I am a rare gem

This week, my mom and I went to Cleveland Clinic and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (part of Harvard med school in Boston) to meet with the top doctors in the field of facial nerve animation.  We heard a lot of interesting options and got some great information.  I'm so happy we went both places.

The doctors I've seen have to specialize in ENT, plastic surgery, and neurology to do what they do.  They are pretty amazing folks.

One of the things that I learned this week, is that I am a rare gem.  In Boston, I told the doctors the story about my tonsillectomy and how the ENT who had performed that surgery spoke to me about my paralysis and asked me, "Do you know how rare you are?"  After listening to this story, the doctor in Boston immediately responded, "He didn't even know how rare you are.  In my 13 years of doing this, you are the 4th person who has presented with a congenital paralysis with this configuration of movement."

I could tell both in Cleveland and in Boston, the residents and fellows working with the primary surgeon were told they were looking at a special case.  I was pretty popular.

I will blog more about the options we were given and my first shot of Botox, but for now, I'm just thankful to be home!