I’ve been quietly ignoring my body’s signals that something is wrong. I am not in any pain, other than slight embarrassment and extreme annoyance, but my body is definitely reacting to the way that I am reacting to my environment. In case you were wondering, I feel just fine. I do have, however, a small problem that could escalate into a larger issue if I don’t take preventative steps to handle it.
I am talking about lymphedema. Lymphedema is an occurrence where you experience swelling in an extremity (arms, legs) because the body is incapable of moving the fluid through properly and it collects/pools in those areas. I was told that this could happen after my mastectomy because I was having lymph nodes removed. I sincerely hoped that it wouldn’t happen. My plastic surgeon warned me that my reconstruction surgery would aggravate the condition but I chose to go ahead with it and take the chance that it wouldn’t happen. Or if it did happen, it wouldn’t be horrible.
Well… two things. It’s happening. And it’s really annoying. (Hence the blue annoyed face)
If you’re wondering how you cure it – well, you don’t. What you can do is work to prevent it from occurring too often, and try to keep yourself in a position where it doesn’t get outrageously bad.
It is no secret that I’m a little vain. I think I’m a hottie and I’d like to keep that image of myself intact. But… uh, when one arm is larger than the other, it is not a good look. Ya know? I haven’t been making a big deal of it to myself because the swelling is rather mild and I can still function as well as I have been since these surgeries. But, I am going to be hopping on and off planes quite a bit over the next few weeks and flying aggravates the condition.
Sigh.
I am really annoyed with myself. But, my annoyance did result in one thing: I finally made the call I needed to make to meet with a physical therapist who can help me with it – and hopefully she will be able to help me work on regaining my full range of motion with that arm as well.
I’ve been reading some interesting and conflicting recommendations for women who have gone through mastectomies and reconstruction. When I came out of the hospital after my mastectomy, I was advised not to carry anything heavy with that arm. (I guess they did not get the memo that Nic likes nice bags – big ones too) Not to have any injections or have my blood pressure taken with that arm. To be diligent about trying not to get insect bites on that arm as well. As any and all of these things could cause my arm to swell. I’ve been doing that. However, recently I’ve read a few articles that suggest that weight lifting and or other exercises could be beneficial to women like myself.
Hmph. I wish someone had told me this a year ago. I’ve been wandering around like a crazy woman over-protecting this arm and whatnot and I could have been working out and getting myself together. (sigh)
Ok. I lie. I probably wouldn’t have done that – but at least I would have known that I should. (laughs)
At any rate, after I return from my mini-vacation in May, I head straight to the physical therapist to get this arm straight. It seems that no matter how I try to avoid it, exercise (real exercise too, not that fake kind I’ve been trying to get away with) has to become a part of my life going forward. Ugh.
Somewhere my friend Lisa is smiling…
Pfft… personal trainers, I tell ya.
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