra — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:33:01 +0000

I too was diagnosed with BP. I was diagnosed right after I got shingles. I have been dealing with the BP part for about 6 weeks. I have been off work for a month and I think I will be off for an additional two weeks. I think the rest has had a tremendous effect on my recovery. I am about 60% recovered, but don’t want to push it. I message and exercise my face when I remember it. Good luck to everyone who is dealing with this illness.

By: Nick Hodge

Nick Hodge — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 06:53:24 +0000

Theresa

Firstly, good luck. You will find the steroids keep you awake and more agitated. Evidently, there is no scientific evidence to show they speed recovery.

Rest, rest, rest.

You will notice your face will never feel the same as it repairs itself. Some sufferers like myself have lingering aches on that side of the face, with a small reoccurance on the other side of the face some years after.

Others recover and are fine.

Yes, life style change (less stress) certainly helped me.

Good luck

Nick

By: Theresa Gallagher

Theresa Gallagher — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:02:37 +0000

Hi Nick, reading your story has told me much more than the doctors have! I was diagnosed on Monday 29th March this year(2010), after serving food up to friends, they watched as my face dropped on one side, they all thought I was having a stroke. I’m now on a large dose of steroids and I’ve not been told much more. So thank you.
At the age of 52 I’m still working hard, maybe it’s time for a life style change?

By: Why the Quietness? | www.nickhodge.com

Why the Quietness? | www.nickhodge.com — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:06:06 +0000

[…] In April 2007 I talked on my experience of Bellâ€™s Palsy. […]

By: Meet Mary Milne, my Great- Great- Great- Grandmother | nickhodge.com

Meet Mary Milne, my Great- Great- Great- Grandmother | nickhodge.com — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 07:25:54 +0000

[…] And speaking of genes, if you look at her eyes and mouth: they are not aligned. It’s not “an error” in posing. It’s probably Bell’s Palsy. […]

By: hodgenick

hodgenick — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 13:06:35 +0000

Fraser

Maybe not beer in my case, but certainly am watching the pace — and making sure life comes first.

That’s tough for many people at different stages in their life.

However, one hopes the realisation happens as far away from the end of their life as possible.

Nick

By: Fraser Crozier

Fraser Crozier — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:39:18 +0000

So stress is at the root of all evil. I wondered how that worked.
When I was 5 years of age, I woke up one day and my 4 older sisters (enter stress, stage left) started laughing at me. Nothing new under the sun. When my mother saw me, she thought an alien had landed and occupied the left hand side of my head.
So it goes…I was in a little hick town in central’ish Queensland, with no decent doctors within miles, and I had me a dose of Bells Palsy.
I really didn’t care, nor do I remember any pain greater than that inflicted on me by said gang of sisters. It did prove to inject some side-show value as I founf out later, because my sisters showed me off to their friends; whilst asleep, the left hand eye refused to shut, so the all seeing eye gazed out, lifelessly, scaring the living daylights out of the said friends.
I copped the dodgy first year school photo out of it, which looks like I’ve had way too much NOS at the dentist (if only the dentist wasn’t too busy torturing me instead of giving e gas). I wish I went to the dentist during the BP episode, but alas fate would have it otherwise.
So hearing your story made me wonder what it may take for others to take the foot off the accellerator pedal and put it into cruise for a while.
Great story, and does this mean you need to drink beer every now and then to contibute to the medicinal regime.

By: hodgenick

hodgenick — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 05:26:37 +0000

I’ll write about the 12 months of April 2005 through April 2006 one day…

… it’s still a little raw

Thanks Lisa. Family really looked after me, which was my saving grace!

By: Lisa Herrod

Lisa Herrod — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 05:14:00 +0000

thanks Nick, that was really interesting. I know two other people that have had BP, one was about 10 when he had it and the other was a lady in her 60’s. Both were under a great deal of stress at the time it occurred.

It’s terrible that we push ourselves so hard that our body does this in response… but I bet in hindsight there were a lot of other signs that led to this, ie stress etc.

so nice to hear your story and that you were smart enough to make a change