Ugh.
Welp, it is official. I have been diagnosed with a condition called Bells Palsy (BP). If you are not familiar with it it is a (in most cases) temporary facial paralysis. So, the right hand side of my face is not cooperating. Great. I won't bog you down with tons of information about it, as if you really want to know about it you can Google it but here is some basic info: By definition BP is a temporary condition. Most cases take about 8-12 weeks to go away, some not for 6 mos., and then there are the cases that never go away. In any case, no matter the length there could be residual effects stemming from lots of different factors. It is said to be caused by stress, herpes, or a general virus. I know I don't have herpes and as far as I can tell there is no abnormal extra stress that I have been under so the only thing I can think of is that it is a virus. It started with a sore neck and what I thought was an ear infection. Within a day my eye wasn't blinking and then the whole right side of my face wasn't working. It is frustrating more than anything because I have had to learn to eat differently and pronounce words differently because one side of my mouth doesn't work. It is also by definition nerve damage...somehow the virus, or the stress damaged my 7th Cranial Nerve which is located benath your cheekbone. I think I've adapted quite well so far.
The doctor has put me on steroids and an antiviral medication (similar to that which they prescribe to herpes patients) to help the condition along. Unfortunately, the meds are based only on theories. There is no cure for BP because there is no proven cause for it, only theories. So, the two meds prescribed to me are prescribed to anyone who gets this in hopes that one or two of the theories are true. Its weird because a couple months ago a friend of mine in L.A. had gotten this condition but I didn't pay much attention because it didnt' happen to me or mine. Ever since I believed BP was what I had, before I made it to the docs, I did a lot of online reading to gain extra info. Since my doctor visit, I've heard from almost all my friends and family telling me their experiences with it or experiences that their friends have had. So, I am taking this one day at a time and doing a lot of relaxation and resting.
The only good thing that has come out of this is that I've ALWAYS wanted to be a pirate!!! So, here is my chance!!! One of the biggest worries when someone has BP is caring for the un-closing eye. So I've purchased a couple patches, some of them actual costume pirate patches and will put skulls and crossbones on them so that I can be a pirate!!! I must keep my eye lubed up as much as possible to keep the eye from drying out. My daughter thinks I'm the coolest pirate she knows!!
You'd also be amazed at how well I'm taking this. Luckily, from pictures I've seen of ppl with BP, I think I have a mild case of it. I am assuming this though, because I dont know a very extreme case compared to a mild one, but I don't look that bad. You can tell a little bit that I have a lil problem with the right side of my face but other than my speech I look pretty normal. I've seen pictures of people who got it really bad, I feel for them. My friends and family are more worried about BP and me than I am. Weird things happen to me all the time, I am REALLY not surprised that this did. I am very optimisic about my recovery when it should be that I am very pessimistic about it...as that is usually how I am. So, I am going to let the optimism continue and just hope for a quick recovery. I figure that if it never goes away, it was meant to be and I will just deal with it. Sorry that was so long whinded, but that is the current Jade news.
In another story, here is a picture of Juliette Lewis and I taken in San Francisco about a month or two ago when I went to go see 'Juliette Lewis and The Licks' play!!! This photograph was taken and edited by Andrew Ryan, thanks Drew!!
If you like Juliette Lewis, My Ruin, and Rasputina make sure to click the image above and go check out Drews work!! If nothing else, to help support a fellow Photography Student I go to school with!! He rocks my cock!!