**The following post has some terrible post-exercise photos of me! You have been warned!**
Friend: Are you okay?
Me: Yeah, why? I mean I'm tired from soccer.
Friend: You look like you're having a stroke!
Me: What?!
My face had split right down the middle. Red on one side, white on the other. I went home and went to Dr. Google to see what this meant. My research (aka one search and a couple of web sites) said not to worry, that this was my normal and if I felt dizzy when I exercised to sit down.
I accepted that this was my new normal. Those that played sports with me came to the point where they didn't even recognize it, or at least ignored it.
Fast forward to 2015- 6 years later...
A new friend had recently returned with her sweet baby girl. Kate and I were bringing some baby stuff to them and we were visiting in her living room. By "new" friend I mean we hadn't really talked much and didn't really know one another. She said," I'm sorry, this might sound like a weird question, but are you pupils two different sizes?" I was totally caught off guard... I had no idea. Honestly who spends that much time looking at their own pupils to determine the size.
The same friend a few weeks later came up after an outdoor soccer game to say hi to the players from both teams. I walked up to say hi to her and her little one and she saw my face. I just played it off because what was normal for me and those around me was new for her. It was a quick conversation, which continued the next time I saw her. She kindly pulled me aside and said she was concerned. Her background is in nursing and they were concerned that their baby girl had the same thing when she was born. She said you might have Horner's Syndrome ( this means there is something that is pressing on the sympathetic nerve running from your brain to the top of your lungs, which causes these involuntary symptom). So she knew the symptoms to look for- a droopy eyelid, different sized pupils, split colored face, and lack of sweat when exercising. She recommended I go to visit the doctor for expats. After that visit it was suggested we go to a great hospital in Jakarta for a MRI and various tests to determine the cause. Horner's Syndrome is rare.
After an MRI, which scanned my brain, neck and chest, an x-ray, a visit to an ear/nose/throat specialist, and a visit to the eye doctor it was determined that while they all agreed something was going on they were unable to determine the cause. Major concerns like cancer or stroke were ruled out. So I had a mix of emotions- thankful it was nothing serious, but disappointed there were not more clear results. Second opinions believe the issue is located along my neck, but is nothing to worry about right now. When we are around a lab with better capabilities she recommended I have a cancer panel completed. Our local expat doctor is confident there is no cancer, and it would have been recognized with all the tests.
So here we are. We continue to live and serve in Papua, knowing that health is precious. Horner's Syndrome is not effecting my life. We just now have a word for all these things. Now these things make more sense, but on the other hand, we aren't sure of the cause.
Thank you for those of you who prayed for me. It's weird knowing something is happening, but doctors and tests can't pinpoint it. I rest knowing that God knows my body in and out- He formed me and none of this is a shock to Him.
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