As most of you probably know, 79-year-old actor Robert De Niro just welcomed his seventh baby back in April. His girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Gia.
Unfortunately, it’s not been an easy ride for Chen following the birth. During an exclusive interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, Chen revealed that when she left the hospital after giving birth in April, her tongue felt strange. It was tingly and a bit numb.
My face just felt weird. It was like everything was starting to just fall down on itself. Like, my face was melting on itself. Then a week after giving birth, that was when it all hit. I began to slur and couldn’t eat.
When she made it back to the hospital, she had lost all facial function. Doctors quickly diagnosed her with Bell’s palsy, a temporary condition that affects the facial muscles, often causing one side of the face to droop or become paralyzed.
It is believed to be triggered by inflammation and swelling of the facial nerve. While the exact cause is unknown, it is thought to be associated with viral infections.
It’s not exactly clear how giving birth played a role in this condition. It’s possible she caught something while in the hospital, or just the stress of the experience triggered inflammation, which then caused the Bell’s palsy.
Thankfully, she’s slowly getting movement back in her face, but the full recovery will take weeks. She has a lot of supportive people around her though, so we’re sure she and her baby are feeling the love.
Here’s to a speedy recovery!
