Special Opportunity! Meet Jackie Diels

[Nance]

Hi everyone!
For those in the New York area who experience facial weakness or paralysis since surgery, there is a wonderful opportunity to meet Jackie Diels and have a free consult with a plastic surgeon, Dr. White.  My neurotologist, Dr. Roland of NYU, has arranged for her to speak to a group of doctors and after her presentation he's inviting anyone who could benefit to meet and speak to Jackie.  I understand that she will be interested in knowing how we are coping with facial paralysis.  Debbi has made amazing strides since she went to see Jacki and this is a good opportunity to hear how her technique works!  Information is below:

Jacqueline Diels, OT

Wednesday, June 9, 2010
8:30 AM
NYU Medical Center
Faculty Practice Tower, 7U, K elevator, 530 First Avenue, New York, NY, 10016

[Debbi]

This is an awesome opportunity to see Jackie.  I'd encourage anyone in the area who is having any facial issues to try to attend this event.  Nancy, thanks so much for spreading the word!

Debbi

[jerseygirl]

Ladies,

Do you think Jackie deals with facial numbness or only facial movement?


                         Eve

[Debbi]

Hi Eve-

She really deals with the facial nerve and the muscles controlled by the facial nerve.  I'm only familiar with her work with people like me who are working through synkinesis and/or lack of movement.  Not sure what else she does.  She is very responsive to phone calls and emails - if you want to contact her with some specific questions about your situation, I am sure she'd answer.  I have all her contact info - just PM me if you want it.  You know, of course, that I think she's a bit of a miracle worker - but I'm biased!   

Debbi

[jerseygirl]

Debbi,

I also think that she is a miracle worker now that I have seen you with my own two eyes after you went to her. I will PM you.

              Eve

[Nance]

Thanks Debbi for your information-Can't wait to see you in person at the seminar to see your improvement with my own eyes!

[Kaybee]

Thanks for posting this information.  I was planning to spend a long weekend in CT with my brother and his wife and I have elected to time my trip around this seminar.  Is there a registration that I need to complete or can I just show up? 

[Nance]

Hi everyone,
Hope to see some AN'ers on Wednesday.  Please note that my original post was changed- we are invited only to the info session after Jackie Diels' seminar as it turns out that it is for doctors only.  We will meet Jacki as well as Dr. White, a plastic surgeon after her lecture. 

Here's the info:

Wednesday, June 9, 2010
8:30 AM
NYU Medical Center
Faculty Practice Tower, 7U, K elevator, 530 First Avenue, New York, NY, 10016

[Nance]

What a great opportunity this was for me!  Debbie and I were at NYU early this morning and there we met up with Kaybee.  The morning was set up for each of us to have a private assessment with Jacki Diels and Dr. Matthew White together.  I must have been in the office for over and hour and during that time, I learned so much from Jackie, she had this ability to really push my mind cognitively to get me to think about what I feel and what I'm doing with all my mis-steps of facial motion.  Once she did that she showed me several stretches/massages I could do to overcome some of the "charley-horse" I've been walking around with for 2 years.  Even though I've been told that I have overworked hyperkinetic facial muscles,  I also thought that I had some facial weakness that was causing things like my lower lip to look flaccid on one side.  Wrong!  Turns out that its from my neck muscles tightening up everything.  I will be doing her stretches- definitely.  The good news is that there should be a facial rehab center opening up in NY at NYU by early autumn and with a trained Jackie Diels therapist.  Can't wait!!!  
The other good thing that happened today was that Dr. White gave me some botox treatments for my affected side of my face, something I had done 6 months ago but over the last month, the effects had worn off.  I got such special treatment with Jackie and Dr. White marking the exact spots for the botox and Dr. White injecting me- already it's made a great difference in my face relaxing and the effects are really going to peak in 4 days from now.  He has a very good bedside manner and I'm very pleased that he treated me.  Good Luck Kaybee, I hope you got some good information out of the session too!!!

[m4guzman]

Hi
I am so glad this worked for you.  I wanted to go so bad yesterday but my daughter was in the hospital (minor operation).  I don not think we ever spoke or wrote to each other but I am 1 year 2 months post op and I have facial problems.  I met Debbi at my last appointment with Dr Goldfinos.  I was doing great, at about a 2 on the scale.  Dr Goldfinos suggested botox.  I got it about a month ago just for the tightness  (charlie horses)  and it
workied great.  At my follow up,  I got it on my left side upper lip to get rid of the crease from my nose to my mouth.  NOT GOOD!  know my face is droupy again.  I am praying for the botox to wear off.   I was wondering if they gave you any around your mouth?  And most of all - Is Dr White from
NY and he agrees with Botox as does Jackie Diels?  I thought she was against it.  I am so mad I missed them both yesterday.  Do you know it they are
comming back.

Thanks
Marybeth

[Debbi]

Just wanted to add my own quick note here.  I had a great visit with Jackie Tuesday afternoon.  Mostly social since I am scheduled to follow up with her in Wisconsin in September.  However, she did take a look at my face and was very pleased (as am I) with the progress. 

I went over to NYU yesterday morning and hung out with Nancy and got to meet Kathy (Kaybee!)  We had a great time exchanging stories, laughing, etc.  I hope Kathy will be here soon to update us on her visit with Jackie.  Well, I've said it before, but it's worth saying again - I've met the NICEST people in the AN community!!

BTW, Mary Beth - Jackie isn't opposed to botox and in fact she mapped out the spots on Nancy's face where she got the injections.  She just doesn't think that botox is the best solution for everyone.  From a purely personal perspective, I wanted go with therapy as a first line of defense and only do botox as a last resort.  But, that is very much my own personal choice.  Also, I was committed to "doing the time" in terms of following the therapy protocol - and that definitely takes a time commitment that not everyone is willing or able to make.  In my case it has been SO worth it!!

Dr White is at NYU, just one floor down from Golfinos and Roland's offices. 

Debbi

[Kaybee]

Debbi and Nancy--great meeting you both!  Who knew you could have so much fun in a doctor waiting room?  And yes, what an opportunity.  Jackie was incredibly gracious.  I am early in my facial nerve recovery but she gave me a few more tips to loosen some of my muscles--I mentioned that my nostril was tight.  One area you never think you could get muscle tenderness (unless someone punches you, I suppose).  I probably won't go to Madison for another 6 months when the trip might be more worthwhile.  Nevertheless, she gave me a lot of hope.  Reaffirming that I'm really just at the beginning and that my tone/small movements are quite good. 

Note to Debbi an Nancy--I made it home last night and told my husband that my luggage needed to be chucked.  It's an older wheeled suitcase (you need two hands to push the handle in...one hand to push and the other to hold these release levers) with wheels that flip out sometimes.  I struggled with it all morning hauling my purse and carry on.  My husband effortlessly wheeled it through the terminal and actually said "what's wrong with this suitcase?  it's perfectly fine." until we got to asphalt parking lot where the wheels flipped out and he couldn't get the handle pushed down without dropping my carry on off his shoulder.  He looked up and said "ohhh, so this is what was happening to you."  Vindicated, I said yes, exactly and now picture me doing it in Manhattan during rush hour with a vestibular problem.  So guess who's getting new luggage tonight!!!!!

 

[Darlene]

Hi Everyone,
I also got to meet with Jackie and was amazed at the difference she made in my face in such a short time.  The people she was training were shocked at how quickly my face changed when the pressure relaxed the muscle. Of course when I tried to relax the neck muscle I tensed up my face again. This process can take up to 18mths, but I really think it was amazin.   I can't wait for the facial rehab center to open.
I was asked to come by Dr. Roland during my recent recheck and the paper they gave me had the seminar info on it so, I went to it for a little while- I didn't realize we weren't suppose to be there.  It was very interesting to see her success stories.   
Debbie, Nance and Kaybee- I saw you guys but hadn't been on the forum in such a long time, I didn't think you would know who I was... but here is a belated hello.  My husband and I were sitting across from the beautiful blonde women and her husband.   
Marybeth-When the center opens you should try and get there, I really, really think you will be pleased.  Interestingly enough, Dr. White asked about bo-tox for my face and she did she didn't recommend it in the nasal fold.  What she did have me do which freaked me out a bit, was have (sorry in advance for the grossness)me place my thumb in my nose, another finger on the outside out and apply pressure to the areas that hurt, I didn't realize how uncomfortable my facial muscles were till I had to do this.    If you get the opportunity... try this is really helps.     

[Debbi]

Hey Darlene!

Wish I would've had a chance to meet you.  Nancy and I were afraid we were making too much noise, and we didn't know that everyone else in the waiting room was also waiting to see Jackie!  Heck, we could've had a big party! 

I know exactly what you mean about the thumb-in-nose move - that is one of the approximately 30 stretches and exercises that Jackie taught me when I went to Wisconsin in February. And, it is AMAZING how well it works.  I have worked most of the knots out of my face since I saw Jackie in Feb, but still working on neck and cheek and really spending more time trying to get control of the synkentic movements.  I had a nice visit with her Tuesday afternoon after she flew in, so only stuck my head in to say Hi on Weds.  I will be back to see her in September.

Meanwhile, wonderful news on the facial rehab center at NYU.  Dr. Roland had told us last year when my hubby and I were there on a follow up visit that he had gotten approval from the Board of NYU to go ahead with this - such a fantastic and much-needed service in the NY metro area.

I hope you can come to one of our brunches in NY - would love to meet you.  We'll probably have the next one late summer/early fall - watch the Community section of the forum for details - or if you want to PM me your email, I can email you for the next one. 

Debbi

[Nance]

Kathy was right when she said that it was amazing that we could have such a good time in a doctor's office!! 
Marybeth- I did see you but I had no idea that you were part of our club!  Hope to see you next time at a brunch.

I've been away from the message board for a few days but am happy to say that the botox I had has kicked in and my face is looking better, almost normal and that much of my muscle pain/soreness has abated.  Marybeth- I was pricked in so many places on my face and neck.  I was told that there would be no botox near my smile and I know that botox isn't usually put around the mouth- it can interfere with chewing.  Not sure about the smile lines.  Each patient might have different injection sites.  I was evaluated according to my muscle tightness and movement by Jackie and it was awesome that I had the best care with 2 professionals taking care of me.  I've had botox twice- about 6 months ago with Dr. Phillip Miller and now with Dr. White and they've both worked, although Dr. White was so much more thorough and sensitive to me. 
Jackie mentioned to me that if I were to start working with her she would not recommend I get botox but because I wasn't able to get to Wisconsin this summer, it seemed like a good thing to get some botox and hopefully the NYU facial clinic will be starting in the fall.