09.10.2025 01:17
A 30-year-old woman living in England felt a strange change in her face while drinking tea just 10 days after giving birth for the second time. Initially thinking she was having an allergic reaction, the young woman went to the hospital as the loss of sensation in her face increased. After the examination, the mother learned the painful truth and had to care for her children while also battling her illness.
A woman named Karina Whyte, living in England, faced an unexpected health issue just 10 days after giving birth to her second child. The neurological symptoms she experienced shortly after childbirth turned the young mother's life upside down.
A CUP OF TEA CHANGED EVERYTHING
On August 8, Whyte, who welcomed her daughter Mackenzie, sat down to breastfeed her baby in the morning and had a cup of tea by her side. However, while drinking her tea, the 30-year-old woman began to feel numbness around her lips and initially thought she was facing an allergic reaction.
Describing that day as "It was a normal day, I didn't feel anything until a strange tingling started in my lips," Whyte realized that this sensation quickly spread to the left side of her face, and within a few hours, she lost control of her facial muscles.
DIAGNOSED WITH FACIAL PARALYSIS
After the symptoms worsened, Karina Whyte went to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with facial paralysis. This condition, which usually starts suddenly, is thought to be related to physical stress after childbirth and the immune system. Accordingly, Whyte was given a 5-day course of corticosteroids.
SHE NOW SLEEPS WITH HER EYES TAPED SHUT
Despite the treatment, Whyte continues to experience loss of function on the left side of her face and has had to change some of her daily habits. Especially at night, she tapes her left eye shut to sleep because she cannot fully close her eyelid. Additionally, she has to squeeze her lips together while drinking liquids to prevent spilling. "I have to keep my mouth tightly closed when drinking from a glass, otherwise it spills everywhere," says the young woman, who also expresses that her speech has been affected and she speaks with a lisp.
"IT'S LIKE TORTURE..."
Karina Whyte states that this health issue has been particularly psychologically draining. While trying to care for her newborn baby, she also has to look after her toddler who has just started walking, and she has no partner to support her during this entire process.
Whyte highlights the mental challenges she faces, saying, "Being a mother is already hard enough. But taking care of a baby while not being able to feel half of my face, not being able to leave the house, and even speaking feels like torture..."
FULLY BELIEVES SHE WILL RECOVER
The English woman continues her treatment process to ensure that her facial paralysis does not become permanent. Doctors indicate that the young woman's condition may improve over time. However, this process requires both patience and regular medical support. Whyte is fully confident that she will recover: "I have to be strong for my babies. Even if I sleep with my eyes taped shut, I will never give up."