Actor Nick Shen recovering from Bell's palsy: 'My face and smile are still not completely symmetrical'

Lim Ruey Yan
The Straits Times
Oct 10, 2023

Local actor and opera practitioner Nick Shen has reason to smile again, as he is gradually recovering from a double whammy of shingles and Bell’s palsy.

“I can smile now,” the 47-year-old wrote on social media on Tuesday. “What warms my heart are the blessings I’ve received through the care and concern of my doctors, nurses, family and friends.”

Shen, who won the Singapore edition of the Star Search talent contest in 1999, shared on social media in September the weeks of pain he suffered when battling shingles, which causes a painful and itchy rash, usually on one side of the body or face.

He then disclosed in another post a few days later that the shingles herpes zoster viral infection led to Bell’s palsy, which resulted in paralysis of the facial nerve on the right side of his face.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Nick Shen Weijun 沈炜竣 (@nickshenweijun)

Referring to the photo accompanying his latest post, he said: “You can see that my face and smile are still not completely symmetrical, but my family and friends have remarked on the significant improvement in my Bell’s palsy. Keep smiling.”

He shared more details of his condition on social media on Oct 4 in a video taken on his second day in hospital, which showed tape covering his eye.

“The doctor advised me to tape this onto my eye because my right eye can’t blink properly,” he said. “If I sleep, my eye will stay open and bacteria can enter my eye.”

He said he had to leave the tape on for the entire night to protect his eye.

In late September, the troupe leader of the 159-year-old Lao Sai Tao Yuan Teochew Opera Troupe made his first public appearance since he was hit with the double blow, with a performance at a gala dinner.

“Fortunately, the clients from the 4th Global Orthokeratology & Myopia Control Conference have been understanding of my medical situation and graciously allowed me to perform, especially considering that this event was confirmed two months ago,” he wrote on social media on Sept 29.

“They even suggested that if I’m unable to sing, I can focus more on Chinese opera movements. Additionally, they reassured me that speaking slower on stage due to my Bell’s palsy situation is perfectly acceptable.”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Nick Shen Weijun 沈炜竣 (@nickshenweijun)

Shen said his doctors gave their approval for him to perform, and his dermatologist provided a special cream for his shingles, which he applied before putting on his Chinese opera make-up.

On his biggest takeaways from his three-month ordeal, he wrote on Tuesday: “It’s truly a blessing to feel the care and support from my family, friends, colleagues and even strangers on social media when I’m not feeling well.

“Battling multiple conditions at the same time has prompted deep reflection of my life,” he said. “I am resolute in my commitment to being more health-conscious, prioritising my well-being and treasuring this precious life.”