A Scots pensioner who is fighting the same rare condition as singer Justin Bieber yesterday described the impact it has on her life.
Julie Montgomery first got symptoms of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome (RHS) – caused by the same virus as chickenpox – in 2018 on a Spanish holiday and has suffered ever since.
Thinking she was having a stroke, her husband George, 68, had an ambulance called. They cut the trip short and returned to Aberdeenshire, where RHS was diagnosed.
The mum of four has praised Bieber for speaking out about his condition after he revealed it was the reason he had cancelled several gigs.
Julie, 67, said: “My face now feels as if you’ve been to the dentist and have had your face numbed. That’s how it feels permanently.
“It doesn’t go away. I’ve had that numbness for four years.”
Bieber, 28, went on social media to share a one-minute video explaining RHS.
He said: “It’s pretty serious. This eye is not blinking, I can’t smile on this side of my face.”
Bieber said he is doing facial exercises in a bid to recover.
Julie said: “I do hope he gets a recovery. It’s great that he’s raising awareness of this.”
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