Me and AnE

So I wake up Monday morning feeling a bit rough after suffering headaches and dizziness on Sunday, which I had put down to being out in the sun mowing the lawn. I take some paracetamol and carry on as normal. I could not gargle or spit properly when doing my teeth which concerned me, but carried on anyway and went to work.

At the office I noticed a persistent tingling all along the right side of my face, and a feeling like someone had punched me- an odd puffiness and slack in the muscles; also a lack of taste. I mentioned it to my Manager who suggested seeing a doctor. So I phone my Surgery and they have no places left for the day- but they open again at 8am. Fair enough - means I'll be late in Wed but my Manager was cool with that. So home I go.

Spend an evening doing stuff on the PC without really paying attention to the problem. Obviously I told my partner Dave but it seems ok and we carry on since I was planning to go to the Doctors in the AM. Then we get to bedtime and apparently I am slurring, and the slack is now noticeable, plus my right eye is constantly weeping. So I phone NHS Direct. The nurse there goes through a whole pile of questions and then recommends I head for A&E right now cos it might be nothing, it might be really, really serious.

So off to Worcester Royal A&E we go and get there about 12.30. Check in with the desk, take a seat. Place sucks. Time stands still. See a Triage nurse who advises we need to see the Duty Doctor and tells us to wait longer... might be 2 hours or so. That was about 1am.

At 5.40am I see the Doctor.

Apparently they had a really busy night. The two gents sleeping in the corner of A&E seemed to agree given they where there before us and still there when we left. Actually so was everyone else. Everyone who was there before or after us, apart from the sleepers, where in and out before I was seen. No fault of the staff or theirs- I have no idea what was wrong with them, but it is a tad...annoying to see others fly through when I am tried, grumpy and bored.

Doctor does an examination and concludes I have Bell's palsy; a facial muscle paralysis. It's not a stroke or something else cos I can move and breathe normally (despite my bulk). They have given me steroids which is the standard treatment, and should aid recovery in 14 days ish. . They have no idea what caused it, though it's not a lifestyle or weight thing apparently.

We got home at 6.30am and crashed out, only an hour short of a 24 hour day.

So pills for a while, no booze recommended. Follow on visits to Doctor later. I feel tried and yucky, though I know it's going to go away eventually I am concerned. On the up side I get to wear eye patches to bed and make pirate jokes. Least I think that's an upside.