TMI

this may be too much information for some of you but writing about it helps me to process what has become a nightmarish aftermath of the breast cancer....
yes, the cancer is gone - yes i'm alive and for this i am grateful....
that however does not diminish the current discomfort....
the lymphedema has gotten worse and is causing such discomfort, now more pain and the need for finding ways to adjust to not being able to wear certain clothes....
it has spread pretty badly to my breast and underarm and so i am unable to wear any of my bras which affects the clothes i can wear....
i saw my breast surgeon today who checked for any infection- there is none - she just says it is so full of fluid that it looks infected - besides the swelling it is very hot and red and ugly...i'm not worried about the ugly
as i'm the only one who sees it - :-( and i will spare you all a picture :-)
but the swelling and pain is something else
they are talking about some new fangled garment for the breast that will provide compression and move the fluid and i need to start a newer MLD (manual lymphatic drainage) therapy with the physical therapist 3x weekly and then every day at home myself.....
the hot weather and the horrible sleeve i'm supposed to have on 23 hours a day are not compatible.. as it gets soaking wet from perspiration and that can cause bacteria to grow inside of it !!!!
this is a very discouraging path..... pain and fluid and now more pain and fluid..... on top of the pain cause by the medication that is necessary for 5 years....
i try hard to forget about it but only having the use of 1 arm is a pretty strong reminder
and this 101 degree weather is not helping at all.....!