Bristol's Journey with Facial Paralysis: A Year in Review

Bristol Palin, known for her time on Teen Mom OG, has been open about her health struggles. She recently shared an update on her Instagram Stories, showing her and her 5-year-old daughter, Sailor Grace Meyer. Bristol mentioned her outfit and then casually noted that her face is still not back to normal. A year ago, Bristol woke up with a strange feeling in her face. She noticed her mouth was pulling to one side. Within hours, the left side of her face was numb and paralyzed. She couldn't blink or move that side of her face at all. Doctors ran tests, including a CT scan, and put her on steroids and other medications. They believed it might be Bell's palsy, possibly caused by stress or lack of sleep. Bristol tried everything to get better. She did acupuncture, lymphatic massage, oxygen chamber treatment, and red light therapy. She even cut out processed foods and most caffeine. But after 35 days, nothing seemed to work. She felt frustrated and unsure about what to do next. In February, Bristol shared that her condition was still not improving. She couldn't move the left side of her face at all. Simple tasks like blinking or blowing out a candle were difficult. She felt like she looked "crazy" and couldn't believe it had been over three weeks with no improvement. By July, Bristol's condition had improved. She said her face was about 70% back to normal. She felt like she was handling it well, but she couldn't look at pictures of herself. She acknowledged that her condition could be permanent, but she hoped it would improve. Her doctor thought it might take another three months to fully recover. Bristol's journey shows how health issues can be unpredictable. It's important to take care of yourself and seek help when needed. Her openness about her struggles can inspire others going through similar challenges.