During my relapse back in November, I began to experience double vision. This was the virus affecting a nerve that controls eye movement. It cleared up quite quickly when I underwent a second course of antivirals and steroid. Before then and since, though, I've noticed that my eyes tire easily when focusing on small print. I used to read voraciously. Now I can hardly get through the local paper without resting my eyes. Thank heavens for books on tape! I can lean back, close my eyes, and rest them, while getting my fix of mystery fiction!

I think it’s partly the eye dryness on the affected side and partly weakness of the focusing muscles. Even though the neurologist was aggressive in treating the RHS the second time around, there could be some nerve damage on that side. My eye will focus, but when I’m tired it takes concentration to do so. I certainly hope that, as all the nerves regenerate, that one will too. The other issue that occurs to me is that, since I wore a patch so much at the beginning, and often have slightly foggy vision now from gel or drops, that the “good” eye gets more tired trying to take up the slack.

I just got back from Worship Team rehearsal, only 1 hour long, and my face is so-o-o stiff, and my mouth is really droopy! And I’m slurring my words! I’m sitting at my computer with a nice warm rice sock on my face.

For a long time I thought when my mouth drooped that I was just tired, even when I had done nothing at all. Now I’m beginning to realize that when I talk or sing, even for a short while, my face gets stiff enough to make my mouth droop more. I did think it was the weakness of the muscles making them spastic. But, I still don’t understand how muscles that don’t move can get stiff! Are they trying to move? That would be a good sign!

Also, I’ve been having a terrible time with dry eye in the car. I find that, even in the cold, I have to shut off the heater fan if I'm driving, or close my eye if I'm not, because the circulating air dries my eye out instantly!