Yahoo! So delighted, grateful, happy, everything wondrous, My arm is fine and so don't need to wear the compression sleeve for a week, Hopefully it will stay this way. Think the fact I have lost weight - ok, only 1kg but still - has also helped. Gonna enjoy every moment of this. Even dared to buy a new short-sleeved t-shirt. Thrilled. Spent last night googling "compression sleeve" and "coping" but couldn't find an online forum. Need to google blogs too.
No support group for lymphedema in South Africa. The Lymph Lady says one of her patients is starting one. I would like to make contact with others who have borderline/highrisk lymphedema like me. Funny though, have never been to a breast cancer or any cancer support group.
I live in Johannesburg, South Africa, where I was diagnosed with breast cancer on Thursday January 15 2009. This is my journey with cancer and other musings as surveyed - initially temporarily hairless - from under my hats.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
this damn sleeve
I have become a stuck record. All I go on about is this damn compression sleeve. Earlier today was thinking, "Oh, this is not too bad. Wearing a sleeveless t-shirt and found I have this fabulous litle white knit which has long sleeves which cover the compression sleeve completely, even the part on my hand." But now I am sitting at my laptop and the damn sleeve is itching and hurting cos my arm is bent and I don't know what I am going to do if I have to wear this permanently. Seeing The Lymph Lady tomorrow, after an absence of two weeks while she has been in Spain. This past week have been wearing it for one day, then off for two. So can now pack clothes for after gym tomorrow that are not long-sleeved - bliss!
Praying praying praying and wishing that I won't have to wear this every day.
Praying praying praying and wishing that I won't have to wear this every day.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
haven't written for weeks
Think I know why I haven't written for weeks. Firstly, cos this arm thing is still in limbo. That is, still under threat of developing lymphedema in my left arm and this is my second week of alternating days with and without the compression sleeve. This week it is two days off and one day one. And have to admit my arm does not feel good and even the biokineticist said this morning that it seems more swollen in the middle of the upper arm. And it feels swollen too. I am just trying not to think about it. Tomorrow I have to wear the damn thing again.
The second reason I haven't written is that I hurt my neck.It's better now but it got to the point where I couldn't move my neck. Then the anti-inflammatories I had to take made me feel nauseous and generally awful. Horrendous. Was at a cocktail party on Monday evening where I felt I was going to keel over. Haven't felt like that since I was on chemo. Then I had an excuse and would have sat down. This time I kept standing.
Anyway, four physio sessions later and lots of nausea later and I am fine.
But found the ordeal horrifying and scary and really yucky to feel so ill and be so debilitated.
Kinda worried about my arm too. Actually, it was a relief to start worrying about my arm again. Then I knew I was ok again. Only really today that I am ok and there was a time I was feeling flaky. Last night felt ill during most of yoga.
Tired now. Twenty minutes to midnight. And still lots to do. Plus lymph massage and just remembering that I did not sleep much last night as had upset stomach - think it was from the anti-inflammatories - and had to wait till I felt ok before I could take my cholesterol pills and so ended up going to sleep very very late. No wonder I am feeling so tired. Damn. Have the dishes soaking in the basin. And now soooo - is it "toooooo"? - lazy to wash them.
The second reason I haven't written is that I hurt my neck.It's better now but it got to the point where I couldn't move my neck. Then the anti-inflammatories I had to take made me feel nauseous and generally awful. Horrendous. Was at a cocktail party on Monday evening where I felt I was going to keel over. Haven't felt like that since I was on chemo. Then I had an excuse and would have sat down. This time I kept standing.
Anyway, four physio sessions later and lots of nausea later and I am fine.
But found the ordeal horrifying and scary and really yucky to feel so ill and be so debilitated.
Kinda worried about my arm too. Actually, it was a relief to start worrying about my arm again. Then I knew I was ok again. Only really today that I am ok and there was a time I was feeling flaky. Last night felt ill during most of yoga.
Tired now. Twenty minutes to midnight. And still lots to do. Plus lymph massage and just remembering that I did not sleep much last night as had upset stomach - think it was from the anti-inflammatories - and had to wait till I felt ok before I could take my cholesterol pills and so ended up going to sleep very very late. No wonder I am feeling so tired. Damn. Have the dishes soaking in the basin. And now soooo - is it "toooooo"? - lazy to wash them.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Phew!
Arm fine..... Still doing variations of one day off, one day on of the compression sleeve while The Lymph Lady is in Spain for 2 weeks - conference plus holiday - but sooooooo relieved and happy to be stepping out for jewish new year dinner in flimsy see-through top; minus sleeve!
Friday, September 3, 2010
In purgatory
Doing one day on, one day off with the compression sleeve. Except that I wore it for 2 days in a row now so that I could have my arm free - and wear short sleeves - at a party tomorrow evening. It's like being in purgatory: on wednesday I see The Lymph Lady again and will find out whether I have to wear it permanently or not, Must admit my arm is not feeling fantastic. Taken to ripping sleeve off after 10pm wherever I am. Did it in a restaurant tonight. The Lymph Lady says that's when normal people go to sleep and it was getting so damn itchy cos my arm was bent while eating and drinking. At work all day was so busy didn't even think about it. And did gym in a long-sleeved t-shirt this morning,
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