my three month check-up tomorrow

Had a fabulous holiday in Cape Town. Really enjoyed myself, going out with my dad a lot, eating at Overture in Stellenbosch which was quite an experience with its magnificent view of a "hidden valley", as the name of the farm describes; going to Maynardville open air theatre in Wynberg (why are there no pictures on their website???) to see a brilliant production of The Taming of the Shrew) and just generally having a good time. Oh, also went to The Duchess of Wisbeach (hell, they don't even seem to have their own website) which is oh-so-funky and oh-so-trendy and oh-so-f..-irritating for not having a portable credit card machine... and  discovered (my dad's recommendation) the oh-so-fabulous Sotano in Mouille Point.
Anyway, part of the reason for this build-up is that I spend far too much time moaning on this blog, guess it's my outlet to do so, and I do not want anyone reading this to think I am just a misery who lives in a state of anxiety. For I do not.
Yes, I am anxious about my three-monthly check-up tomorrow. Yes, I am not charmed that my arm was up in a million places on Monday. Yes, am pissed off with myself that I gained 1.2kg on holiday - if I haven't lost it by tomorrow morning will be furious but then guess that the two bars of Chilli Lindt I just had won't do much to further that aim...And yes, not charmed that had swollen glands in my neck since Saturday although I think they might have disappeared today...
Anyway, things are ok. Sure will lose weight, sure my arm will get back to normal and just praying that all is well tomorrow.

the latest on my arm

Spoke to The Lymph Lady today - well, by text on the cellphone - and she advised me to sit tight with my arm. I told her it had been swelling and today is a week since my return from overseas, with its 10-hour flight from Paris to Joburg. My arm had been fine on the day of my return, when I had seen her, swollen in the middle of the upper arm when I saw her again on Tuesday, and been feeling awful ever since: slightly sore and definately swollen although it was been worse.

She told me not to wear a compression sleeve and that it could take a few days for it to settle down (post the flight).

fitted for flying to france

I am sitting here with a compression sleeve on my left arm. Oh, nothing radical has happened although my arm did feel heavier as from yesterday, following herceptin on Friday, number 12 out of 17.
That is why I am wearing it now, reckoned it could only help, but the reason I even have a compression sleeve - number/size 2 - is that I am flying to Monaco and the French Riviera to write a travel piece for work. Leaving on Tuesday night. And the deal with The Lymph Lady is that if I went overseas - I live in South Africa - I have to wear a compression sleeve on the plane.
Was kinda horrified when I heard from The Sleeve Man (and was amazed to find out that his two-man practice is so busy, fitting sleeves, prosthesises (sp?) etc)that I have to wear it not only for the flight, but until I go to bed that night. So, in my case, arriving in France at 6am, catching a connecting flight to Nice I think it is, and so will be wearing the sleeve until I finish cavorting around Monaco, my first destination, late that night.
Must say though, that wearing it is not so bad. It has been hurting around the elbow but it is not such a fakking nightmare. And at least it will be wintry where I am going.
Also wasn't so charmed when The Sleeve Man measured my arms, both arms, and found my left arm was 1cm thicker along the middle upper arm and a whole 2.3cm thicker at the top. Damn.
More worrying, however, it that my arm felt thicker yesterday and today. When I put on a cardigan at work last night (was doing the midnight shift), it was tight around my left upper arm, a horrifying feeling. But seeing The Lymph Lady on Tuesday before I fly out - have not seen her for about a month (well it feels like that but is probably only about 3 weeks) as she was at a conference and then I had to cancel seeing her last week as the appointment clashed with the only time the entire week The Sleeve Man could see me.
Anyway, won't be updating blog while on my trip cos not taking my laptop and cannot update it from my phone as won't have internet access on it, as only doing SMS (text) roaming....
I guess I could take my laptop but really, it is not such a portable one, more designed for home use with a wide screen which is great for writing assignments, and anyway, with the hassle of being unable to carry anything heavy with my left arm or over my left shoulder cos of the lymphedema risk, don't need anything else to carry - already have my fab new purple luggage which consists of a large 50cm bag and a matching smaller one, all on wheels of course, for the cabin.
So wish me bon voyage!
Oh, and nearly forgot. They told me at the oncology centre that cos I am on tamoxifen, I am also at risk of developing a clot so am on ecotrin, which is essentially a coated aspirin, for a few days before, then during, plus a few days after my trip - plus have to wear flight socks during the trip...
But what the hell. Will all be fine. More concerned about acclimatising myself for the colder climate and leaving in warm weather and arriving in cold and so how to juggle clothes on the plane, than anything else......