system

Paul,
I am so sorry the virus combo needed to trigger Bell’s Palsy inflammation somehow came alive. Thankfully, you were able to guide the Champ to a safe conclusion. Likewise, you seem to have a protocol in place to begin beating back the viral cocktail and resulting load that triggered a resurgence of Bell’s Palsy symptoms.

Heckofa way to introduce some little known history of “Iron Ass” LeMay, including Sir Charles Bell’s obscure up till now hassle with the FAA resulting in his loss of his Third Class medical. I am sure Otto Lilienthal took note of that Hooveresque FAA heavy handedness when launching from the sand dunes outside Gary, IN. And, I am sure both Wilber and Orville was aware of these facts as well making sure no FAA officials were present at Kill Devil Hill for similar reasons.

We are sending up requests of healing HP for you. The mighty Champ needs regular exercise as well as what flying does for us/you as one of the best therapeutics to help deal with the challenges that life seems to be so indiscriminately handing out these days.

However, we want more of your articles being introduced in a much more healthy way rather than “there I was” situation suddenly and certainly unexpectedly thrust upon you. We are rooting for a short mending time for you and your family. When appropriate, please let us know when you return to the skies.

system

Wow, really sorry to hear that you are afflicted. I hope it clears up soon. Thanks for the medical lesson on Bell’s palsy. I had heard of it, but did not realize its cause or how it affects the body. I had assumed that, once it manifested itself, it was permanent. Although, to someone who is suffering, it probably seems like it will never go away. Nerve related maladies are still poorly understood and offer few remedies or treatments. It’s good to know that it will not permanently ground you. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

system

Paul, my ears ring from constantly from hearing ‘lazy ass’ so it was refreshing and interesting to hear about someone with an ‘iron ass’.
I’m glad to hear that apparently the condition won’t affect your ability to fly. I had an inner ear sudden dizziness illness related to the eighth cranial nerve back in the 90’s that took it’s sweet time (3 years) to fade away, so I can truly understand the required patience needed. Hang in there, best thoughts to you.

system

Hi Paul, As long as you don’t have palsy in your typing fingers you’ve still got a job with AVweb. This too shall pass.

system

Paul, deseándote buena salud y felicidad.

Richard_Freilich

For some, acupuncture by a licensed practitioner can eliminate or reduce the effects of Bell’s Palsy. I can imagine that the most severe cases can mimic Dudley Moore’s post-dentist visit in the movie “10”.

Richard_Dorman

I had an Bell’s Palsy attack over ten years ago, while airline flying. My doctor used electrical stimulation on my face for several weeks. A neighbor women had it at the same, and she used steroids.
My chief pilot who came from a military background, told me it was common issue. I’ve never fully recovered.

system

Decades ago a relative had Bell’s palsy and his doctor treated him by injecting him with a mega dose of Vitamin B as I recall - but the vitamin may have been some other letter so don’t try this at home. His symptoms diminished to large degree over 24 hours and after 3 days, problem solved.

jandbnor

Paul, your Champ has auto-land? What a coincidence! Wasn’t too many months ago that I, as a senior pilot, began to wonder what would happen if the Luscombe had to land itself. Could it? Would it? Blessed with a wide expanse of luxuriant grass, I made a repeated number of landings in an attempt to understand what, exactly, the Luscombe required from me to make a smooth and comfortable landing.

It turns out that the Luscombe, if landed into the wind on our splendid field of grass, needed so little from me as far as effort was concerned that it was both revealing and somewhat surprising, which gave me a great deal of confidence that the Luscombe would certainly be my friend during a medical emergency.

The next morning, I discovered that the Luscombe, amazingly, if left to its own, needed little or nothing to make an equally fine takeoff.

We’re good.

angelo_c

Godspeed Paul. Wishing you a brief battle and a steady wind at your 12 (takeoff and landings of course)

system

The Palsy didn’t affect your writing skills or wit Paul, nor I suspect your flying. Best of luck in your hopefully quick recovery. I’ve been meaning to ask if you would give me my first ever small airplane BFR someday. Am still counting on that.

John_Trowbridge

Excellent review of Bell’s Palsy – thanks! For dozens of years, I have successfully and safely treated these episodes by one (or two, maybe three) IV infusions of a gentle hydrogen peroxide formula developed by my friend Charles Farr, PhD, MD, in 1987. Treatment is best started as soon as reasonable after onset of symptoms. Recurrence still happens, so it is symptomatic not curative. I suspect that ozone infusions would work as well but I have not had experience treating Bell’s with that and H2O2 is easy and quick to administer. Dr. Farr investigated the approach when he discovered that peroxide infusions had been successfully used during the brutally devastating 1918 “Spanish Flu” pandemic but the procedures then were crude and severe side effects were common. His research devised safe and effective protocols for viral illnesses, including episodic “flu.” Mainstream medicine has not adopted this approach. – John Parks Trowbridge MD, FACAM, Who’s Who Top Doctor in Advanced Medicine, Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award

system

Have only had a mild version of this problem, often followed by migraine, neither anything I wish upon someone else.

Hope it returns to normal soon,

Tord S. Eriksson,
Hon, Member of East Horsely Aerospace

Mark_McKibben

Mr Berge,
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to clean my keyboard from reading yours and Bertorellis’
writings.
Sending you all the positive waves that I can and hoping you’re flying sooner than later.
Pssst, the airplane doesn’t know you’ve got the palsy!
Mark M

system

Paul, wishing you well and sending positive thoughts and prayers you way. Just getting past the COVID myself. Hang in there. My best to you.

Drew

HI Paul, I got the t-shirt when the right side of my face dropped for 6 weeks and now 20 or so years later a slight droopy right eyebrow is all that remains of Bell’s. During a check up years following, a doctor said many think it is a result of aggravated stress lowering the immune response, allowing a dormant virus to find a nice spot (the 7TH cranial nerve) to take over. If COVID and the U.S. national election wasn’t enough, regular daily activities have a way of piling up to exasperate stress. In my case I think it was accumulated stress that may have brought on my condition, and a little review was in order. In the mean time, “no soup for you” for a while, and a strategically placed mask also works as a bib, all the best and keep your p…funny side up.

Roger_Lishman

Hello Paul,
I guess not too many readers are devoted to John Donne, and certainly no man is an island in the global aviation community; we are all part of the main.
Best wishes in these awful times.

Tim_Shea

Paul - You are delightfully funny and I always learn something when I read one of your articles. Get Well soon!

flyingfireman

Flying is an endeavour that is remarkably good at reminding you that you are not quite the Sky God you secretly imagine yourself to be.

What I want to know is why are those perfect landings, the ones where you can barely feel the wheels spin up, only occur when there are no witnesses….

Karrpilot

I dumped a Harley Davidson. They taught me how to ride, but never taught me how to pick one up. And at 900? Lbs, I couldn’t do it. Had to have another biker help me. Luckily the only damage I have done to an aircraft is take out a wing tip light. After 21 years of flying.

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RichardKatz

I’ve dumped a bike too. And had to ask a passing motorist to assist my righting the fallen steed. Fortunately, I’ve not crashed a plane. I’ve crashed cars, and interestingly, been crashed INTO twice, both times could have easily killed me, if it were not for luck. Oh, wait, there was a third time when I was T-boned by a Yellow Taxi running a light in the rain. My 1970 VW swung around on it’s skinny tires and I ended up going backwards into a fire hydrant, which of course broke and sent a geyser of water skyward.

I’ve now discovered horses. But at my age, I have no intention of galloping or jumping. Prancing dressage style might be as far as I go. But what I find most satisfying is just being with my new equine acquaintance. Grooming takes a lot of time and is a pleasant bonding experience. She becomes very relaxed when I curry and brush her. Her muscles relax, her eyelids droop, she occasionally swings her head around to nuzzle me, and occasionally, she’ll lazily lift a foot. On the other hand, for me, it is a bit of workout, especially bending over and cleaning her hooves. Overall though, the experience for me is surprisingly calming and rewarding. Who knew?

2 replies

lstencel

So were the 350 and 450’s CB’s or CL’s ? I had 'em, too.

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bob9

I loved this.

mamckibben

Paul, Thank you for the chuckles this morning! You’ve made my Monday start off on the right foot.
Looking back at my past, I’ve got the trifecta of crashing both MC and AC and being ejected from my steed. The steed was correct as I was inebriated and had NO business…
Somehow I managed to escape without a moniker.
I look forward to your next offering.

graeme

Have you also discovered that horses are more expensive than planes?..

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avi8tor.tom

“puffuppery” Why can’t I think up words like this?

RichardKatz

Not yet, although the “paddock boots” were the most expensive shoes I ever bought!

mattscrane

Paul, you are funny!

cdrjlw1

Haven’t had so many chuckles in years. Thanks.\/r

Lee

jimhanson

It has been said that “The basis of all humor is the misfortunes of others”–and you’ve certainly proved that adage!

Love the alliteration and obscure references–causes one to stop and consider the reference, and to re-read the passage–resulting in MULTIPLE LAUGHS.

MORE, PLEASE!

Richard_G

I can attest the bottom of the bucket doesn’t work either as a platform… and riding motorcycles like flying planes is a constant learning experience. I didn’t drop one for almost 40 years until backing down a hill using the wrong break on a new BMW R1250GS Adventure. It was a slow drop that didn’t leave a scratch. But, it left me humiliated, because I immediately knew I braked wrong going backwards, and worried if I could pick up this very large bike. Luckily I studied how to properly pick up the bike without causing injury, just in case. It was much easier than I thought lifting it the correct way, so I did end up with a broken back. I’ve seen the panicked lift after a drop, hurt people more than the crash.
Think, before reacting.

Richard_G

I still have a Harley, and hadn’t dropped a bike in 40 years… I didn’t study how to pick up a bike until I got a rather large dual sport BMW R1250GS Adventure with a 8 gallon tank. It is a bit like going off road on a Honda Gold Wing. My greatest fear was trying to pick it up, if I dropped it. It has crash bars all over it, so I figured it was designed to fall over in the dirt. I wouldn’t have ever got it picked up, without doing it the right way. I can’t arm and back lift 750lbs anymore without casing serious injury to the back.
The squat and push away with the legs and butt is a must to learn.

Richard_G

Never got into horseback riding… my first ride was bareback using dog leashes on the bridal of a horse that had not been ridden in years… she tried every way she could to get me off her back. And was only successful by scraping me of entering a low part of the barn.
After that I always felt sorry for the poor horse. I was rather skinning as a young man. In Spain I thought I was going to kill the poor horse it was sweating so bad. At 6’2” 200lbs I was probably the largest human to ever be on its back.
Horses are a bit like dogs… if it isn’t yours, you don’t really know if it will try to bite you.

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Raf

Can’t stop laughing. "An ugly sound. Like a clogged toilet exploding from a cherry bomb inside a Jersey Turnpike rest stop. "

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John_B

One of his better, more memorable quotes. I recently broke 5 ribs in a fall from 10’ up a ladder, and it hurt this morning reading this!! Bravo!

John_B

John’s Law states that the severity and degree of stupidity of an event is directly proportional to the quantity of observers of said event. (I made that up - mostly from years of experience). Had no one been there to witness the bucket lid fail, it would have most likely supported him ( ie: if a tree falls in the woods, and no one is there to hear it……). And as for motorcycles, I relate a recent event that my son witnessed first-hand. He pulled into a parking spot, along with my just-4-year-old grandson, at a convenience store. Moments later, a beautiful BMW bike pulled in beside him and the rider proceeded to dump the thing onto the pavement. Fortunately, only his pride was hurt, and it took both adults to right the beast. As the rider collected his thoughts (and what little remaining pride that existed), my grandson announced boldly, “You are supposed to put your feet down first!”

Dave_S

Had a CB350 in college, sold it to take flying lessons. Mom hated both modes of transportation! Ever tear down a bike in a 12 x 12 dorm room? My buddy did and rebuilt what was needed.

As far as doing dumb stuff, I’m not sure if backing the plane into the hangar corner or getting the lumber company’s box truck stuck under a railroad overpass was worse. We all learn the hard way at times.

Arthur_Foyt

Tragedy, in time, becomes comedy.

buddy2364

Damn fine missive!

Starstreams58

Thalia and Curly Howard–now that’s a combination (and pre-Shemp no less!). I’m so thankful no smartphone was around to witness my less than graceful ingress/egress during my seaplane training last weekend in a SuperCub–I’m sure I would have come away with the moniker “Spaz”!

Thanks for another hilarious missive across the mortal spectrum!

gliders

Thanks for the laughs, Paul. One of the first pieces of advice I received when learning to ride a motorcycle was “Never ride anything you can’t pick up by yourself.” Subsequently, I raced motorcycles for number of years and in almost every case of unintentional dismount, the biggest injury factor was at the end of the trip from the seat to the ground. And BTW, re: bikes and horses - I know of a guy who always got scolded and belittled by the staff at Urgi-Care when he showed up with injuries from bike falls. Then he started telling them he got hurt falling off a horse. Instant compassion from that point forward.

Rando_Piloto

Sign seen at the ranch:
“For slow riders we have slow horses.
For fast riders we have fast horses.
For those who have never ridden, we have horses which have never been ridden.”

Allen_Cameron

Thanks for this informative (and mirthful!) article, Paul! I’m killing time in an Emergency Department bed right now, on Day One of what appears to be shaping up to be a Bell’s Palsy diagnosis. My esteemed spouse is here by my side, dutifully giving me the business for immediately doing an internet search to see if I’m about to get grounded. (?)