Off to Wisonsin to See Jackie Diels

[saralynn143]

Very nice, Debbi. Great report and I am so happy for you. I plan to see the facial physical therapist in St. Louis, but a summer trip to Wisconsin might also be in the cards.

I don't have the mouth pulling up when I shut my eyes, but there is lots of room for improvement with my smile.

Sara

[Nance]

Wow Debbi- Amazing differences in the pics- I can't imagine how in four days your face turned into a buddha at rest- congratulations! Beuatific!  I'm so interested in it all and really want to know more!  Talk to you soon
Nancy

[salamander]

Debbi,

I can only say that you look stunning and beautiful after your sessions!!  It really is amazing, and I am glad that you had such great results.

I remember feeling like my face was a pummeled piece of meat after visiting Jackie, but it sure makes a difference.  i don't know that I have been very successful at changing my synkinesis due to impatience with sitting and meditating in front of a mirror, but the stretching exercises continually help my face, especially as my face continues to change over time.  Different parts seem to come to life and thus get newly "cramped".  Having had training allows me to focus on that new area to keep it relaxed as it comes in.

Thanks for sharing the pictures!!

Samantha

[JerseyGirl2]

Debbi,

The difference in the "before" and "after" pictures is quite dramatic !! You look great, and I would say that your journey to Wisconsin was very worthwhile.

I'm sure that these good results will help you to stay very motivated to continue the stretching/exercise routines -- best wishes as you proceed!

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)

[Debbi]

Thanks for all the votes of confidence! 

Samantha, I know what you mean about feeling like a pummeled piece of meat after 3 days.  I am pretty sure I actually bruised the inside of my cheeks.  I was probably being a little over-aggressive when it came to squeezing and pushing.  Still, the results are worth it. 

What is interesting is how much more aware I am now of what my face is doing and how it feels.  I had to run some errands today and notices as I was driving that my cheek was getting progressively tighter - when I looked in the mirror, sure enough, lip was pulled up.  However, by concentrating on relaxing my face, I was able to get my lip to drop and my cheek to relax.  Really amazing. 

Debbi (with my little Madonna-like smile)

[sgerrard]

Debbi, I bet you really like that last picture. It is quite amazing! Maybe it is time for a new profile picture? 

Great news, I hope it continues.

Steve

[LADavid]

Wow, Debbi.  Amazing.   You've given me hope.

[leapyrtwins]

Debbi -

all I can say is "wow"!  What an amazing difference.

All this in just a few days time.

Truly incredible!

Jan

[Kaybee]

Debbi, I echo all these comments.  I truly appreciate all the details and photos you have shared here and on your blog that document your journey.  You are leaving quite a trail of breadcrumbs!

[Jim Scott]

Debbi ~

Although I'm at the tail end of a string of well-deserved compliments regarding the visible improvement in your facial control, my compliments are no less sincere.  I realize that what you've accomplished is due to hard work and intense concentration and I'm delighted to see the positive results, although likely not half as excited as you are!  Kudos to you, Debbi for your improvements and thanks so much for sharing the good results of your therapy sessions with Jackie Diels. I'm confident that you've given many people struggling with post-op facial issues much hope and inspiration.

Jim

[Debbi]

Thanks so much for all the encouragement!  Faced with 2 plus hours a day of facial therapy, I definitely need to keep myself motivated and you've all helped me a great deal!

I will post more pictures here as things progress.  I am very happy to report that most of the sore spots on my chin are almost gone - first time I've been able to touch my chin in a long time that it hasn't felt like there is some big icky subterranean pimple under there (sorry to be so graphic, but that's just what all those spots on my face feel like!)   My cheek is till tightening up during the day, but its a bigger muscle and will take more time to "de-cramp."

Debbi

[moe]

Debbi,
The photos are truly amazing. The before and after from just ONE day- priceless.
Thanks for sharing.
This just shows how you may "look" ok (to us you look great), but what you are feeling is hard to describe to others.
The symptoms you were describing prior to seeing Jackie- Yikes, I had no idea.
Keep up the good work. Go Debbi, GO!
You will need a cheer leading team because two hours a day is a lot of time, especially with working and such.
Keep it up
Maureen

[m4guzman]

Hey Deb

You look great!   Every time I read your comments,  I think of my self.  We are so in the same boat.  From the same Doctors to the
same Facial therapist.  Everytime you touch my chin, I feel like there is a zit waiting to happen.  When I explained this to the doctor he said
he never heard of this.  My cheek muscle is pulling so tight that He suggested I go for botex.  I would rather try something else.  You look great
and give me lots of hope as I approach my 1 year mark.  (I was also told this would only last a couple of weeks after surgery)   Now its is almost
a year later and the  facial therapist put me at a 3.

Looking forward to talking to you soon.

Marybeth

[amymeri]

Those pictures speak for themselves!  Fantastic!

I think we have very similar issues.  My face feels like a Charley horse all the time.  Especially the cheek and it hurts~ 

Can you tell me a little about the chin and cheek work you are doing?

Thanks!

Amy

[Debbi]

Thought this would be a good time for an update.  First, for those who expressed who secretly shuddered when I mentioned 2 hours of facial stretches and another half hour of exercises - I am now doing 1 to 1 1/2 hours of stretches (two sessions of 30-45 minutes each).  Most I can do while I am watching TV, so it goes pretty quick.  I have had to establish a routine around this, otherwise it wouldn't get done.  So, each day starts with stretching the face, and that is also how each day ends.  Not so hard at all!

What is most noticeable to me now is how much BETTER my face feels!  I guess that I had gotten so used to the constant tightness and soreness that it didn't even really register anymore.  Kind of like any other very low level pain, you get used to it.  Now, however, I am starting to feel my face loosen up and it just feel so good!  My forehead has gotten much better, only a few sore spots left and that eyebrow has dropped considerably.  Only one sore spot left on the chin.  And, my cheek is slowly coming un-cramped!      Wow - this is what "normal" feels like!!!  I am also starting to see some small improvement in the neck tightness.  That's a hard muscle to stretch, so it will take awhile.

I've emailed Jackie with a few questions and she has been great about getting back to me with encouragement and suggestions.  She's really terrific and I can't say enough positive things about her.

Amy, to answer your question, alot of the cheek stretching involves getting several fingers of one hand in that side of my mouth, while keeping the thumb pressed on the outside.  By gently pinching the cheek between the thumb and fingers and pulling down towards the mouth, I can get a good stretch going.  I do that all over the cheek area and stop and hold when I feel a thickening or feel a sore spot.  Right now, my right cheek is still much more dense than my non-AN left side, but I am seeing changes.  As for the chin, what i do there is press  forefinger at different spots on the chin - whenever I find a sore spot, I just press and hold until the soreness subsides.  I'm also spending a lot of time on the long muscle that runs down the front and side of the neck since it pulls the chin and mouth down. 

Slow and steady wins the race...  Yes, yet another hard-won lesson in patience for one of the planet's most impatient people!

Debbi, working on my grin...