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Author Topic: Smile recovery question  (Read 9772 times)

LADavid

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Re: Smile recovery question
« Reply #15 on: November 10, 2009, 12:18:46 pm »
Great picture, Sara.  My question for the rest of you, has anyone evaluated you for synkinesis?  A lot of the responses sound like what Angie, Simon, DHM and I have.  Our PT consists of Botox and face muscle massage.  Anne, glad to hear your showing improvement as late as three years. 

David
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Right ear tinnitus w/80% hearing loss 1985.
Left ear 40% hearing loss 8/07.
1.5 CM Translab Rt ear.
Sort of quiet around here.
http://my.calendars.net/AN_Treatments

saralynn143

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Re: Smile recovery question
« Reply #16 on: November 10, 2009, 01:17:51 pm »
Not really, David. The facial nerve specialist said I had very little last time he saw me, but that was back in April. Jackie Diehls told me she could see significant tightness in my neck and cheek at the symposium in August, but she was not in a position to do any kind of evaluation in that setting.

There is a facial physical therapist at Washington University and I plan to make an appointment for after the first of the year. Not only are the crazy holidays upon us, we have also exhausted our medical cafeteria funds for the year.

Sara

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MVD for hemifacial spasm 6/2/08
left side facial paresis
 12/100 facial function - 7/29/08
 46 - 11/25/08
 53 - 05/12/09
left side SSD approx. 4 weeks
 low-frequency hearing loss; 85% speech recognition 7/28/08
1.8 gram thin profile platinum eyelid weight 8/12/08
Fitted for scleral lens 5/9/13

saralynn143

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Re: Smile recovery question
« Reply #17 on: November 19, 2009, 03:24:25 pm »
Quote from: moe on November 03, 2009, 10:22:47 am
Uhh yea.....I still miss my smile. I know I should get over it, but I can't!

Exactly right. I've gone back and forth on doing this, but today I decided to. Here is a picture of the smile I was known for:



This was taken at a Christmas party just a couple of weeks after we were married. It's one of my favorite pictures, not only because of my smile, but also my husband's. He usually smiles for pictures with his lips closed so he does not look as happy as he does here. Today is our fifteenth wedding anniversary. I know I am not that young and pretty any more, but even the day before my surgery, the usher at the church we attended (a complete stranger to us) told my husband to take good care of me because he seldom sees a lady with such a pretty smile.

I'm grateful for so much, but yeah, I still miss my smile.

Sara
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MVD for hemifacial spasm 6/2/08
left side facial paresis
 12/100 facial function - 7/29/08
 46 - 11/25/08
 53 - 05/12/09
left side SSD approx. 4 weeks
 low-frequency hearing loss; 85% speech recognition 7/28/08
1.8 gram thin profile platinum eyelid weight 8/12/08
Fitted for scleral lens 5/9/13

Jeanlea

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Re: Smile recovery question
« Reply #18 on: November 19, 2009, 06:20:43 pm »
Yes, I agree too.  I miss my old smile.  I'm grateful for what I've regained, but I still would like the olld smile back.

Jean
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translab on 3.5+ cm tumor
September 6, 2005
Drs. Friedland and Meyer
Milwaukee, WI
left-side facial paralysis and numbness
TransEar for SSD

moe

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Re: Smile recovery question
« Reply #19 on: November 19, 2009, 07:30:16 pm »
Wow, love that pre AN smile, Sara, the one that you were known for. It's ok to miss the smile. I will miss mine forever..
 My smile was such a part of me, I was known the those dimples! It just hurts sometimes, still, to see old photos of me with my smile.
I'm wondering if I'll ever feel OK  with the '"new me look"......Time will tell.
Keep truckn, keep strong!
Maureen
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06/06-Translab 3x2.5 vascular L AN- MAMC,Tacoma WA
Facial nerve cut,reanastomosed.Tarsorrhaphy
11/06. Gold weight,tarsorrhaphy reversed
01/08- nerve transposition-(12/7) UW Hospital, Seattle
5/13/10 Gracilis flap surgery UW for smile restoration :)
11/10/10 BAHA 2/23/11 brow lift/canthoplasty

sgerrard

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Re: Smile recovery question
« Reply #20 on: November 19, 2009, 09:00:06 pm »
Happy Fifteenth, Sara. :)

Steve
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8 mm left AN June 2007,  CK at Stanford Sept 2007.
Hearing lasted a while, but left side is deaf now.
Right side is weak too. Life is quiet.

saralynn143

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Re: Smile recovery question
« Reply #21 on: November 19, 2009, 09:50:16 pm »
Why thank you, Steve. It's a milestone for us besides being divisible by 5 - I was formerly married for six years and he for eight, so now our marriage has lasted longer than the first ones combined.

Sara
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MVD for hemifacial spasm 6/2/08
left side facial paresis
 12/100 facial function - 7/29/08
 46 - 11/25/08
 53 - 05/12/09
left side SSD approx. 4 weeks
 low-frequency hearing loss; 85% speech recognition 7/28/08
1.8 gram thin profile platinum eyelid weight 8/12/08
Fitted for scleral lens 5/9/13

epodjn

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Re: Smile recovery question
« Reply #22 on: November 20, 2009, 12:40:52 pm »
Sara,
What a beautiful smile. I can see why you miss it so much. But the new you is just as beautiful, just in a new and different way. Congrats on your anniversary. In this day and age that's quite an accomplishment and says a lot about the two of you and your committment to each other.
Julie
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Left side 3.2cm AN/FN removed 12/8/08 Dr's. Shelton and Reichman. SSD, facial paralysis,taste issues, lateral tarrsoraphy 6/25/09,scheduled for eye and nasal valve surgery 6/22/11 life is GOOD!
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