Guest Post

This is one of the most precious people that God has ever put into my life.
 Joani Burchett is my guest today. Please enjoy her post and then go over and visit her blog. You'll be glad you did!

She writes about her journey with Bell's Palsy
So, you guys all know me by now… and you know I love smiles, I like encouragement, and journeys intrigue me.  Today, I want to write about a life-story of mine that isn’t so easy.  In April, 2010, I embarked on a journey that truly loomed to be one of those “no-fun” journeys.  (I know you have had a few yourself….)  The onset-of Bell’s palsy gave me some hurdles physically and emotionally to overcome.  If you have read some of my other posts.. you know that I really missed my smile; and that I learned some crazy awesome lessons about gratitude, that I truly needed.

At the time I was living in Grand Cayman, BWI.  (Yes, go ahead and be jealous.  You should.) I flew back to the island after a brief weekend trip to dance my shoes off with a beautiful friend for her birthday in Texas.  The evening of my return trip, I laid in bed with my snuggle-partners as is our normal routine, and we sang our bed-time song… and at that moment I first felt a tingling in my face.  For a few weeks prior, I had noticed a shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue — but most people will understand when I say that with five boys, a husband in Vet school, and ALL the many tasks that go with life… you kinda brush off the fatigue and chalk it up as, “Eh, it is what it is.”    After this night-owl actually going to bed at a decent hour that evening, I slept fitfully, and awoke with the left-side of my face paralyzed.

Through this journey I have had AH-mazing friends.  You all know who you are, and you cannot imagine how you helped my heart smile, when my face could not.  One such beautiful couple ensured that I went to the ER, and reminded me of Who was in control in my life.  The ER gave me the typically advised treatment of prednisone, and acyclovir – along with some mild pain meds.  Within 24 of onset, the full brunt of symptoms had fallen on me:  great fatigue, full paralysis of left-side facial muscles (which included the inability to shut my eye or blink & drooling from left corner of mouth), hearing inconsistencies (loss of hearing at times on left side, and then very heightened switching back and forth), and my taste was effected for about one week.

This post will probably be followed with a few others to answer any questions you might have, and to tell the story a little more….  Encouragement is a wonderful thing.  Through this trial in my life, I had relief through the love shown by others.  Hugs, words of hope, iced coffees drank through a straw, fresh vitamin-filled juices daily delivered, and helping hands gave me reason to lift my head and look up.  I also LOVED searching the blogosphere for people with the same condition, reading their own tales, and knowing that one day this would pass, all helped shed light when life felt a bit overwhelming…. and so thus I post this story today.

This is me… I think this was day 15     .Joani's Video Journal/Bell's Palsy/Day 15

Check out Joani's Blog  Post-its and Sharpies