Update

Well, I just got around to taking a couple of pictures of the old face. I want to take pictures every week or so to enable me to see changes. The problem with facial recovery is that it is so SLOW! Changes are subtle, and when you look at yourself every day, the changes aren't always noticeable. So, this is a my little reality check for myself! I will take the same two shots each week - the smile and the eye closure.

I also recorded a short video, which I won't subject you to, so that I can see how my face is moving when I talk. Right now, my face is moving ... oddly. The corner of my mouth, both upper and lower lip just don't move very well, which causes the side of my mouth to sort of drag. I think it will be interesting to see how this changes over the next few months.

Meanwhile, under the category of funny... I was talking with one of my brain tumor buddies last week (a woman who had surgery about 3 weeks before me, and who has also had a slow facial recovery.) We were comparing notes (and, yes, commiserating just a tiny bit) and got on the subject of eyelashes. Yes, eyelashes. When you have bells palsy or facial paralysis it causes the muscles around your eye to sag and droop. Which causes the eye to look king of weird. And, it causes the eyelashes to stick out at odd angles! I had totally forgotten about this until Hope brought it up.

I remember visiting the ophthalmologist about 3 months post op to get a blinkeze eye weight. As he was examining me, he said, "oh, those little lashes on your lower lid are going to get caught in your eye and scratch it, let's just get them out!" And, before I knew what was happening, he had grabbed a pair of tweezers and yanked the disobedient little suckers right out! I was shocked! (However, I didn't feel a thing - the upside of recalcitrant nerves!)

Anyway, hadn't thought about that since it happened, but it sure does make me laugh now!