Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
Comments
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Dawne, the long car ride after a stressful weekend and a brewing storm is a lousy combination. Sounds like you have a good plan of action, though, and I hope you feel better later today.
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Becky, how frightening that your house had high CO2. A monitor is a life saver and I'm so glad you caught this on returning to the house. Aside from that scare, it sounds like you are staying in motion and having fun doing it, so you must be windshielding this week.
I had a pretty good day, ending the workday with a one-hour walk that included a couple of miles on a riverwalk and a pretty steep hill, which certainly got my heart's attention when I had to climb it on the way back from the river. All told, I logged 5.6 miles today. I'll confess to feeling pooped now!
I'm crabby too, because at my LE therapist's suggestion, I was measured for a bra and worked with the lingerie shop owner to find one with particular support in a spot on one noob that pools with fluid. I wore it yesterday and thought it made the problem worse, but today I tried again, doing a good bit of bend/wiggle/shake when putting it on, to try to position that girl just right. Didn't help, and when I changed into walking clothing, I was not at all happy with the outcome. Good thing I brought a second bra I can switch to. I fear this means I'm headed for a custom bra, and that saddens me, because of both the process and expense to go through to get one, and the image I have that these things are basically torture devices. Please, someone tell me that a prescription compression bra doesn't have to strap you in like you're going to hang from a parachute!
On all other fronts, it has been a great day; the walk was beautiful in very pleasant weather, so good feelings outweight complaints for sure. And Tina, I cannot believe it has been a month since you started this! I am sure that had you not initiated this community, there are days I would have skipped exercise, MLD, etc., but reporting in to everyone here saved me from myself! Thank you for getting us going.
Carol
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How did I miss that part of Becky's post? Glad everything is resolved, but that must have been frightening.
Carol, a friend of mine who is a PT has a wife who had a bilateral mastectomy and implant recon. She had terrible problems with bra fitting/discomfort and finally went for a custom. He said they weren't that expensive and much nicer than the bras covered by insurance. She was thrilled about the way it looked and felt. She doesn't have LE, but I don't think custom has to mean an LE bra that looks like a medical torture device. It might be exactly the opposite!0 -
Greetings all!
Well, I went to the fitter today and she had all kinds of goodies for me. I got two sets of LE sleeves with gauntlets. She got approval for two bras for me, and a new "Foam Sleeve" for sleeping. She measured me for bras and I found out I have been buying the wrong size for years. I always thought I was a C cup, but I am a D, and the BC breast is DD! I got a silicone "implant" to put in the sleeve of the new bras, for now it goes on my good side. My BC and LE are on my right, dominant side. I got bras that were in stock, tried on a few and these were pretty with a little lace on top. They look like normal bras. Exciting stuff! I got a black and a white one. My least favorite thing is the Foam Sleeve. I am supposed to wear it to bed, and the thing looks like a shotgun case! OMG it is huge and clunky. It came with yet another sleeve over top more more compression. That is a leopard pattern. You really cannot hide the big ugly thing under it LOL. I hope i can wear it. I sleep so terribly hot and of course my new night sweats don't help one bit.
So it was a good day as far as qualifing for the garments I got today. I did also walk my dogs twice, not real far but about 20-25 minutes each walk. Baby steps. I was pretty good with my eating too. I am trying.
Thanks all for the welcomes and encouragement!
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Janis- wow that is nice you got 2 sets of gloves/sleeves. one in wash and one on you!
Just watch the bras are not too tight around. Watch for any tenderness while you wear them and check for any indentations when you take them off. If so they are tight and can trap lymph.
Love the shotgun case joke! it is so true. I don't have one yet but my jovipak day sleeve looks similar.I think Binney and some girls put the night foam sleeve in the fridge/freezer to keep it cool in the summer. Ask your night sleeve provider if you can do this.
For the night sweats I went to costco and got a mens huge running tee shirt made with coolmax in it. It was under 20 bucks. When you sweat in it it drys pretty fast and ready for the next sweat off. I had 2 but thank goodness I am over that phase.
Janis, you have motivated me with your dog walks. It is 10pm here and I am going straight to the lebed DVD and going to do my thing! Thanks for the encouragement. It was so rainy on the west coast today that I skipped my walk. Yikes!
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Justmejanis, what a terrific day! Congrats on qualifying for all of your garments. It's wonderful you could bring everything home, too. And bras that are pretty? Love it. What a great start - dog walking definitely counts. I look forward to hearing more about your foam sleeve for sleeping.
Hey, Hugz, great advice about the bras and being aware of whether they trap lymph fluid. Thanks for the Lebed reminder, as I do need to start doing some parts of it again. I have been letting the Hulk move take it's place lately.
I'm quickly checking in, as I need to get to sleep asap. MLD in morning, compression garments and inserts all day, lots of water. I dug out an old exercise DVD, sort of like Pilates, and did a one hour workout. I am already hobbling around! I forgot some of those muscles in my legs and butt existed! I decided the stairs would be too much on top of that. Have done node clearing a couple of times tonight and finishing MLD before I crash.
Bummed I didn't get to walk outside today - I have been inside way too much lately. Anyway, was waiting for periodic updates from my husband about my mother. She started off kind of crabby, but she listened to my husband and actually got out of bed and sat in her wheelchair for two hours. PTs and nurse monitored her vitals in bed and then once she had been sitting for while. Everything was much improved, so I hope this will demonstrate to her why she needs to start moving again. Husband said that PT's seemed content with her sitting and were ready for her to get back in bed for a nap, but he suggested she try standing and taking a couple of steps. She did it! Then she sat back down. He urged her to try it once more before she got back in bed, and she did it a second time. My husband said she actually had a smile on her face while sitting in chair and seemed pleased with herself. Everyone gave her a lot of praise. Husband switched flight home from tomorrow to Saturday to make sure she gets in a groove. I love that man!0 -
Janis, what a bonanza!
(Though it is sorta pathetic what we get excited about these days, isn't it? Only another lympher could understand!)Can't wait for a report on last night's first experience sleeping with the shotgun case. Leopard print oversleeve, huh? Very sexy--NOT! <sigh!> Keep us posted on how all the new goodies fit.
Hugz, brilliant idea on the coolmax men's shirt! Those coolmax nighties are priced like ball gowns. (On the other hand, they don't look like ultra-large men's t-shirts, but hey!
) Tina, DH was the right person to send for the job, obviously -- perfect! Huge load off your mind, yes? (Not entirely, of course, but for the moment anyway...)
Carol, short of a custom vest/bra, what else have you tried? What kind of custom bra is she suggesting?
I topped 10,000 steps yesterday -- yes! 10,377 to be exact (well, as exact as the pedometer is, anyway). Especially good because trying to add steps breaks up the time I sit at the computer, and that's a good thing--it's always hard for me to change activities and take a break, but counting steps made it motivating. Also did a lot of dog training (when I don't wear the pedometer because my pedometer pocket is stuffed with dog kibble
), so I'm glowing with pride and hope I can repeat the feat today. It's hard to be consistent because...well, life distracts, y'know?
Hugs all around,
Binney0 -
Hugz......thank you for the bra advice. Hoping because she measured it and she is a certified fitter, she got the size right. I will keep any eye on myself for any trouble spots.
I slept in the Foam Sleeve last night and it was not too bad. When you first put it on it feels strange, like a huge oven mitt that goes to the shoulder. It does not cover the fingers or thumb which is good. I have to bend this arm to sleep and had no problem despite thinking it would not work. It is not hot here yet so I did fine. So glad I motivated you to exercise. Me? LOL. Well good girl! It takes a lot of motivation to do this. I am going to stick to walks for now.
Tina that is great you are exercising. I really need to find out more information on good exercies. I did not get a chance to read all the links Binney provided. I will eventually. I admire everyone who can stick to an exercise plan. Great job ladies!!
Janis
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Soooo..it's sunny and my new tenant got a dog and will let me walk him. No excuses any more. Now I have a permanent walking buddy. Too bad they don't allow dogs on the beach boardwalk where I usually do my favourite walk though.Grrrr. Still a walk,s a walk. Now where did I put that darn pedometer?
Oh, by the way. I can hear all the way from here that your dogs are calling you for a walk too!
Janis, Your homework today is to go and get the leash and you know the rest..Bow wow.
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Binney, way to go on 10,000+ steps! And really more, because you worked with the dogs without the pedometer. Hugz, borrowing a dog is masterful, but it is sad when dogs are not allowed on a beach because some people have ruined that fun by not cleaning up after their pooches. We love to take our dog to places where he can run like the wind, but those are hard to find, because so many of our beautiful beaches and parks either prohibit dogs or require them to be on a six-foot leash.
Janis, good luck sleeping with a contraption attached to your arm. I would have a hard time with that. So far I have never needed night time compression, and I think I would have a difficult time adjusting.
Tina, you are clearly married to a saint! Lucky, lucky Tina!
Binney, on my bra issues, it's not that my therapist suggested a custom bra, I'm just wondering if that's an inevitable step. I need to find a way to put pressure on one breast, pressing in from the midline between the breasts, and up from under the breast. The bra I had professionally fitted seemed at first to take care of that, but apparently after some time wearing the bra, the separator panel between the cups forms a bridge between the breasts instead of holding them separate. So, no pressure from the midline. My LE therapist thought a well fitted bra, replacing the softer, more elastic ones I had been wearing, would provide the needed support to prevent fluid pooling near that centerline. It did not work, so back to the drawing board. Is there a 'J' shaped swell spot that can go into a bra, and if so, does it stay in place, or is a custom bra needed to hold it still?
LE sure does feel like one long and expensive trial-and-error treatment program.
Carol
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Carol, try two swell spots. They stay pretty well, or you can pin them. You might want to PM OneBadBoob/Jane, because that's her problem area too and she's got it under control with assorted swell spots.
Okay, what I was trying to say earlier without actually saying it is: before you order a custom chest compression garment, do check in here, because the general run of experiences with the custom chest stuff is, uh, not real positive.
If you ask me, it would not be an insurmountable problem for some compression garment company to come up with great design ideas in a lovely fabric that can address the various problem areas we have with truncal LE. (But then, nobody's asking me, are they?!) The issue you're talking about where the panel between the cups forms a bridge is, cleverly enough, actually called "bridging." It's difficult to address, but it shouldn't be impossible, and smooshing everything together into one unattractive "loaf" shouldn't be necessary either. Cleavage, you garment designer people!!!
Nevermind, they'll get around to it one of these days, if only because we all keep after them. Together we can make a difference! (Hmmm, is there an echo in here?
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Binney0 -
Binney, thanks, and now a dumb question: Can I order swell spots from an online source, or do I need to pay my LE therapist for an appointment to do some kind of measurement and document the visit so she can write a prescription? I have to pay for the 'equipment' regardless as I am quite unlikely to meet insurance deductible this year, and for all I know, insurance doesn't cover these things anyway.
Carol
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Carol, I've never tried getting a Rx for these and billing them to insurance, but it would be worth a try, as at least they'd apply to your deductable, yes? Can you get your onc's office to send you a Rx? I don't make special appointments for them because the doctor and his troop of nurses don't have a clue what to suggest, they just prescribe what I ask for.
You could ask your therapist about other options as well, that you can cut to shape yourself from a sheet. I use "chocolate bars" sometimes, when I need something more aggressive than a Swell Spot. There's "spaghetti foam" too. The sheets of these products are expensive, but since you cut smallish pieces of them one sheet could last years.
You can buy everything online. Look over the Solaris site (and you could check the JoviPak site too, if you don't mind searching through their stupid "bubble" homepage) and decide what you want and then go comparison shopping at the various LE suppliers. Don't you wish we could shop at an LE store in person? We'd be able to spot exactly what we needed, y'know?
Dream on!
Binney0 -
P.S.-Just to be clear, when I wrote "ask your therapist" I meant just email or call her -- it's not something you need an appointment for.
Binney0 -
Thank you again, Binney. I'll work on this. My therapist is lovely, and she has helped me quite a bit, but she's not good at all about returning calls or responding to email. She is spread very thin, so I guess that's the part of her job that suffers.
For today's LE care, I can report that I began with some abbreviated MLD, and I will in a few moments end my day with a longer, slower MLD session.
As for exercise, I can happily report that I did...nothing! After work today I relocated to an airport hotel, in preparation for a super early flight home in the morning, and then -- the reason I can HAPPILY say that I skipped my usual evening walk--I had dinner and a 4-hour chat with...Tina337!!!!!! This week I have been working in a city not far from Tina's home, so we arranged to meet.
We had a wonderful chance to swap LE experiences and more important, to get to know a bit about each others' lives outside LE. Tina showed me her portfolio of drawings, including the one that she uses as her avatar. Simply gorgeous images that are full of vibrant color and movement!
So, we exercised our jawbones, and boy did we get a lot of miles in that way.
How wonderful it is when something as crappy as LE can become a stepping stone to friendships we would not otherwise have chanced upon.
Carol
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Carol, you summarized the evening well, and I don't have much to add, except to say that my jawbone is exhausted! I had a wonderful time, and it was a pleasure to meet you. When I arrived home, I changed into my workout clothes and did 500 steps . . . Did I have you going for a minute?
I can report that today I did nothing as far as exercise or MLD. I wore compression garments, but I am going without tonight. I am pooped and will have to catch up on things here tomorrow.0 -
Oh, I am jealous Tina and Carol got to meet in person! That is great.
For two days I have only done my two MLDs, Lebeds and NOTHING--except sightsee and walk around with my company. They leave today but later and I have a support group meeting to attend. I will be back in full force tomorrow! I can feel the lack of or decrease in cardio with lethargy.
Binney--Great on the 10,000 steps. What is the magic number to make it a habit? 3, 10, 13? Only one time to break it. Maybe we should just all try for a daily target of 10,000. Easier said than done.
Janis-I wear a jovipak at night that sounds a lot like your foam sleeve. Mine goes all the way to my fingertips and is one piece. I was so sure it would never bend but it does. My mother calls it my giant potholder. If and when my therapist says I can go one night without wearing it I think I will be lost.
Carol-I got a Solaris breast swell spot from Bandages Plus. My therapist asked the fitter she sends my measurements to about it and they said insurance would not pay for it. I would have liked the jovipak one but it was really expensive. It did have a flow down to the groin also as Solaris did not. As you say trial and error. I wear mine at night and it helps tremendously. My prosthesis seems to help the swelling in the daytime.
I may need to get a dog since all of you seem to have one or more.
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Becky, I am looking forward to meeting you this summer in Knoxville. I really wish I could meet all of you in person. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could have a big gathering in a central location?
I was told it takes 3 wks to break or make a habit. That was when I was trying to quit smoking umpteen years ago. For something like that, which for me was more a physical than psychological addiction, yes, one cigarette and I was done. It was always an all or nothing thing. I guess it didn't have to be, but that drug was a powerful one for me to resist.
I don't believe the same holds true for exercise. It was my understanding that after three days of not exercising, you start to have the initial losses of strength. I think once you are really in the swing and exercise has been a habit for several months, a couple of days off doesn't mean you are a goner. Vacations or visitors don't mean all is lost. You anticipate you will take a few days off and know that when they are over, that you are committed to start again. The main thing is to actually start again. You should be fine, Becky. I don't doubt you are experiencing some fatigue from not exercising as much. Your body has become quite used to getting that jolt of energy.
For me right now, I am wavering a little with consistency and MLD. I did wake up early this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, so I did a full MLD. I am going to wrap my arm later today as practice and see if I can keep in on overnight. My off the shelf sleeve has been bothering my arm, so I think if I can only tolerate that for a short period, then I need to wrap for a while until my custom things arrive. Definitely going outside for a walk today!! Plan to do some other exercises as well. Will report back later.
Binney, I should have known you would have accurate info on how to handle swelling when one has breasts or noobs. Sounds like there is a big difference between a regular custom bra and a custom compression bra.0 -
Becky, I suspect you got more of a workout than you realize, walking with your visitors. I believe that the feel-good moments after exercising helps tremendously to get us back on track, so long as we don't skip exercise so much that we're sore instead of feeling good afterward!
Today I skipped morning MLD--up at 4:45 for an early flight, and somehow setting the alarm even earlier just was too much to bear. I'll play catch up tonight. I had a flight delay that gifted me with a 3-hour layover, so I used the time to walk. I did one hour of very speedy walking, fast enough to raise my heartrate, and then another 40 minutes or so at a more leisurely pace. I have about 6.5 miles on my pedometer so far today and will be strolling around beautiful Holland, Michigan this evening with DH!
I've been looking at all the 'devices' on the Bandages Plus website, and they don't give dimensions (how helpful is that?) for the swell spots and similar items. I'll need to invest more time as Binney suggests, looking at the manufacturers' websites to decide what looks like it might work, and then shopping for it online. Or--have any of you sewn any DIY swell spots? The photos suggest these are not complicated devices. What is in them?
I also am considering getting the Wear Ease Slimmer cami, and I have a question about that, too. Is it comfortable wearing over a bra (so I can get the cup support I need)? Or is the compression configured so that the chest area functions much as a bra would, and I could tuck the needed swell spot(s) in the cami and they would stay put? I know our fitness group includes of mix of those of us who did recon and those who did not, and some who wear protheses and some who do not (my, we are a diverse group!). So perhaps someone in the wears-a-bra group has an opinion about the Wear Ease Slimmer over a bra (or not to wear the bra).
I did just speak with my LE therapist, who must have ESP because she called me to follow up on this very topic from our last visit--calling just as I was typing this post. She suggests trying to insert some of the Komprex shapes into my bra to add some support from the midline inward. Anyone have an opinion on Komprex?
Thanks for any and all advice--
Carol
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Hi, Carol,
I have a small piece of a Komprex II sheet my therapist gave me (the whole thing is around $60, so you might want to go together with another lympher to buy a sheet and split it). http://www.lymphedemaproducts.com/products/komprex2-sheet.html
It's a good thing, just have to be careful to set it in the proper dirtection so the ridges act like directional stitching, and wear the soft side against your skin. Anything made of foam can cause skin irritation if it's directly on the skin, so I wrap my foam shape thingys in a bit of stockinette.Swell Spots (and night garments) are stuffed with medical grade chipped foam pieces, which you can buy by the bag at places like Bandages Plus:
http://www.bandagesplus.com/prd/152/783/Foam-Chip-Bag.html
Lots of therapists stitch up their own swell-spot-like items for specific applications. (And appropriately enough, they call them "chip bags".) So can you. Faux doe-skin fabric is nice, or any fabric that feels soft and very pliable against your skin (and since we're talking about very small quantities needed, the price-per-yard isn't much of an issue). You might want to check your design with your therapist so you're certain the directional stitching goes in the right direction for the intended area.
Do let us know what you come up with!
Binney0 -
Hi ladies! I am behind as always. The last couple of days I have been pretty busy so have not had time to get back here.
Carol,all this talk of garments to me is just overwhelming! My LE therapist has never mentioned wearing vests or any such garments. She is fine with what I currently have. I wear the compression bras and they really seem to help the most. I did get two new bras on Tuesday as well as the giant BBQ mitt. LOL, that is what it reminds me of. Becky, your mom is spot on with the giant potholder comment! It is bulky but not as uncomfortable as I thought. So far I can sleep with it on. Binney, thought you would like to know that. It is designed to replace bandaging. I have a friend who still has to wrap every night and the giant potholder just slides right on. Easy button for sure.
I have to admit to feeling guilty at not sticking to any kind of exercise program. I do my self massage every morning but have not been as loyal about my stretching. I am the worst at getting focused lately and I wish I knew why. I have always been a very organized person and these past months have been terrible.
Today we bathed our dogs and that is a workout in itself. Lots of bending.....and the blow drying takes forever. We have two Golden Retrievers and they are a lot of maintenance. They hate being bathed so we always meet with resistance from them. They aren't awful, but it is not their favorite thing to do. It takes a good 25-35 minutes to blow dry them and so I got some kind of workout at least.
Carol and Tina....how awesome you were able to meet in person. That is wonderful! I would love to meet some of my BC sisters. It sounds like you had a great time.
Hugs to all of you!
Janis
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Janis, how funny! It must be National Golden Washday! We have two Golden doodles who got their baths today too. They don't mind the tub, but you can practically see them rolling their eyes about the drying--really cramps their style. The end result is heavenly, though--soft and gorgeous and they smell just wonderful. Anyway, I can testify that bathing two big dogs is definitely a workout, so shed the guilt!
Carol and Tina, how wonderful! Consider us all right there with you!
Hugs all around,
Binney0 -
Was just so excited that Carol and Tina met. Sounds like you really had jaws a flappin. Count that as a workout for sure. Well I did it. I walked a hour and a half with dog yesterday. But today, me no exercise at all!
On a better note. I am going to a beach cabin for a few days and will definately be walking so you might not hear from me but I will be sweating up a storm and be thinking of all you LE butt kickers.
Yes, I think a dog was is definately exercise. I bet some of you have sore quads from going up and down with the shampoo. Be careful to not tired your LE arms out though. Did someone say Goldendoodles, cause my ears perked up. I want a mini one soooooo bad. I dream Goldendoodles.
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Hugz, that must be a very cute dream! They have all the appeal of a muppet, and their personality is as golden as the rest of them. Only problem is, when we're out in public people just can't leave them alone. Hope your dreams come true real soon!
Binney0 -
All this talk of dogs and Goldens ... I had a yellow lab for twelve years ... had to put her down in 2008 ... she was 12. She was my girl. Loved that dog. I'm scared to get a new one because of lease training ... I've only ever had labs and they are so strong ... my left side is my dominant side and my LE side ... don't know how I'd train one ... but you all are giving me hope.
I'm not a small dog person ... I like big ones. Maybe some day in my future ...Had an 'Aha' moment the last couple of days. In some ways it really is like, "Duh" but ...I HATE do the MLD. I totally despite it ... it feels like a waste of time ... I can't tell that much of a difference and I just feel like my time could be better spent so I rarely do it. But because of you all ... I thought if I'm going to come on here ... I'd better do it ... so I have. What I can tell a difference in ... is cumulative. I can't tell much of a difference after one time ... but if I do it the next day, the next morning, the next evening ... 2x a day every day ... I really can tell a difference.
I have been a bug for a couple of days this week ... but overall ... complete with MLD at least once a day, cardio and light weights ... I'm doing pretty good. I hate that I have to do the MLD but I'm encouraged to know that if I do it every day ... there is a difference.
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Dawne-Hope, what a neat report about the cumulative effect! Excellent reminder--I always want instant results, and it's so easy to give up when I don't get them. Brava for you, and thanks for the inspiration!
There's no law about dogs having to walk on your left side. Train your dog to walk on your right. I know a married couple who are both blind and they each have a guide dog. His leads him from the left, as usual, but hers was trained to lead from the right, so they can walk hand in hand, each with a dog beside them. Or, during the training period, either a Gentle Leader head harness or an EasyWalk harness can help reduce the pull on your arm. Once they get the idea, you can switch gradually back to the collar. There's also an arrangement called a European leash that has several rings and a clip on it for adjusting to different lengths and configurations. You can wear it around your waist or over the unaffected shoulder and just keep your hand on it for guidance--any pull is eased by your waist or opposite shoulder, not your affected arm. Lots of options--go for it!
Binney
P.S.--if you enjoy training, a large dog can be trained to do several jobs for you to ease your arm, from hauling laundry baskets to opening heavy doors. Fun stuff!0 -
Dawne, your insight into the cumulative effect of MLD is spot on, at least in my experience. When I feel good, I am tempted to skip, but it's best when I stay on track. I appreciate your comment, as it comes at a very good time since I've been getting a little lax and skipping my morning MLD. Good reminder - thanks!
Today I walked with a friend around the town where she lives. Enjoyable way to get some exercise, but definitely not as strenuous as the hilly neighborhood. Off to bed to do my MLD.0 -
Ditto Dawne, thanks for the positive MLD report as I've slacked off too and I get really frustrated with whether it's doing anything. I've been a pretty good windshield and I just got my pedometer. Really looking forward to using it. Lots to catch up on here. First, Tina and carol, woohoo! So cool you got to meet. What a great report of the meeting!
Carol, I just got a few swell spots myself to try. Bi ordered them online at lymphedema products and got free shipping. It was a bit trial and error but the crescent shaped ones (I'm sure I got the idea from Binney) are really perfect for under the arm in that stubborn pit swell area. So far, I'm pleased and they were about $20 each.
Feeling like a slug todaybso at the risk of turning into a bug, going to get moving now.0 -
Goddaughter's car broke down before she was to leave yesterday so it is now at dealer and she and little one are still here. I have done my MLD, Lebeds and weights. We are going out to the park for her to play and for me to get some cardio in. If car is done in time I will go to the dam and put in more walking time as it is only going to get to 69 today. It is fun still having a little one around. She is so funny.
I had a miniature schnauzer. It broke my heart when she died. She stayed really small--never more than 11 lbs. My mother does not like animals so I have held off getting another one. I guess she is my pet for now but not as easy to train--lol.
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Both of my Golden's are rescues. We got Murphy at about 4 months old from a bad breeder. He was an easy puppy to train, and is a great dog although poorly bred as many rescue's are. He has some medical problems and anxiety as well. We got Sampson from a Golden Retriever Rescue in Colorado. He was an adult when we got him, came with few manners. Typical Golden though, the need to please is so strong and he is a delight. We have had him six years now. I lost my first Golden, Spencer, to a rare cancer when he was just five. Talk about heartbreak. Eight months later we adopted Sampson and he is our joy boy! We lost our 15 year old Border Collie, Sunka, to cancer 2 years ago. It is always so difficult. I HATE cancer!
Okay rant over. I would like to ask a couple of questions. I have been told I do not need to sleep in any garment for my truncal LE. When I wake up in the morning my breast is always sore and swollen, especially in the incision area. Is this normal? It is on my right side, which happens to be the side I sleep on. My arm is never a problem, just the breast. I do my massage a couple of hours after I get up. How often does everyone do the massage, in general? I have stretching exercises too, but I have to admit I have not been good about doing those. I read here about many different exercises and haven't heard of most of them!
Today I have an appointment with my PCP.......I have some issues I really need to address. One may require surgery.....not cancer related but a problem nonetheless. I'll keep you posted!
Have a wonderful day everyone! Hugs to all.....
Janis
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