Lesson learned.....

[CROOKEDSMILE]

My son who is 6 and I were sitting in the car the other day and I was looking at my wonky smile in the mirror when I asked him how my smile looked! I didn't know that I was about to get an indepth lesson from him on "How to smile" He so sweetly said......"Mom, look. This is really easy to do. Watch me....(as he grinned from ear to ear) Now you do it. (I did my best but as you would guess the left side (paralyzed side) didn't cooperate very well with the mouth turning downward) No, no, no he said. You're supposed to make this corner go up like the other. You're making yours go down. Come on Mom..Try again. See watch me do it again. Watch closely he said. This went on for a good 20 minutes and I couldn't help but laugh because he was so patient and sweet even though I was not able to follow his "simple" instructions. He was not about to give up on me until I finally said...how about I try this again some other time.
 You know...I learned a lesson that day. If my 6 year old isn't willing to give up on me then why should I?
My dear Rivers who I adore.
Angie

[mimoore]

That is so sweet. River loves you, we can learn so much from children.
Okay here's another funny. It is picture day and I am preparing my kindergarteners for pictures. "Okay so smile big (using my fingers like a peace sign to make my mouth look like a smile), and show your beautiful teeth". We go down to the gym and the photographer is setting us all up (yep me too - YIKES) and then she says "1-2-3 smile" and then she starts laughing. I look at my students and there they are holding their mouths up like I had shown them because of course my smile is asleep. I look at them and think they are the sweetest things and how well they followed my directions exactly and then say "Okay now without your fingers". Kids are so adorable.
Michelle 
The photographer said "Oh you have bells palsy, my boyfriend had it. Don't worry it will be gone in 4-6 weeks." I tried to smile and didn't have the heart to tell her it what it really was and that it had been this way for four months.

[MKLady]

Oh my gosh, those are the sweetest stories   I've got tears in the eye that is still able to make tears.  Thanks for sharing. 

Susan

[andrea in slc]

Awww, too darn sweet! Makes you want to give them all a big hug. Kids can be so healing without even knowing it!

My 5-year-old today was talking about the mint M&M's that they only have around Thanksgiving and Christmas and how much I like them. I said "Dang, if I have my surgery before Christmas, I won't be able to get any!"  She said "Don't worry Mommy, I'll make sure you get some. Dad and me will take care of you."      Such a sweetheart! And well-trained to in regards to chocolate. 

[sgerrard]

"Okay now without your fingers."

 

[Omaschwannoma]

I love this post and reading all the comments by children! 

Thanks all!

[CROOKEDSMILE]

Another one...
I was 2 weeks post op and my face was paralyzed, had a patch over my eye and had a paralyzed swallowing nerve with a nasogastric tube down my nose into my stomach with the tube hanging down and attached to my shirt to prevent it from being pulled out accidently. I looked like I had just been in a serious car accident. I was not able to walk good and shuffled like I had a stroke. It was summertime and my two boys wanted to go to the pool so I thought it would do me some good to get some sunshine. The moment I walk into the country club pool area and lady with her mouth bandaged with tape says "I just went to my plastic surgeons office and had permanent lipliner put on hence the bandages...(and then said) "What did you have done?"......................(obviously the bandage wasn't on tight enough over her mouth!) I couldn't believe this lady! I guess she thought if I had seen a plastic surgeon for something that she wanted to make sure that she NEVER visited my surgeon! Anyway.......needless to say I have learned more good lessons from my kids during this terrible time than I have from adults~........that is except for YOU GUYS which have been GREAT! Thanks for your support and encouragement.
Angie

[jazzfunkanne]

really makes me sick when i here of people having work  done to there face, esp when they dont need it, they dont know there living.

[hannie]

I'm so glad you have such wonderful children who are so understanding and give you so much hope and happiness. I was tearing up too!!

[Jim Scott]

Angie:

Thanks for a wonderful story about your six-year-old trying to 'help' you 'learn' how to smile.  It's very poignant and certainly touches us all, especially those who've shared the joy of raising children.   

Jim

[lori67]

Kids are so patient with us, aren't they?

My 5 year old has been like a little mother hen since my surgery and is always telling me "your eye is looking pretty good today, Mom" or something along those lines.

But I got the biggest laugh last night when my 2 year old and I were looking at a catalog that we got in the mail (no, still no newsletter, but lots of catalogs) and we were looking at the pictures.  She pointed to something and my AN brain went blank and I couldn't think of what it was called.  I hesitated for a minute and then it finally came to me.  She put her hands on my cheeks and said "you're so smart".  I thought I was going to fall off the chair I was laughing so hard.

Michelle - I think it would have been great to get a picture of all of you with your fingers holding your lips up!  That is so funny!

Lori

[calimama]

What a beautiful story Angie! thanks for sharing... it made my day.