GRRRRRRRRR I HATE LE..........
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Paty, I only wear the glove at times as it does sometimes trap fluid up on the dorsum of my hand--I had to experiment with a few off the shelf gloves, inserts--foam or pads on the palm or top of the hand, and finally I got a good custom glove.
I get the most "bang for my buck" by wrapping at night, with foam pieces on the hand.
Another trick to get fluid out of the hand: raise your arms overhead and pump your fists. Try to do it 10-20 times, a few times a day.
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Kira, this visual and description is really helpful.
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Paty, you've got everything in the right order--all those tests, treatments and doctors visits come first. The PT will keep until you have a moment to catch your breath. Bummer, though!
When you can grab a moment for lymphedema, your therapist should be able to prioritize treatments so that comfort and control come first and all the "extras" can be added later as you're able. Lymphedema is a continual steep learning curve, but lots can be done quickly when appointment time and energy is limited.I've asked your question about cancer spread to people who study such things they tell me that metastesis is far more complicated on a cellular level than that. We who aren't scientists picture it as a simple matter of some cancer cell sitting quietly in place, then we jog it along with our lymph drainage massage and suddenly it's somewhere else, madly multiplying. Scientists picture it differently, as there are likely rogue cells in everyone's bodies and they don't all start to grow into nasty cancers. Something has to trigger that, and that triggeriing process is much more complicated chemically than our simple "picture" takes into account.
Also, our lymph systems are always at work, pumping lymph fluid. As you probably already know, our muscles help push lymph fluid through the vessels whenever we move. The tiny compartments that make up the lymph vessels (called lymphangions) also have a weak but steady pumping action that moves lymph around our bodies. Manual lymph drainage (MLD) helps to move fluid from between the cells back into the lymph system more efficiently, but if you didn't want to move any lymph from one part of your body to another for fear of moving cancer cells, you'd have to lie perfectly still and find a way to turn off the pumping action of the lymphangions. In other words, while MLD may make lymph movement more efficient, it sure isn't a deciding factor in that movement.
I hope some of that makes sense, and I hope it helps even a little.
A recurrence is hard enough to deal with, without all the "what-ifs"!
Teka's use of MO is short for medical oncologist. She just means she's calling her oncologist and will see him tomorrow. Teka, keep us posted!!
Hugs all around,
Binney0 -
Thank you Kira for the pics you posted.You and Binney make living with this ugly disease soo much easier.
Bless both of you.hugggggggs K
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Kira,
Thanks for the diagrams. They make things clearer than they were before to me!
Dawn0 -
Hi ducky. I wish I could say something to make you feel better, but all I can say is I'm right there with you. I hope tomorrow is better for us both. I'm having a heck of a time doing what I am supposed to do to keep cancer away. I just don't seem to care about living anymore. However, tomorrow might be better.
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((((((((((((((((((((((((Ducky))))))))))))))))
its gotta get betta,it will get betta.time sista....its with us and against us all the time
I have been thinkin of you...just wish i could give you a hugggg.
special prayer for you tonite.
I miss you
huggggggggggggs K
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Thanks for caring.............wish I could get myself out of this "funk", but it just won't go away...its just everything....end of summer, closing the shore house, LE, so much ankle, feet, and leg edema from the meds...........I just want to feel good again................I mean really good, not just better then the day before.................I know that is asking for a lot, but I guess I can hope............isn't that all we really have...........................hugs
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Hey, ducky, it's ok to be in a funk you know; it's ok to grieve. Autumn always makes me nostalgic anyway, it's even harder now, in some ways. But give it a couple of weeks and the nights will turn crisp and the sun will shine and your beautiful Philadelphia trees will flame into colour--there's life in the old girl yet!!!
BIG STRONG HUGS--and do those breathing excercises, they seem to be helping me mentally as well as physically.
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Ducky: close your eyes and imagine God or your favorite person is swinging on a porch swing holding you close.. I'm there with you..***HUGS***
Binney or anyone else - If surgeon says no MLD for 2 weeks - Can I still wear my sleeve as a precaution while working???
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Good Moring.....Hope all has a good day...........Has anyone here ever come across the website....BEYONE THE BOOBIE TRAP.....somehow I happened upon it and listened to the video and it was a great help to me.......Liz
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Gma, I'd say yes. The action of MLD is to move fluid toward your trunk, where you don't want to encourage swelling now and can't do a thorough job of draining due to new wounds. The garments don't move fluid, they just keep it from accumulating, so that's a GOOD thing.
Ducky, even in your grieving I'm looking forward with you to exactly those days you're hoping for--and soon!
Be well!
Binney0 -
Quick question.
The fist pumping trick doesn't seem to work for me in moving any fluid out of my hand. Am I the only one?
My glove makes a nice fuild collector. I take it off an look at my swollen hand.
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Help!!!!!
last nite my boob felt a little sore sooo i put on my after surgery bra,did my exercises,deep breathing and this morning i had sooo much burning pain in my boob i had to not only take off that harness im braless now with my shirt inside out...my boob is swollen and burning.my mind is blank.I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO....im goin for my evaluation on wed.tomorrow is the obgyn.
Im sick and tired of being sick and tired.
I hear ya Ducky!!!!!!!
Grrrrrrrrrrrr I hate this LE.
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Granny - so sorry you are going through this...Breathe... water... elevate.... is hot too? if it is you need to go see someone asap... I understand Granny... it is very scary... I sent Binney a PM.. so hopefully she can tell you more.. here is the emergency site!!! I am in your pocket, blowing trying to keep you cool.... but really - see someone..
http://stepup-speakout.org/Emergencies_and_Medical_Care_lymphedema.htm
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Grannydukes I was also told no MLD for 3 weeks after surgery...
But if it is also hot - and swollen - get into see your doc asap - ok? here is the emergency site if you need help on what else to do
http://stepup-speakout.org/Emergencies_and_Medical_Care_lymphedema.htm
I did PM Binney so she might be able to help.
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Thanks Jo.
I called the LE therapist and told her what happened.She cannot tell over the phone and i never saw her but she did tell me to ice it 10 min on and off and call my Dr.maybe an infection.im goin to the obgyn tomorrow and ill let her look at it...i dont take pain meds because of stomach issues.havnt taken anything for pain its almost 2 yrs...
i can do this...i know i can do this.
everything bothers that boob even the seams on my shirt.
im gonna do nothing just like you said unless binney or kara tell me different....
any bra would bother the crap out of me.grrrrrrrrrrrrr.
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Gma---its not hot but yes it is swollen.Thank you both for the quick response.
i have a bag of peas on it now.
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Grannydukes, do NOT wait until tomorrow. The kind of infection that comes with LE can spread like wildfire and you will need the ICU instead of the ER. Please go now. This isn't an endurance test, it's an emergency.
Really gentle hugs and a push out the door!
Binney0 -
Binney----i did the ice and i swear to you i feel betta.really i do.its still swollen but not like it was and the pain is not as bad either.Do you still think i need to run to the dr?
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Anybody got an answer to this question?
Quick question.
The fist pumping trick doesn't seem to work for me in moving any fluid out of my hand. Am I the only one?
My glove makes a nice fuild collector. I take it off an look at my swollen hand.
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Grannydukes, the risk you run with this is huge, but you're the only one who can make the judgement call. Maybe it's not cellulitis at all, but the question is, just in case it is, would you rather deal with it now or in the middle of the night? While it's just swelling and pain, or when it's fever and rapidly-spreading redness? When it can be treated with oral antibiotics, or when you have to spend a few days in the hospital on an IV? It's really hard to take in the way LE has changed our infection risk. And we sure don't want to be accused of being wimps and alarmists. But with LE, any sign of possible infection is worthy of our prompt attention.
Your therapist suggested brief ice, and calling your doctor. AT LEAST call your doctor right away and talk to the after-hours person. Say words like "lymphedema" and "cellulitis" so they get the picture and then see what they suggest.
Binney, who is not a doctor!
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Karol, your old bridge personal taxi is at your service so yell if you need a ride to docs or your choice of ER!
listen to the non doc/binney!
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I called the obgyn and she said it doesnt sound like cellulitis but that is not her field.She told me to call my BS.well i just left a message with her service and im waiting for my dr.to call me back.I read her your message.
every word of it.....
I DONT WANT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL DURING THE NITE AND IF I CALL 911 THEY WILL TAKE ME TO THE CLOSEST HOSPITAL WHICH IS A SLAUTER HOUSE!!!
Ill keep you posted....and yes Binney is the closest to a dr i know!!!
im scared but my gut tells me it is not cellulitis....
Grannydukes knows nothing about all this crap.....my gut doesnt want it to be bad.
just praying that BS calls me back soon.
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if you call me dear you will go to which ever hospital you want!
try not for the middle of the night, now is better
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Chapter 2---my BS called me and she said as long as it is not red and i dont have any fever and the pain is less and less i should be safe tonite.she wants to see me tomorrow.Im all set with my transportation.they will pick me up at 7am.
If for some reason it gets worst i will call the person in charge of my transportation and somehow she will get me to my hospital not the local one......so yes im takin a chance for tonite but i iced it again and i really do feel so much betta.Even the swelling went down...I do have the craziest body in the world.I wanna donate it to science.boy would they have a ball with me.
Thanks once again Binney.....I appreciate it very much.gotta go to bed early.7am is not my fav.time.
Ill keep you posted..hugggggggggs K
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Grannydukes, sleep well! Thank you for checking it out so thoroughly--now we can all sleep well!
Big bedtime hug!
Binney0 -
thank you Binney for all your concern.I just got a pm from a sista who lives near me offering me a ride anytime during the nite if i need it....
sistas helping sistas....
love all of you
grannydukes
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Granny.........hope your ok............God help us all..........I don't know how much more of this I can handle......wasn't cancer enough......................I handled the cancer well..........the LE has got me so down, and its not like I'm not trying.............
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Ducky,
Thank you for posting how you're feeling......it is so good to know that I'm not the only one that thinks these things and feels these things. I have found the le to be far more depressing than the cancer ever was.
djls
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