Off the Air in Missouri
/KOMU (Columbia) Anchor Jordan Berger had a medical scare in which he though he might be suffering a stroke.
Thankfully, it was not a stroke, and turned out to be Bell’s Palsy.
This is what Berger had to say, "After a weekend of painful spotty headaches and what I thought might have been an ear infection, I woke up on Memorial Day not being able to move the right half my face. Fearing the worst, I was rushed to the ER at University Hospital and was evaluated by the incredible folks on their stroke team," Berger said in a statement. "I’m thankful to report I did not have a stroke, but I’m currently experiencing partial facial paralysis due to a condition known as Bell’s Palsy."
Bell's Palsy is an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. It begins suddenly and can get worse over 48 hours, but it is temporary.
I have worked with a few people in newsrooms that have had an episode of Bell’s Palsy. Each was different in their recovery time.
Hopefully, for Berger it is a quick one.