Feeling a Little Droopy

Last night I was watching a movie with my wife, and my daughter and the latter asks what wrong with my mouth, I have that "Rachael Ray" look? She adds that by that, she was inferring that my mouth looked like it was crooked. I was tired and dismissed her comment thinking nothing more of it. This morning I got up and went to the computer room where my wife is at work and speak with her and all of a sudden my mouth feels different. I said nothing about it, but went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. As I moved my mouth, sure enough the movement was all on my left side, which is not a pretty sight when one speaks. Certain word sounds were not easily rolling from my mouth.

There was a moment where the word stroke entered my mind, but the rest of my right side appeared to function fine. No problems with my hand or feet. Then I realized that I could not fully close my right eye. As I related these things to my wife, she did a search on the Internet for Bells Palsy. Had my grandmother not been inflicted with it about 20 years ago, nether of us would have thought to consider it, but as we read, the symptoms were classics.

• comes on suddenly often after an illness epically viral
• often the victims are diabetics
• Causes drooping of one side of the mouth
• effects the eye on the dame side
• There is a partial loss of taste

My wife called our doctor and he recommended an emergency room visit just to rule out anything else but was relatively certain that is what it was. The conclusion after visiting the hospital was the same.

I have been under the weather for about 4 days. My sinuses have been bothering me but this was more than just that. Basically it is thought that somehow a nerve in the inflicted side of the face is impacted causing a paralysis to that side of the face.

I'm sure there are worse things that could have happened to be but this is frustrating and unnerving. It usually is not permanent. Paralysis can last for weeks to maybe three months. Usually there is full recovery, however there is a rare case where there may remain some residual paralysis or drooping in the face. Oh, it also affects my sinus drainage on the right side of my face and that along with the fact that my tear ducts in my right eye aren't working remain by two biggest physical annoyances. Eating seems a little more challenging and presently I am not really excited about being out in public. I am slated to do a poetry reading at a very public event middle of the month an that is weighing heavy on my mind.

Now I'm on steroids (I suppose I should use this time to my advantage on my video baseball game) and an anti-viral. Can this weekend get any more exciting? sigh

McCain one more way to Spell W

Wow, John McCain seems to have sold out his reputation of an independent maverick in favor of a clone of W. God, the thought of the George W. Bush legacy extended four more years.. what a downer.

Simic stepping aside as U.S. poet laureate

Charles Simic will be stepping aside as U.S. poet laureate at one term. He has asked not to be considered for a second term as he wishes to spend more time writing. Hard to argue with that.

I like Charles Simic as a poet and I believed his background made him a good choice for the post. An immigrant with a childhood that experienced war first hand. Simic had sensory talents that I suspect are enhanced by these experiences and has had a gift of ability with his writing that reach a level that many don't achieve.

As a poet laureate, I would have liked him to have been a little more out front. Perhaps this is not a part of his personality. Of course his departure means a search begins again for the next laureate. I have a list in my head of several men and women who I believe would be extraordinary candidates. I am hopeful that perhaps we will see a woman this next time.

Oh How True!

I was an accomplice in my own frustration. ~Peter Shaffer

**expletive deleted!**

I went in to work on Wednesday and left for the day at 10:00a.m. feeling sick. The days recuperation helped and I went back to work today. I managed to get through it but by the end of the day I was beat.

My Sinuses are driving me crazy tonight and I want to scream. It's hot ( checked the thermostat and it was on 79) ZAP!!! The a/c is on. I feel mildly insane at the moment, and all of the things that I planned to say over the past couple days that I have not blogged seemed to have left me or are less relevant that my current tantrum.

Wandered into the city last night

Last night I ventured into the city to read at the Writers Place. I used to live in the neighborhood where the Writers place was located, but having moved out to the edge of hell, it seemed more like a dear that had wandered into the city. Oh, it wasn't that I felt out of place at the WP, just thinking about the trip in and back home again. Perhaps it was more cerebral when considering the cost of gas.

Anyway, it was good to read there again. It's been a while. Relatively informal as readings go. Everything I read was new, and more recently I've stuck to things that are older and I've read many times. These were less polished pieces - but the open mic there is usually a good place to gauge work in progress.

Subs & Rejects

Submissions / Rejections Statistics

• Pending responses: 11
• Submissions sent last 12 months: 51
• Submissions sent this month: 3
• Acceptance ratio: 10.00 %

Picture shot inside local Bass Pro shop