On 3^rd November 2020, I woke up and began my normal morning  routine.  I was in the shower when my eye began to sting, I thought nothing of it as I washed the soap away. I got dressed and I started to put my make-up on.  It was then that I noticed my eye wasn’t blinking.  I then tried to blink and couldn’t.  I tried to move my face and nothing
happened.  My heart sank at the thought of what was wrong with me.  I’d been suffering with a terrible mouth ulcer and was convinced it was something to do with that so I didn’t initially “really” panic. 
I contacted the doctor who instructed I call 999.  From what I thought was a viral attack, was now being treated as a potential stroke. 
I was petrified. 

After a blues and two’s trip in the ambulance, I had blood
tests, numerous examinations and then was diagnosed with Bells Palsy.  What is that I thought?

 I left the hospital with a leaflet about exercises to help “Bells Palsy” and I was given a plaster (to keep my eye closed and to stop it drying out) and some steroids. 

The next few days I walked around in excruciating pain not knowing what to do and kept looking in the mirror thinking what do I do next?

My doctor said that most people fully recover within 3 months on their own with no treatment. However, after no movement for 3 weeks I was referred privately to a fantastic Bells Palsy Physiotherapist.  I then started Physiotherapy 5 weeks after diagnosis.  Unfortunately for me, I fell in to the 10% of people who won’t fully recover in 3 months and developed synkinesis resulting in a much longer recovery period, if at all.  Despite having intense physio along with acupuncture my progress was slow.  I then researched the internet to find out what I could do to help myself and it was then that  I discovered this amazing
charity called Facial Palsy UK. 

I began attending group chats with fellow facial palsy sufferers and learned more about this debilitating condition.  It was then that I discovered that not many people were as lucky as me to have access to a physiotherapist so quickly.  One person was in a bad way and had not seen anyone for 13 months since diagnosis and was just told there was nothing they could do. It was heart wrenching to see someone so emotional thinking there was no help out there at all.   

This charity do such amazing things to help people with my
condition.  They provide a resource of information to people who can’t get the help they need.  Their site displays exercises by qualified facial palsy specialists and organise webinars for suffers to attend to try and get the referral they need.  They can refer suffers to the top specialists in the country to help them get the treatment they need.  There is so little information out there as the condition is rare, however, now that I’m living with it, I would like to help raise as much money as possible and help raise awareness of Bells Palsy so that Facial Palsy UK can help other suffers not so fortunate as me to see specialists. 

For me to better my chances of a full recovery I need to do
at least 1-2 hours of physio, speech therapy and facial retraining exercises everyday. I’m also a full-time working mum so that isn’t always easy!  But it is thanks to Facial Palsy UK who have been a great support to me during my recovery and I now want to give something back to them to help someone else get the help they need. 

To do this, I will be joining many others on a 25km walk around Windsor on 9^th April 2022.  If you are able to sponsor me for this event I’d be very grateful.  Every  penny helps and I know it will be much appreciated!

Thank you

Verity x

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