Former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) has announced that he was recently diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a nerve condition involving the paralysis of half of the patient’s face. The disease usually heals within weeks, and Coleman expects to make a full recovery — though some cases can be permanent.
In an interview with local Minnesota reporter Rick Kupchella, Coleman sure seemed to be in good spirits, and even cracked a joke about two-faced politicians. He talked about how odd it feels that his smile, a real part of who he is, isn’t working correctly. He said he decided to give the interview rather than hide his condition.
“When I was in the Senate, I spent a lot of time on health-care issues,” said Coleman. “There are folks who have conditions that are not temporary, their prognosis is not excellent. So I count my blessings. We’ll get through this one.”
