Sunday, February 27, 2011

Bell's Palsy Photo Shoot

The other night my friend saw my Bell's Palsy photos here; and she said, "Honey, you could have at LEAST combed your hair!" So I pulled myself together, and had my daughter do a photo shoot in the back yard. I'm glad I had these done. Hopefully  it will soon all be a distant memory, and I'll only have these to remind me that I really couldn't move one whole side of my face.

I have to say that these are the best online photos I've seen of a Bell's palsy patient -- including the ones of George Clooney!








9 comments:

Th. said...

.

I find Bell's Palsy really fascinating, though I'll admit I'm always secretly grateful it's happened to someone else.

Michelle Glauser said...

Meh, you look great. All the best.

Bookslinger said...

In previous posts, you seemed to be embarrassed to be seen in public with a half-paralyzed face.

But then here, and in a previous post, you showed off your face with BP symptoms to... oh, about 500 friends.

Does this illustrate the divide between real life (RL) and the Internet? Or are you now owning the BP?

Bored in Vernal said...

Bookslinger, I will answer your question in my next post. I suppose it IS my way of "owning" the BP.

M said...

I particularly like the first photo with the glasses; you look very mysterious and have the perfect "I don't care" sneer. Quite becoming. ;)

I have been thinking about you. I know 2 people who have had Bell's Palsy; one of them was only 14 at the time and the other has had it twice in just a few years. Both recovered well and I'm sure you will get better. That said, I admire your pluckiness and your transparency with this whole matter. I'm sure most of us would be in a similar boat and discover broad streaks of vanity where we had thought there were none.

I so love that you are posting again.

Kullervo said...

"I particularly like the first photo with the glasses; you look very mysterious and have the perfect "I don't care" sneer. Quite becoming. ;)"

Indeed!

Anonymous said...

I think you look a lot like Actress comedienne Catherine O'Hara from Beetlejuice.

BeingBraveWithBellsPalsy said...

I posted this blog entry to my Facebook page called "Being Brave With Bells Palsy. You're an awesome woman. You should see the people you inspire. :)

Robin said...

Bored in Vernal,
I wish I could address you by your first name but unfortunately I was unable to find it in the postings that I have read through.

I want to thank you for posting these pictures of your Bell's palsy because they are amazing and because they show a tremendous amount of bravery on your behalf. I came down with Bell's palsy myself on April 1st of this year and it proved to be a very difficult time in my life. I am almost completely recovered now but I was not brave enough to document the moment because I just wanted it to be over. When I read your words they resonated with me so much because I felt exactly the same way. I wished that I was not so vain that I did not care whether people stared or talked about me on the train but I did. I grew in a way that I never imagined because of this ordeal and it is true that most people have no idea how much it affects your sense of self (including most physicians).

That being said, I would like you to know that I am in graduate school to become a Physician Assistant. I actually just completed my graduate project on the treatment of Bell's palsy because the subject has been so near and dear to my heart. With full disclosure of all of that I would like to ask your permission to use one of the photos you took of your palsy on my poster for my presentation. I scoured this site trying to find a better way to get in touch with you but have not been able to find another way. I am hoping that even though you haven't posted in awhile that you still check this site. Please email me at blan5241@pacificu.edu to let me know if you would be willing to let me use your photo.

Thank you,
Robin