Bells Palsy and Stress For Baylor Coach Kim Mulkey

I don't follow basketball very closely, but when I saw that Baylor coach Kim Mulkey had been diagnosed with Bell's Palsy, I stopped to check it out. She described a weird feeling in her tongue, a drooping eyelid, crooked smile, and strange hollowness in her ears. She feared she was having a stroke, but that was ruled out with an MRI.

I know exactly how she feels. I woke up with a crooked smile and droopy eye about 12 years ago and I was afraid I was having a stroke. I went to the ER and they diagnosed Bell's Palsy. It took a long time to recover and my eye still droops a bit. It is mostly noticeable on photographs.

Mulkey was prescribed steroids, like I was, and is expected to not have significant long term damage. The article I read said her symptoms were mild. That must be such a huge relief to her. I wonder if she has to put goop in her eye at night. I had to so that there would not be a problem of my eye drying out while I slept.

Doctors think a virus causes Bell's Palsy. I think that is probably right, but I also know that Bells palsy and stress go hand in hand. Everyone I personally know that has had it has been under a lot of stress when it manifested. As for Mulkey, with her team, the Baylor Lady Bears about to play Stanford in the NCAA semi-finals, she is certainly under a lot of stress. I wish her good health and speedy recovery. Oh, and to win, of course!