OT Out of Action... for awhile

BillyBoy wrote on 6/28/2003, 10:01 PM

A few nights ago I was doing what I'm usually doing, sitting in front of the old PC. As usual I was sipping a beverage. Noticed a couple times in a row more liquor dribbled out of my mouth than I swallowed. Odd, but I just wrote it off as not paying attention. That and a bad case of eye strain (or so I thought) with my eyes tearing up pretty bad.

Phone rings, I answer, start to talk and it becomes obvious I'm slurring my speech. The more I talk, the worse its getting. About an hour before I had a fairly severe pain behind my left ear. You bet, I was starting to panic a little, am I having stroke? I do a quick web search for pain behind ear, some of my other symptoms, and something I haven't heard of before pops up. Bell's Palsy. http://www.bellspalsy.ws/

Among other things, it says usually one side of your face is paralized. Onset is frequently immediate with little or no warning. I go to a mirror, check out symptoms, can't blink or shut one eye, my lips on one side were dropping, couldn't even wiggle my nose or open my mouth straight.

Anyhow my doctor confirmed yesterday that's why I got. Probably some virus caused it. Not common, but not exactly rare either, several thousand people just in the U.S. have their seventh cranial nerve affected this way and it can take 3 months or longer before any noticable improvelment. Geez, I hope not. In my case, effects mostly my left eye (this is taking ten times longer than normal to write) and drat, it also is effecting my eating which also takes lots longer. That may be a good thing. Finally, a diet I'll have to follow.

Anyways, till I can see better and the excessive tearing stops I won't be posting much if at all. So I thought I'd explain what happened to me and why I haven't posted and won't be much for awhile. If I do post, maybe at long last I'll learn to post shorter.

Back to post

Comments

TomG wrote on 6/29/2003, 8:41 PM

Hang in there BillyBoy!!!!

There is a reason for everything that happens to us. Listen to your body and and take care of it. Without health (mental/physical/spiritual) everything else becomes meaningless. I'm sure I am speaking for the SF community that we are pulling that you get a full and speedy recovery.

Take care,
TomG

BillyBoy wrote on 6/29/2003, 9:09 PM

Hi gang! Thanks so much for all the messages of support, the prayers and all the kind words. They mean a lot and they help a lot too! Rediscovered the great outdoors. Went for almost a five mile walk. Been awhile since I done that. Total computer time today less than twenty minutes. Now that WAS hard.

Again thanks for the support.

wcoxe1 wrote on 6/29/2003, 9:32 PM

You will be missed. Bless you and Keep You.

Erk wrote on 6/29/2003, 9:34 PM

BB, get well soon.

Erk

P.S. Where is this "outdoors?"

kingkool682 wrote on 6/29/2003, 11:57 PM

Get better Billyboy! For the time being you should get someone to read aloud the posts and then type in your responses, or software that will read out loud. Then you won't miss a beat. Ofcourse, you probally won't see this until you get better. O well, rest those eyes. They're important in this industry. ;-)

tadpole wrote on 6/30/2003, 1:04 AM

Hey Billy, sorry to hear that...

My mother came down with the Bells Palsy a while back. Drs were thinking that she may have had lymes dieses which in turn caused the bell palsy - not sure we ever got a positive diagnoses on the cause.

As for treatment.. she tried a few acupuncture/'electroshock' sessions - we saw, and she could feel, improvment in the effected side of her face after only a couple of sessions. I would recommend looking into this type of treatment...

and no worries m8.. medical science will have a cure for everything within the next 10years.. :)

Stiffler wrote on 6/30/2003, 2:39 AM

Hay, BB...thanks for your help in the past! (I don't always post, but I read alot).

Hope things get better soon!

Here are a couple of links to check out if you want:

http://bellspalsy.ws/forum/indexx.html

http://neurosurgery.mgh.harvard.edu/SptGps.htm

http://www.alaska.net/~gruv/bells.htm

http://www.bellspalsy.ws/treatment.htm

I hope that is a start for you....See you back here soon!

Jon

seeker wrote on 6/30/2003, 9:55 AM

BB,

I am another who shares concern for you and admires your contributions to the SoFo user community. You continue to impress with the proactive way you used the Internet to diagnose your condition. As others have said, "read you later."

-- Seeker --

SonyEPM wrote on 6/30/2003, 10:21 AM

Good luck BB- a relative of mine had this and recovered 100%. Ping us back with an update when you can-

SF

tserface wrote on 6/30/2003, 10:37 AM

My uncle had this and recovered in just a couple weeks. I hope your's goes as quickly and you're back to your old helpful self in no time.

Tom

rllagas2002 wrote on 6/30/2003, 11:03 AM

As a regular reader of this forum and i could see you really shared a lot of knowledge in developing our Vegas skills....and uhmmm...those "nice verbal attacks!!"... i could see that you are a person who don't give up.....so i believe you can fight and win that battle.....Our prayers are for you.

My advice : Healthy foods may speed up your recovery....so, more fruits and vegetables.

Get well soon Billy..... we really are going to miss you!!

What a great forum....its not only one of the best source of technical skills but also emotional motivations.....truly a manifestation of concern and friendship.
Thanks SOFO for having this forum!!

Frenchy wrote on 6/30/2003, 3:59 PM

Good luck on a speedy recovery BillyBoy - My father got Bells Palsey about thirty years ago, and it took a few months to sort itself out. Enjoy the things you can (like your family, the great outdoors, etc.) We'll miss your depth of knowledge and associated delivery methods ;) and look forward to more of them in the near future

Take Care

Frenchy

KPITRL wrote on 6/30/2003, 4:23 PM

Billyboy, you can't put a dollar value on the knowlede you've shared with us on
this forum, and you can't put a dollar value on your health either, but I'll take
your health over your knowledge any day. You are in my prayers.

GET WELL SOON!,

kpitrl

BrianStanding wrote on 6/30/2003, 4:58 PM

Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery. I, for one, appreciate all you bring to this list.

Paul_Holmes wrote on 6/30/2003, 5:48 PM

My roommate 7 or 8 years ago developed the same thing. He had the droopy eye thing for a while and just when we all thought it was there to stay it disappeared with no trace. A real bummer to have for a while but eventually it'll go away! Good luck. Like everyone else I really appreciate your tutorials and what you've done for my editing.

J_Mac wrote on 6/30/2003, 10:04 PM

Heard an interview with Stephen King on his recent book tour recently and his reflections on his experience getting run down by a van, and his long recovery. His proposal was a little thankful for his nearly complete recovery in the time since, and his being 'forcefully' removed from the life he was living, and subsequent reflections on life, etc. while laid up. You creative types apply the down time to generating ideas and organizing them, and planning the future of your creative juice workflow. So I hope this time will be as inwardly productive for you, as for him. The above posts indicate your condition will repair in time, and I also look forward to your full recovery and your future presence here. Search word 'Billy Boy' returned over 660 references. I look forward to #670. Good luck John.

Randy Brown wrote on 7/1/2003, 10:30 AM

I guess it's true BB, nature has it's way of telling us to slow down and smell the great outdoors. Get well soon buddy!
Randy