Mark Ruffalo

[kathy g]

I know it has been discussed on this forum, but Mark Ruffalo was just on NPR and other media talking about his brain tumor, which was an AN.  He says that he used alternative medicine to help with the paralysis on his face.  Does anyone know what he did? In looking at the trailers for his new movie, he does not look like he has any paralysis. 

Just a thought.

[Jim Scott]

Kathy ~

Although most of us know about actor Mark Ruffalo ('Date Night', 'Shutter Island',) having been diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma and undergoing removal surgery in 2001, followed by temporary facial paralysis that took about a year to fully resolve, I 'd never come across anything that indicated he employed alternative medicine to help his paralysis.  Whether the recovery was 'natural' or aided by the 'alternative medicine' Ruffalo used, its a fascinating addendum to a compelling story that, as AN patients, we can all relate to in some measure.  Please post any information you may find regarding the actor's choices of 'alternative medicine' because I know we'd all appreciate it.  Thanks.

Jim 

[dalern]

I wonder if his alternative treatment was something like Botox.  That is  a possibility and an "off label" use of Botox.
~Dale~

[kathy g]

Here is the transcript of the interview on NPR.  I tried to find out more on the web, but did not get anywhere.

Life And Art, Painfully Intertwined

On that subject, Ruffalo speaks from personal experience. Just at the moment when You Can Count On Me made him a white-hot Hollywood commodity, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. A 10-hour operation left his face partially paralyzed.

"It was really, really hard to concentrate, to form ideas, to talk at times." Ruffalo's voice trails off as he remembers. "Oh, it was such a bad time. So scary, man."

He embarked on exercises and alternative treatments for the next nine months. Eventually, there was progress.

"I was in the car, and my wife was driving," Ruffalo says. "I was looking at my face. I tried to move it, you know, and I saw the slightest, tiniest little twitch by my eye. We were both, like, screaming, 'Oh my god, it's moving.' And crying."

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128336992

[Vivian B.]

Mark Ruffalo is great! I just saw Shutter Island. Now we have something in common. I have no idea what he used. Maybe he is somewhere on facebook for his fans.

Vivian.