Tamela's blog

$4000 worth of braces to have straight teeth after 35 years of being embarrassed to open my mouth when I smiled or laughed, and then I wake up one morning with half my smile gone.

It was Christmas 2004 and all of the family was together. While everyone else was enjoying the holiday, I stayed on the couch with a miserable sore throat. I came home and went to bed for two days, woke up feeling awful with a terrible earache. Was diagnosed with an UPI and severe ear infection. I was given a shot and put on antibiotics. Two days later, I woke up with the left half of my face paralyzed. A Neurologist diagnosed me with Bells Palsy and sent me home with meds. New Years day I ended up in the ER, due to so much pain in my ear and left side of my head and was diagnosed with RHS and was put in the hospital

My recovery has been nothing short of a miracle.

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Day 51

Worked another full day. I have been extremely tired today. I have had a headache most of the day. I have also had a pain behind my right eye and behind my right ear. This is not my effected side. I know!! Don’t panic!!! We went to the movies tonight. I enjoyed it but really struggled with sitting there and being so sleepy. I am going to hit the hay right now.

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Day 50

Worked all day today. I am really tired. I will be glad when my energy level comes back. Straightened up my house a little but it still is a mess.

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Day 49

I went to the Pulmonary doctor today. He said my heart was not enlarged and my lungs look good. That is a relief. I am really tired today. Came home and slept for two hours.

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Day 47

I went to the doctor this morning. He said my throat was red but he felt like it was drainage. Nothing to worry about. He gave me Zyrtec. He also checked out some X-Rays I had done right before Thanksgiving. Another doctor had told me my heart was enlarged and I needed to go to a Pulmonary Doctor to get things checked out. Today, my M.D. said he does not see an enlarged heart as far as he is concerned. He did blood work and is sending me to a PD due to some breathing problems I have been having. One of the tests showed some air restriction or something.

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Day 46

I woke up with a terrible sore throat. Great!! This is what happened right before the symptoms and diagnoses of RHS. At least I have a doctor’s appointment on Monday so he can let me know if I have anything to be worried about. I had to take a Vicodin for my headache this afternoon. I just vegged and watched the Super Bowl with my husband.

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Day 45

Today I got some housework done. My house has kind of gone down hill since I have been sick. I can’t believe how much laundry I had. We went to a concert at church tonight. I had to put cotton in my ear, but I was prepared!! Worked great.

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Day 44

I am still taking ½ of an Ambien at night. It seems to help me sleep better. I am hoping my body will get into some kind of a routine again and I can quit taking it. After the steroids, I never have gotten back to a normal sleep pattern.

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Day 43

Went in at 7:30 this morning. Lori, the other First Grade teacher, has to take her son to the doctor (he swallowed a “connects” ball the size of a dime.) So, I got to teach my class (our class) today. She came back around lunchtime and I went ahead and stayed until school was out. I made it all day!!! Boy, do I need a nap.

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Day 42

Went in today at noon. Felt okay. Just tired.

When I get home, I still don’t want to do anything but lay around on the couch.

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Day 41

Went in at 7:30 this morning. Taught a couple of subjects. Graded some papers. Came home around 1:00 and crashed.