The Cancer Survivors Network (CSN) is a peer support community for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and friends! CSN is a safe place to connect with others who share your interests and experiences.

First signs of movement in my face: SO HAPPY!!!!!

Moki
Moki CSN Member Posts: 53
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Rather than sharing frustration or concerned, today I want to share pure happiness>

When they removed my MEC from the parotid glandin September they had to remove 4 cm of my facial nerve and do a nerve graft; my face has been half paralyzed since than and they could not predict success nor timing for recovery. Yesterday evening I started to have weird twiching on my paralized cheek and today I can move my cheek: it is a minimal movement, you could hardly see it, but it is moving!!!!!!! I am SO HAPPY that I have been dancing around the house all day. 

 

Like Care

Comments

  • MrsBD
    MrsBD CSN Member Posts: 617 Member
    #2
    Movement

    What wonderful news! We take so many things for granted including our smiles. I'm glad you are on your way to getting yours back. Our bodies are truly amazingly made.

    Like Care
  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 CSN Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #3
    Happy 4 You

    Outstanding News, I would do a happy dance for you, but I look like a circus bear when I dance Laughing So I will say outstanding again.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

    Like Care
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne CSN Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #4
    moki, that is outstanding!! 

    moki, that is outstanding!!  i am doing the happy dance for you.....wooowhoooooo

    God bless you,

    dj

    Like Care
  • KTeacher
    KTeacher CSN Member Posts: 1,103 Member
    #5
    Great news

    So happy for you.  Baby steps are good steps.

    Like Care
  • josh r.
    josh r. CSN Member Posts: 264 Member
    #6
    Smile!

    Hi Moki,

    We're dancing for you with smiles on our faces! Thanks! josh r.

    Like Care
  • wmc
    wmc CSN Member Posts: 1,804
    #7
    That's Major...........

    Wow, that is such a major step and improvement, Celebrate it. What seems minor or small to most, is major to CSN. It's like walking on the moon. Very happy for you, I rember when I got feeling back on my right side. You're going to get some pain so be ready, but the feeling or movement is coming back. They say my left side will always be numb from ear to center of chin, but I got back the right. Thank you for shairing this with us. You're doing great.

    Bill

    Like Care
  • Moki
    Moki CSN Member Posts: 53
    #8
    MrsBD said:

    Movement

    What wonderful news! We take so many things for granted including our smiles. I'm glad you are on your way to getting yours back. Our bodies are truly amazingly made.

    SMILE

    YES, who knew that smiling is such a wonderful thing. Unfortunately I realized it when I could not smile anymore. I hope to be able to smile soon and I am surely going to smile all day long and I will enjoy every minute

    Like Care
  • Moki
    Moki CSN Member Posts: 53
    #9
    wmc said:

    That's Major...........

    Wow, that is such a major step and improvement, Celebrate it. What seems minor or small to most, is major to CSN. It's like walking on the moon. Very happy for you, I rember when I got feeling back on my right side. You're going to get some pain so be ready, but the feeling or movement is coming back. They say my left side will always be numb from ear to center of chin, but I got back the right. Thank you for shairing this with us. You're doing great.

    Bill

    Sensation

    Also my cheek does not have sensation yet, but when I do acupuncture I can feel the needle going through so I hope it will come back. Also, when I tap with the fingers I feel like hundreds of needles picking me for a couple of minutes. Docs said these are all good signs. If I had to chose between movement and sensation, I will go with movement; I kind got used on not feeling my cheek and that's not a big deal. Hoewver the no movement bothers me a lot....

    Thanks for the nice comments! SO HAPPY, LIKE I WON A LOTTERY

    Like Care
  • Kritter
    Kritter CSN Member Posts: 147
    #10
    Keep on trying to smile and

    Keep on trying to smile and dancing , you deserve it !!!!

    Like Care
  • Hondo
    Hondo CSN Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #11
    Nerve damage

    Keep believing and keep trying to move the muscles in your face. I get the same thing from time to time, my face nerves are radiation damage but I believe that someday I will be able to feel and use them again.

     

    God Bless

    Tim Hondo   

    Like Care
  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 CSN Member Posts: 760 Member
    #12
    Moki

    WOW...............that is great, I am very happy for you. Keep working at it, your right nothing beats a smile.

          Jeff

    Like Care
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 CSN Member Posts: 4,716
    #13
    I am delighted for you!!

    That's the thing with recovery from HNC.....time, time....and more time.  Things get better and better.....we just have to keep moving on a day to day basis....Lots of it is two steps forward, one step back....but it's still progress.

    WHOO HOO for you!!

    p

    Like Care
  • avisemi
    avisemi CSN Member Posts: 172
    #14
    wonderful! And thanks for

    Laughing

    wonderful! And thanks for sharing. It made me feel happy after a hard day. 

    Like Care
  • Moki
    Moki CSN Member Posts: 53
    #15
    avisemi said:

    wonderful! And thanks for

    Laughing

    wonderful! And thanks for sharing. It made me feel happy after a hard day. 

    THANK YOU

    Thank you for sharing joy with me. I now can lift the edge of my mouth a bit. Things are improving so I did ask my acupuncturist to keep working on my cheek: when he put the needles in I feel warm and movement inside...it is a strange sensation, but make me feel happy everytime I go there: my face is alive! I will be talking to my surgeon next Friday to see if I should start physical therapy. It not even 5 months from surgery and the doc told me that radiation was going to stop any nerve healing so to expect at least 1 year before I could feel movement, if any. What is happening to my face is indeed a wonderful surprise

    Like Care

Discussion Boards