Bell's What? Bell's Palsy!

"Bell's Palsy!" "That is what you appear to have," said the surgeon. "Bell's what?" I asked him. He stated that this is a condition that affects about one in 40,000 Americans annually. He was telling me that it could be reversed with medication for the most part, but at this point my mind had already left my body. The word "palsy" stuck in my head, and as I was leaving his office I kept asking "why me?"

I cried all the way to my doctor's office. I did not even bother to call for appointment. I just went straight with a letter that the surgeon had given me to give my physician. I was slowly losing my face and I was not going to do nothing about it. By this time, the twitching in my eye was progressively getting worse, and opening my eyes with the sun shining was becoming unbearable. I thanked God that my husband had driven me else ... My left eye was feeling heavy, as if it had doubled in size. It could not be closed shut.

Within twenty minutes, I was at my doctor's office. When the receptionist asked if I had an appointment, I responded in the negative, then handed her the note from the surgeon. She checked me in shortly after giving the note to my doctor. When I finally saw my doctor, she was concerned and explained that she had no idea I had tried to come in three days earlier. I explained my ordeal to her, and she confirmed that it was Bell's palsy, and that it could be reversed with medication.

She explained the disease, its possible causes and symptoms. The symptoms I had been having were right on with that of the disease itself. I felt relief once more, but also afraid. What if it does not go away even with treatment? The worse thought possible began to creep into my mind and again, the tears began to roll. My doctor reassured me that things would work out. She stated that this was an illness that inexperienced or careless doctors could easily miss or not diagnose due to its similarity to many symptoms of many illnesses. I had been lucky to meet the experienced oral surgeon who noticed it instead of just pulling my teeth.

After my doctor concluded her examination and ordered medications, I left quickly to begin my treatment. I hoped and I still hope that I never have to go through this sort of round-around ever in my life. It took five different doctors to get to the bottom of my pain! Where are some of these doctors doing their studies?