Thursday, May 28, 2009

!@#$%^&*( ARM BANDAGE


fighting this monstrosity all day
crying and swearing
fingers barely out - goes up to shoulder

Thursday, May 07, 2009

lymphedema lament

my hand, arm and breast remain quite swollen and will be for my lifetime....i try to forget about it and pretend it's not so but there it is every day.....one of the hardest parts is not being able to wear jewelry...i have a so many rings and bracelets that i love to wear but it's not allowed with the lymphedema.
i started 2x weeky physical therapy with a new practioner at good samaritan hospital ...my breast surgeon wanted me to change the person i've been working with because they have pumps at the hospital which the other place doesn't have.
after the pump for 30 minutes, i have to have the arm wrapped to maintain the "good" the pump did. ...so my arm is wrapped with foam and bandages and i am to leave the bandages on as long as possible. ..... the heat is atrocious as it doesn't breathe and yesterday it caused such hot flashes that soaked me from head to toe.....i had to take it off after about 2 hours...today i left it on for 4 hours but the hand part got so dirty and wet that i had to take it off.....this is what i had on....
it's very heavy and hot!!!! that foam does not breathe at all......(not sure why this is underlining)
enough lamenting for tonite - i guess i'll watch michael fox's special tonite on being an optimist...i need some optimism and he seems to have so much even with the terrible disease he struggles with......