MY JOURNEY WITH BELL'S PALSY

Have you ever heard of this disorder before? I did not until January 3, 2009. I had gotten up one morning and the right side of my face felt very strange. It felt numb to the feel yet it doesn't feel hurt. On January 1st, 2009, I was sick at that time, I had a terrible colds. It was my monthly period that caused it and I was expecting that my blood pressure is not normal again. And I was right. My BP was 200/160 though I didn't feel anything like headache, dizziness, neck pain that usually caused by hypertension. I just felt normal. And I wasn’t worried about my blood pressures being high. I get used to it already. On January 2, 2009, I was having my morning rituals when I noticed that that the water from my mouth was dripping uncontrollably then when I was washing my face, I get a soap in my right eye that’s the time I started to realized something was completely wrong. I went and look at the mirror and it took me a few seconds to take in what I was seeing. My right eye was not blinking. I couldn't move my eyebrow and I couldn't move my lip into a smile (on the right side of my face) when my mom saw this, she panicked and called my brother and had me in the car within minutes and we were on our way to the emergency. Looking back, I was quite surprised that those medical attendants and nurses were starting to panic when they got my BP yet, I was still remain calm as if there's nothing to worry about.
On January 3rd, I was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. I was given steroids and anti viral medications. I was confined for 6 days at the hospital because my doctor did not allow me to go home not until my blood pressure become normal. I took a lot of lab test during my stay at the hospital (urinary test, blood test, blood sugar, cholesterol level, 2Decho, chest X-ray, ultrasound and among others) my doctor and my nurse almost able to answer all my questions but was not able to answer my one big question – what caused this?
April 17, 2010 I started to feel again the symptoms of Bell’s palsy. I just ignored it thinking that after a week, it will just vanish just like my first encounter last year. When my mom came home (she attended a wedding and a reunion at the same time) she forced me again to pay visit to my doctor.
April 20, 2010, my doctor just gave me medicines to take for 2 weeks and referred me to an ophthalmologist, hence I was complaining about my right eye. It's too painful especially when I woke up in the morning, as if there's sand inside it.
May 8, 2010 I went to see the ophthalmologist referred to me by my doctor. The ophthalmologist checked my eyes and after that prescribed me some eye drops and ointment and even advised me to put eye patches or tape when I'm about to sleep to prevent my eye from drying that may caused to eye ulcer. She then referred me to see a physiology for a possible therapy treatment for my bell's palsy.
On May 14, 2010, I went to see doctor Abiog at PCDH. He then did some test for me and prescribed me some meds like Nevramin and steroids and told me to start my therapy for 2 weeks. From that day, my therapy session had begun. As I was having my therapy treatment, Mam Rhia, one of my therapist answered the big question my doctor before wasn't able to answer. Mam Rhia explained that there are few things that have caused my bell's palsy, aside from virus, the second one is being stress as I was, third is too much exposure from cold wind. I learned that cold or moist wind blowing down the ear canal can cause this. Every day of my therapy session, seeing those therapists, staffs, interns and those patients with a warm smile, makes me feel better. Hearing their sentiments about life, family and financial problems makes me smile and think that this is just the way of life. Every one of us have different burdens in life but it just depend on us how to make our burdens a little lighter to carry. As for me, I am an extremely positive person who constantly has a smile on my face and I refuse to let Bell's palsy to change that. Even though my smile is all one sided, I am not going to change who I am because of this. Around two weeks of therapy treatment, I notice some very tiny movement in my eyebrow. Now, I have significant movement when it comes to frowning. I still look like half of my forehead had botox injections but I know that soon enough, I will get my wrinkles back.
On June 8 (Doctor Abiog told me to continue my therapy for another two weeks) I noticed some movement right beside my nose when I scrunch up my nose a bit. On June 9, Mam Rhia send me back home 'cause I’m not feeling well at that time, I had again my monthly period and as expected my BP was
not normal again. It was 160/110. Mam Rhia planned to use a hot pack that day but since my BP is higher than normal, she advised me to go home instead and take a rest. She even gave her number to me for me to contact her. It was already four days that I haven’t had my therapy session and as of this
morning, I noticed that when I smile, there are muscles in my cheek that are moving. They haven't actually move my mouth as of yet but I know it's just a matter of time. One tiny step forward is a progress! Well, I have this for 2 months already. It is frustrating, I know but I can't let it affect my daily life. This makes me re-evaluate what makes me happy and what determines my happiness. It's been a
journey and a life lesson for me. I've learned things about myself from this experience than I have from anything else. I've learned to take care of myself better now for the sake of those who care and love me constantly. I've learned the importance of rest and whatever and wherever this journey may lead me, I know, in the end, I'll become a better person I ought to be. Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family for always been there for me, to my friends for their constant supports, you know who you are guys, to my doctors who assist and willing to help me: DR. BAUTISTA, DRA. MONDIGUING, DR.
ABIOG, salamat po sa inyo. Last but not the least, to all the staff and interns of PCDH rehab: MAM RHIA, MAM AIMEE, MAM LOVE, MAM TANZ, MAM DAISY, SIR PAUL at sa lahat po ng kasama ninyo. Thank you, guys. Without you, my journey with Bell's palsy could not have been easier and a bit lighter. GOD BLESS US ALL!

On January 3rd, I was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. I was given steroids and anti viral medications. I was confined for 6 days at the hospital because my doctor did not allow me to go home not until my blood pressure become normal. I took a lot of lab test during my stay at the hospital (urinary test, blood test, blood sugar, cholesterol level, 2Decho, chest X-ray, ultrasound and among others) my doctor and my nurse almost able to answer all my questions but was not able to answer my one big question – what caused this?
April 17, 2010 I started to feel again the symptoms of Bell’s palsy. I just ignored it thinking that after a week, it will just vanish just like my first encounter last year. When my mom came home (she attended a wedding and a reunion at the same time) she forced me again to pay visit to my doctor.
April 20, 2010, my doctor just gave me medicines to take for 2 weeks and referred me to an ophthalmologist, hence I was complaining about my right eye. It's too painful especially when I woke up in the morning, as if there's sand inside it.
May 8, 2010 I went to see the ophthalmologist referred to me by my doctor. The ophthalmologist checked my eyes and after that prescribed me some eye drops and ointment and even advised me to put eye patches or tape when I'm about to sleep to prevent my eye from drying that may caused to eye ulcer. She then referred me to see a physiology for a possible therapy treatment for my bell's palsy.
On May 14, 2010, I went to see doctor Abiog at PCDH. He then did some test for me and prescribed me some meds like Nevramin and steroids and told me to start my therapy for 2 weeks. From that day, my therapy session had begun. As I was having my therapy treatment, Mam Rhia, one of my therapist answered the big question my doctor before wasn't able to answer. Mam Rhia explained that there are few things that have caused my bell's palsy, aside from virus, the second one is being stress as I was, third is too much exposure from cold wind. I learned that cold or moist wind blowing down the ear canal can cause this. Every day of my therapy session, seeing those therapists, staffs, interns and those patients with a warm smile, makes me feel better. Hearing their sentiments about life, family and financial problems makes me smile and think that this is just the way of life. Every one of us have different burdens in life but it just depend on us how to make our burdens a little lighter to carry. As for me, I am an extremely positive person who constantly has a smile on my face and I refuse to let Bell's palsy to change that. Even though my smile is all one sided, I am not going to change who I am because of this. Around two weeks of therapy treatment, I notice some very tiny movement in my eyebrow. Now, I have significant movement when it comes to frowning. I still look like half of my forehead had botox injections but I know that soon enough, I will get my wrinkles back.
On June 8 (Doctor Abiog told me to continue my therapy for another two weeks) I noticed some movement right beside my nose when I scrunch up my nose a bit. On June 9, Mam Rhia send me back home 'cause I’m not feeling well at that time, I had again my monthly period and as expected my BP was
not normal again. It was 160/110. Mam Rhia planned to use a hot pack that day but since my BP is higher than normal, she advised me to go home instead and take a rest. She even gave her number to me for me to contact her. It was already four days that I haven’t had my therapy session and as of this
morning, I noticed that when I smile, there are muscles in my cheek that are moving. They haven't actually move my mouth as of yet but I know it's just a matter of time. One tiny step forward is a progress! Well, I have this for 2 months already. It is frustrating, I know but I can't let it affect my daily life. This makes me re-evaluate what makes me happy and what determines my happiness. It's been a
journey and a life lesson for me. I've learned things about myself from this experience than I have from anything else. I've learned to take care of myself better now for the sake of those who care and love me constantly. I've learned the importance of rest and whatever and wherever this journey may lead me, I know, in the end, I'll become a better person I ought to be. Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family for always been there for me, to my friends for their constant supports, you know who you are guys, to my doctors who assist and willing to help me: DR. BAUTISTA, DRA. MONDIGUING, DR.
ABIOG, salamat po sa inyo. Last but not the least, to all the staff and interns of PCDH rehab: MAM RHIA, MAM AIMEE, MAM LOVE, MAM TANZ, MAM DAISY, SIR PAUL at sa lahat po ng kasama ninyo. Thank you, guys. Without you, my journey with Bell's palsy could not have been easier and a bit lighter. GOD BLESS US ALL!