1:44:37 AM
Hell's Bells day 50: Missed seven weeks by a day. So how is the face ?
It is improving slowly but steadily. Forehead is great, cheek and side of mouth able to be lifted. Still can't close the bell's eye without scrunching, It is about 90% Sheri says. This means I still have to keep it covered at night :-( The elastic broke off both sides of the eye patch so now we have a guaze pad on the eyelid, the eye patch without the elastic covering it and the plane (not plain, plane as in airplane) blindfold thingy holding it all in place. The eyepatch keeps the blindfold from putting too much pressure on the eye. Have found it very hard to get the eye gauze patches which are really gauze on both sides and some cotton like material in between. This is key as the expanding cotton in the middle applies gentle pressure to keep the eye closed.
For those in the NW suburbs of Chicago, see Mark Drugs in Roselle. They have everything.
Best thing learned lately ? If you have any strength in the lower lip, if you put it outside the upper lip, you can brush your teeth without blowing water up your nose. This is great.
I can taste the toothpaste now. This is great also. I still don't have much taste on the bell's side but it is improving. For many weeks I couldn't tell I was using tooth paste. This is most evident when you go to eat something you haven't eaten in awhile. You go to put it in your mouth and the brain automatically seems to sense what it is supposed to taste like and then when you do get it into your mouth, there is a rude awakening. Otherwise, you get used to what you are eating and what it doesn't taste like so it becomes normal.
Other good stuff ? Two straws in parallel allows you to dring the volume of water you usually drink. You don't realize that when you dring water you drink more volume than other stuff. When you try to suck through the straw to generate the usual water flow, you will be disappointed. I always keep two of them in the glass.
I can now drink somewhat normally from a glass, can or bottle but it's a pain. The noise can be funny still and if it's a Coke can, you will find little rings around the bottom of the can on the table because though I think I'm drinking well, actually I'm not and little by little is running down the can. The squirt water bottles work best as you just aim it and shoot.
Biggest problem ? the cough from hell. I still can't kick the cough which appeared about the first of the year. This cough is disabling, I mean explosive. When driving, have to pull over :-( When eating, it's comical, well if you are not me. Key seems to be if I don't eat or talk, the cough is managable. Early morning is best and overnight seems to go good. Docs have tried more antibiotics, asthma meds, nothing seems to help :-(
So much for the first nurse at the doctor who said it would be much better in 3-4 days. Current best guess says it will be about 4 months if things continue at this pace. Please lord don't let this cough last that long.
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