Lymphedema Update

In case you haven't read in my previous blog posts, after I finished treatment I realized I had some unusual symptoms in my right arm. I did not immediately notice the swelling, but later found out that I did have swelling and lymphedema. Lymphedema can occur after breast cancer treatment and of course why would it skip me?!?!

Since lymphedema has no cure, I have been managing my symptoms diligently. I am going to Occupational Therapy twice a week - or - what I prefer to call my boobie massage (even though it is way more than that). I have been doing my own massages. I have been learning what triggers my swelling. It is another issue that I have to live with, so I am learning how to do it with my crazy up-beat attitude.

Learn some of my Lymphedema Tips - Click Here

As for having lymphedema with style, I have gotten a few medical compression sleeves & gauntlets. Currently I have to wear compression garments during my waking hours. Ok, I should wear them when I sleep but sometimes I opt not to (a girl needs a break every now and then). So I bought ones that are exceptionally comfortable... and fun! There are so many patterns and alternatives to the standard one color sleeve. I could not just settle for one. Plus, I have to wear them daily so like underwear you don't just have one pair!!!

Each one looks different and I have gotten so many compliments (and looks) from strangers. Usually people believe I have gotten a very large and detailed arm tattoo. I get the cool look of a tattoo, minus the hours of pain and permanent image. Now I get to choose whatever sleeve matches my outfit and I can change it up as I want to!

A Henna based design...

A colorful design but does not fade...

And one that is a medical alert as well as just funny to wear!

All of these sleeves I am wearing are from the same company, LympheDivas. They provide so many options and patterns that I had to share. Yes, the standard beige and black sleeves are out there (they have pink too), but if you have to wear something WEAR IT with style!

Check out LympheDivas - Click Here

Comments

giving your 16 year old scissors

New Traditions Losing my hair - it's going to happen. When I did this in 2013, I waited to cut my hair once I was further in treatment. I didn't want to do that again. I didn't want to do it while I felt sore and bad. This time, I wanted to get rid of my hair before treatment. Since I will have now done this more than once, it can be considered a tradition: cancer haircuts by my kids . Last time I did this, the kids were 6 and 13. So, this time around my son (23) opted not to cut, but watched some. However, my 16 year old daughter leapt at the opportunity to cut my hair. Even though 10 years have gone by, she had to adhere to a few basic rules. Basic Rules: 1. Do not cut my ears. 2. Do not cut your own hair. 3. Do not cut anyone else's hair. These rules still hold up and are the general agreement we make before I put scissors in my kid's hands to chop on my hair! And the tradition isn't the same without going outside (weather permitting) and listening to our

happy birthday to me... almost

Let's rewind a bit and start a few days before my birthday... I had my first cancer treatment day on October 3rd - check it out if you haven't read that blog post yet. Let's just think of it as an early birthday gift since my birthday is October 7th. Great gift, right?!? If I have to hear "Happy Early" or "Late Birthday" from another medical person, I might have to smack someone. Especially, since I have spent most of the weeks leading up to and after my birthday at a medical appointment regarding cancer. Not really loving my birthday this year. Let's just say, on my birthday, I woke up with a special chemo-side-effect-surprise at 2am. That fun surprise I will share later... Rewind a Few Days... Update But first, let's go to October 4th, the day after my grueling 8 hours of immunotherapy and two chemotherapies on the 3rd. I woke up swollen, red faced, and fevering, as well as feeling pretty crummy. I didn't have time to dwell on it since I

More biopsies... where? down there?

Cancer survivors are always wondering and waiting to see if something is going to happen, so it is only natural to worry when something is "off". Then when something turns out to be abnormal more testing and follow-ups are needed. It seems like a continual wave of worries. Sometimes our worries turn out to be issues. Sometimes our worries turn out to be nothing. Either way, we are going to worry... it's just an issue of determining how much and when we should really worry. Finding out my endometrium lining was so thick meant I needed to get a biopsy. What's an Endometrial Biopsy? An endometrial biopsy is a medical procedure in which a small piece of tissue from the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) is removed for examination under a microscope. The removed tissue is examined for cancer or any other cell abnormalities. Lucky me. Right? Now I get to go back the GYN only a few days after my initial exa

TaTa Wars

Search This Blog