My face was stuck in neutral for the past 2½yrs of my stroke recovery even though everyone said it was just fine.
Last Sunday it finally unlocked itself, I got my freedom of expression back
I suppose it could be described as a form of numbness, though not in physically. There was definitely some form of disconnect to it anyway that has some how righted itself. Gosh this one is so hard to describe, bear with me
No matter what others said they saw on my face, I never felt expression there. In my heart, in my head, I felt all the usual various reaction and emotions. But to express them facially, I always felt it was forced. So if someone told me a joke while I was concentrating of something else, even though I would feel the instant laughter bubbling up inside, there’d be a delay in my physical facial response whilst I pushed that out of me.
It has always been one I’ve had to be very mindful of, I was always afraid if I’d didn’t, I be showing disinterest when in conversations and upset or offend.
People will no doubt begin to realise something is going on and might well arrive at the conclusion you are no longer having the Botox injections.
So if anyone asks, ‘Was it working out too expensive?’ or ‘Were you worried about long term consequences?’ then at least you will know what they are talking about.
You can then give them that crafty wink that was impossible until recently.
I am so happy for you. I know you to be a kind person, so it is lovely to laugh and smile when with other people. I haven’t had an issue with facial expression so I have to be careful to hide mine…if I am annoyed or disappointed or ‘exasperated’…I will use that word in exchange for when I lose my cool. I will bet you have a beautiful smile!
Even better than that, my jaw doesn’t tend to drop open anymore either. Particularly when I’d be concentrating on anything, my mouth would drift open, just like when I had the stroke. And of course, naturally, it would drool if I wasn’t careful. Now it is naturally staying closed. One less check to make as I go about my day, now I can just concentrate on picking up my drop foot
It was ridiculous in the beginning…close your mouth…push your arm down…pick your foot up…walk in a straight line…breath…yes breath close your mouth, for pity’s sake your drooling…pick your foot up…where you going the, pavements over here…pick your foot up…push your arm down you’re not hailing a taxi…there you go tripping the kerb again I said pick your foot up and for pity’s sake will you close your mouth you’re drooling again…walk the line…no, stay on the pavement not under the bus… I’m exhausted just remembering it, who needs a drill sergeant when I’ve got me Talk about being self absorbed I’m sure there were times my hubby was tempting to get me some training reins for when we were out walking
Oh, my gosh! I know those words…they think I am being funny when I tell myself to walk like a human, or move my head whatever way they have told me, or focus on whatever they tell me to focus on. And there is the directions for how to use the microwave and the keurig, and all the steps for exercises, …and breathe, because we forget to breathe when we are focusing so hard on the steps to whatever we are doing.
I am so very happy for you. One less set of steps to remember! Or more, depending on different situations…Happy smiling!
That was my intention Laughing over my afflictions, always seeing the funny side of it is a far easier way for to cope with them. And its good psychology to help keep those negative emotions at bay
Actually, that benefited us all when we had to get a new, we just put a basic set of instructions on a label for it
You’re right, I’d never even thought of that 
close your mouth, for pity’s sake your drooling…pick your foot up…where you going the, pavements over here…pick your foot up…push your arm down you’re not hailing a taxi…there you go tripping the kerb again 
Talk about being self absorbed 
