Former Married at First Sight contestant Clare Verrall has revealed she’s been diagnosed with a lesser-known health condition after she was rushed to the emergency room with what her doctor thought could be a stroke.
In an Instagram snap taken from hospital, the Season Two alum tells the story of the moment her face dropped and became paralysed, leading doctors to diagnose her with Bell’s Palsy: a paralysis or weakness of the muscles on one side of the face.
“So, I woke up with a weird feeling in my face today which got worse (I legit #WokeUpLikeThis #NotFlawless). Then the right side of my face kind of ‘dropped’ – especially the right side of my mouth which went all numb like when you go to the dentist,” she shared.
When she called her GP, he instructed her to head straight to the ER at the fear she “could be having a stroke”.
“Turns out, not a stroke (phew! That was a bit scary). It is ‘Bell’s Palsy’,” she went on.
According to the John Hopkins Medicine global health enterprise, the cause of Bell’s Palsy is unknown, but is suspected to be triggered by some type of viral infection or autoimmune system response.
The paralysis can be either partial or total, and is fully resolved in up to 90 per cent of cases within months.
The 33-year-old went to say her face will remain this way for a further three to six months, but despite her terrifying ordeal, Clare can still see the funny side.
“I can’t really close my right eye properly so I have to tape it shut at night I’m told and wear an eyepatch,” she went on.
“Look like a bloody pirate!! Aghrrrr me heartys! I need to get that swearing parrot that flew into my house a year ago back to complete this look. My pirate name will be “Ol’ droopy face Magee.”
Clare is not the first Aussie star to experience the nerve complication. In 2014, PR mogul, Roxy Jacenko, told Mamamia that she, too, had the condition.
We wish Clare the best for a speedy recovery!
