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So, here’s the thing no one prepares you for: One day you're..

Published: July 13th 2025, 7:18:25 pm

So, here’s the thing no one prepares you for: One day you're living your life, the next you're waking up looking like you've lost a round with a very petty, very vengeful nerve. I was hit with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, complete facial paralysis. Not fun. 10/10 do not recommend.

The right side of my face eventually decided to rejoin the team. The left side? Still out here on strike. Nerve damage is the worst kind of flaky coworker — disappears without notice and ignores every follow-up email.

I was misdiagnosed multiple times. That definitely impacted my recovery, and honestly, the lack of awareness and education around facial paralysis and post-viral nerve conditions is kind of shocking. People don’t talk enough about the pure exhaustion, the lingering pain, or the mental gymnastics it takes to smile when your face physically can’t.

Here’s something harder to admit: As a plus-size woman, I was always told I had a “pretty face.” That my smile was my best feature — the thing that made people forget about the rest of me. When this syndrome took my smile, it felt like it took me. Like I had to renegotiate my worth in a world that already has a messed-up grading scale for beauty.

But let me be clear: this will not defeat me. If anything, it’s taught me to see beyond the surface — to love parts of myself I never valued enough before. My strength. My humor. My resilience. And yes, my ability to rock an asymmetrical smirk like it’s a designer accessory.

If you’re someone dealing with facial paralysis — keep going. Recovery isn’t linear, but neither is strength. You're still you. You’re still beautiful. And your face tells a story no one else can.

#RamsayHuntSyndrome #FacialParalysis #KeepSmilingAnyway #RecoveryIsAFullTimeJob #StillMe