Synkinesis & Novocaine

Some days my face works & looks better than others. We all wake up with that "pillow face", except for you back sleepers. But the next day after I've kicked the worlds butt, my face feels funny. My right side is stiff and tired and my left feels like it's slowing falling off. My bottom lip looks and feels swollen but it's really just that the muscles aren't holding it up.

On the right side of my face I have synkinesis. It is a miswiring of nerves after trauma. For example; when I squint my eye shut, my cheek goes up like it's trying to smile. It's like they are all locked together. And it wears my face out. I'm hoping with the muscle release and Botox that it relaxes that side. At night I really have to concentrate on relaxing my face to get relief. Hence the Valium which I really hate taking. I don't want to become Mother's Little Helper dependent. My left side muscles aren't getting the nerve signal to move but I think they still get tired and look droopier on some days.

It's been 11 weeks and although I do have "good" days where people think it doesn't look as bad, I still have no movement in my left side and my tongue is still numb.

My tongues feels like the Novocaine never completely wore off. Kinda like a think coat of glue is still there. Bland foods or dry foods are awful. Including pretzels, bagels, chips, yogurt, kiwi (I can't taste at all). It's a great low carb diet except I can still taste chocolate. I think we can count that as a blessing. (Hot sauce is my friend to my mouth but not my belly.)  I'm actually not sure if surgery will restore the feeling in my tongue. I guess that's something I need to ask next week. Wow, one week from today I will have more news to share; hopefully a surgery date.

We were eating dinner on Sunday night and I had to ask if the food I cooked was good. My son said "Question; why are we having you cook if you can't taste?" My husbands reply, "Well then son, I think it's time you start cooking!" Yeah, that's not happening. I'm STILL the best cook in the house!!

(I really wanted to call this post "Stiff and Droopy" but I thought twice.)

Here's a great video about the doctor who I see next week...
Dr. Kofi Boahene and his website Facial Paralysis Restoration Website which shows some before and afters. Please take the time to watch the 5 min video. I'll be happy if I just get my mona-lisa smile back.