Can’t blink or close my eyes

Back in 2021, I had surgery that left me with some “unique” eye issues, and let’s just say I haven’t blinked at life the same way since. Literally—I can’t close my eyes anymore. This has turned sleeping into a never-ending staring contest, brought on a desert-level dryness, and caused all kinds of vision problems. Oh, and modeling? Forget it. These days, I’m more likely to hide behind sunglasses than strut down a runway.

My eyes are now mismatched—different shapes and sizes, sunken thanks to some overly enthusiastic fat removal, and unable to blink right due to muscle damage. Add severe ptosis to the mix, and it’s like my face signed up for a complete misalignment package. The cherry on top? My lymphatic system took a hit too, leaving my face perpetually puffy, with bonus wrinkles from the scar tissue that showed up uninvited.

It’s been a wild, traumatizing ride. Life feels like it’s stuck on pause, and every day is less about living and more about just hanging in there. The worst part? Trying to talk about it. Most people either don’t get it or seem too polite to say, “Well, at least your eyes match your sense of humor now—ugly and dry.” Okay, that might’ve been me, but hey, gotta laugh to keep from crying. Or blinking.