Joel Embiid, the NBA star from the Philadelphia 76ers, isn't just facing challenges on the basketball court. Following his team's victory against the New York Knicks on Thursday, April 25, Embiid disclosed during a press conference that he was recently diagnosed with Bell's palsy.
According to reports from ESPN and the Associated Press, Embiid mentioned that he began experiencing symptoms a day or two before the Miami game on April 17, initially mistaking them for severe migraines. He described feeling unwell and experiencing effects on the left side of his face, particularly in his mouth and eye. Since then, the condition has intermittently caused blurred vision, prompting Embiid to use eye drops to alleviate dryness.
This revelation sheds light on the physical challenges Embiid is currently navigating beyond the basketball court.
Bell's palsy is a condition characterized by weakened facial muscles on one side, often resulting from damage to the facial nerve. According to the Mayo Clinic and John Hopkins Medicine, it's typically not permanent.
Embiid acknowledged the challenges posed by Bell's palsy, stating, "It's been tough, but I'm not a quitter." He emphasized his determination to persevere through adversity, refusing to let it serve as an excuse. Despite his resilience, Embiid noted that the condition hasn't improved significantly and that it may take several more weeks or even months before it resolves completely.
Despite facing Bell's palsy and recovering from a recent knee injury, Joel Embiid maintains his trademark humor and resilience. He quipped about his facial appearance, expressing a desire for his face to stay as it is, given his belief in its beauty. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of mental self-care in coping with his health challenges.
Embiid's performance on the basketball court remains remarkable. In the game against the Knicks, he achieved a career-high 50 points, contributing significantly to his team's victory. This outstanding performance underscores his ability to excel despite adversity.
The NBA player continues to grapple with his knee injury, which necessitated surgery in February and sidelined him for two months. Despite the setbacks, Embiid remains determined, acknowledging moments of doubt but ultimately committing to perseverance. He reaffirmed his dedication to his family, city, and team, vowing to keep pushing forward regardless of the obstacles he faces.
The Quran - Chapter Al-Ahqaf : 15 - 16
We have commanded people to honour their parents. Their mothers bore them in hardship and delivered them in hardship. Their ˹period of˺ bearing and weaning is thirty months. In time, when the child reaches their prime at the age of forty, they pray, “My Lord! Inspire me to ˹always˺ be thankful for Your favours which You blessed me and my parents with, and to do good deeds that please You. And instil righteousness in my offspring. I truly repent to You, and I truly submit ˹to Your Will˺.”
It is from these ˹people˺ that We will accept the good they did, and overlook their misdeeds—along with the residents of Paradise, ˹in fulfilment of˺ the true promise they have been given.
Human procreation takes place through a father and a mother who nurture their offspring through infancy to adulthood.
This is, so to say, the natural system of man’s training, which ensures that he develops a keen consciousness of his duties towards human beings along with the feeling that he must acknowledge the grace of his Benefactor and discharge his duties towards Him.
This feeling teaches a man two things: firstly, to honour his pledges towards other men and, secondly, to fulfill important obligations to God, the Creator and Lord.
Those who learn a lesson from Nature, the great teacher, who activate their sense of moral awareness to the extent that they properly identify and appropriately fulfill their duties towards all, ranging from their parents right up to God, are the ones who will be treated as deserving of the eternal Grace of God in the Hereafter.
