Losing the illusion. Dealing with Bells Palsy.

The latest episode in our Resilience Unravelled series has now been released, Resilience Unravelled – Losing the illusion. Dealing with Bells Palsy.

In this episode, Dr. Russell Thackeray talks to Barbie Wharton who is based in British Columbia. Barbie is a speaker, writer, dance event boss, Mum and survivor of Bell’s Palsy.

Barbie started dancing with her sister when she was in the 5th Grade and learnt ballet, jazz and tap. In fact, her Mother ended up buying the dance studio because they both spent so much time there! She then went on to business school and had a career in upper management before leaving after having her two boys. She then started a team apparel company with her sister and also worked with her sister and mother for 20 years producing a number of dance competitions across Western Canada.  The theme at all events was “You Belong Here” - everyone is special, everyone belongs. In 2020 the business had to close due to Covid-19 but the pandemic gave her some time to reflect and she realised that she wasn’t ready to let the dance world go - that she needed to get back up and try again! She is now starting her own company, B1 Dance Productions, where she will initially she be running a couple of small events in Vancouver.

Barbie’s resilience had really been tested in 2015 when she woke up with Bells Palsy, a condition that causes a temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles in the face. It can occur when the nerve that controls the facial muscles becomes inflamed, swollen, or compressed and it causes one side of your face to droop or become stiff.  In Barbie’s case, it was very sudden although she had been feeling a bit run down. She just woke up on a Monday morning and was getting the kids ready for school when she realised one side of her face looked different. Her resting face was fine and she thought she had a sinus infection so went to a clinic where they told her to see a doctor asap! Her doctor prescribed steroids and anti-virals but Barbie tried a lot of other things such as acupuncture, acupressure, essential oils, prolo therapy, fascial stretch therapy as well as seeing a naturopath.

She also did a lot of research it and found Louse Hay, one of the founders of the self-help movement, whose idea was that the root cause of Bell's Palsy was about denying emotions like anger so that when emotional release is denied, the anger appears as facial paralysis. Barbie felt that in her case, developing Bells Palsy was about not using her voice to give her opinion or even not to think about what her opinion was. She wasn’t speaking up and using her voice and was letting other people’s idea of what was picture perfect affect her. She needed to stop and say this is what I think. Barbie was trying to be everything to everyone, the perfect mum, perfect partner with the perfect house and the perfect life which was exhausting. She needed to lose her illusion of what her life should look like.

At the moment Barbie’s recovery is about 85% but each day is different. It’s also different for each person who suffers with Bells Palsy. Some people find it goes away completely whilst others have to deal with it in the longer term. It can be a very traumatising and emotionally terrifying thing to happen so because there is not a lot of information available she decided to set up Bellspalsytalk.com a community where people can come together and talk to other people who are going through the same things.

You can listen to the podcast in full and find out further information about Barbie here. Our previous podcast episodes and upcoming guest list are also available.

Our full blog archive is also available.

You can find out more about Barbie at barbiewharton.com or at bellspalsytalk