Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
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Ok, I tramped the streets for 45 min. Did my daily therapeutic stretches. Breathed deep belly breathes.
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hugz4u I did the new (FIT) colon screening test today, much simpler. Have you heard about it?
Got some bw results back too -- HDL is up despite the anastrozole, now if I could just sleep a little better -- Group walk tomorrow morning.
Goodnight - Kathy
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As some of you know, I had a bout of temporary insanity in December and signed up for a half marathon. I'm just a recreational runner who enjoys the occasional 5K or 10K - I don't know what possessed me. Anyway, it's this Sunday. I've been training diligently since December, but wouldn't you know that a rountrip cross country flight I took the second week of April triggered a nasty truncal flare. (Despite doing EVERYTHING right!) I've been diligently working on it, and thought I was getting it under control, but no luck.
My wonderful LET squeezed me in for a 90 minute session this morning - she said she could feel extra fluid not only in my belly where I was especially conscious of it, but under the arm and on the upper back. She moved a lot stuff out, and told me to drink tons of water between now and then and to really concentrate on my deep belly breathing during the race. And of course this goes along with my usual MLD, Lebeds, Tribute and Flexitouch. And she was firm that I should wear my Underarmour compression vest during the run. All the stuff we all know anyway, but it's good to get an official reminder now and then!
You know how sometimes a good LET-performed MLD session seems to "open the floodgates" and drain a lot of fluid for a few days? I'm hoping that's the case - I was NOT looking forward running the longest race of my life with a few pounds of extra lymphatic fluid sloshing around! I'll also see her Monday and Thursday of next week to keep things moving. I also gave her a copy of the LE & Exercise materials from SUSO, so I'll be interested to hear her reaction.
By the way, I HATE LE!!!!
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NatsFan, you're not insane, you're incredibly motivated! I'll be thinking of you on Sunday, that's for sure, and sending good karma your way between now and then, hoping to send that excess lymph to another planet. If you don't have time to check in here before the big race, GOOD LUCK and have fun!
I've been buried in work, including some travel these past few days, so barely looked at bco lately. On the exercise front, I'm holding my own, making my daily 4-mile walking goal almost every day; exceeding it some days. Went to the gym yesterday to workout with the trainer and we moved my upper body weights up a notch, and so far so good today! I really seem to be ok so long as we take care to play by the LE weightlifting rules. Dumbbells don't go up in small increments after a a certain weight, so moving up meant a 25% weight increase for my chest press. So...reduced reps to just 8 instead of 12, and trainer guided my movements to make absolutely sure that my form was perfect.
NatsFan, I hate LE too, but ironically, fear of setting myself up for worse LE keeps me exercising and showing up at the gym, as I do believe that being strong and fit is a good strategy to help avoid arm trauma and drama when picking up anything heavy in daily life. I would not be such an exercise regular if I did not have LE fear nagging away at me. Fitness is of course, good for us all around. Is this fitness motivation the silver lining in the LE cloud?
My daughter and grandchildren arrive Sunday for a few days, which reminds me of one of the most important reasons why it's so important to me to train with progressively heavier weights. The little ones are getting progressively heavier!
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kathy,Thanks so much I will look into the new test which you linked. I hope they do it in canada if its better. We are slow at getting things here in the med field.
Oh natsfan that is terrible news on the truncal. BAH, yikes and opps. It ticks me off when we do everything right like when I got my first custom sleeve and it bagged at the elbow and caused a small swell. I knew it wasn't me it was the dang sleeve made wrong but here I was trying to comply and it got worst. uggggg grrrrr. I was so green at this LE stuff. I still don't have a custom sleeve and need to start working on that.
Natsfan, See my thread on tai chi breather, takes 5 minutes total each day 1 min at a time. I sure hope you drain like a bathtub. Oh I will second that "I hate LE to"
Sounds like you got a full time job there with the LE care. Oh gross what a time sucker when you should be having fun.Carol, I miss you. Dang that work anyway.
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I have this thread in my favs but don't check it as often as I should because.........well guess why? I am a slug. Anyhoooo, Purple, I most certainly wear my sleeve for a mammo keeping in mind I wear my sleeve regularly. And if I happen to be wrapped that day then that's the way I go. Sorry to chime in maybe too late.
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Hugz, dang the work, you're so right! I've just spent 30 minutes checking in all our threads, and now it's back at it. Marple, some days I want to be a slug, too.
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Marple, Get your butt in gear and kick LE. Come on we need you. Even 5 minutes is a success as you are moving forward not back.
LETS MOVE GIRLS!
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LMBO...........hehehe, does that count?
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Me dumb what is LMBO. I know its got to be funny. laugh my butt off?
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Thanks Marple....not to late., Mammo coming TUES (ugh)
I did an hr of tai chi the other day ( with sleeve andf glove ) and it felt great. New class/instructor.Today I went walking on a college campus for 1/2 hr. No intention whatsoever of exercise in any way. I had to go there. Just had my glove- no sleeve. I am in LOVE with college campuses in New England ( esp in spring or fall) and the next thing you know, I was off. Not really aerobic, but a bit brisk I'd say. Arm feels a tad achey nbow, but no swelling I can see or measure.
Tomorrow is world taichi day. I may go for another hr session. I told the instructor I had LE and might skip or modify some moves and I would appreciate no scomments of so. She said fine. Really didnt skip/change anything. It was more of a workout than I would imagine, but I seem to be none the worse for the wear.
May sign up for a free waterdance class funded thru Rays of Hope . Runs from May 7- SEPT. once a week., I dont swim, but who cares ?
Thats about it for now.Natsfan
God Luck to you !!!!
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Right on Hugz.
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Kathy, I phoned my colonscopy dr office and the staff had no idea what I was talking about.(FIT test) I now see you are from Vancouver and the link you gave was great. So we DO have it in Canada. Is the test only for cancer screening because what I really need to do is see the colon dr as I got food poisoning Jan4 and got IBS from it? Slowly with probiotics I am getting better. I am thinking that the big daddy colonoscopy might be good for me anyway because if there are any polpys he will take them out right there on the spot and I am over the hill age. I hope he does the cancer test to.
Purple I walk at a campus too and the gardens are so pretty. It makes me go into dreamyland when walking. Very good for the soul.
That swim dance sounds cool. Let us know about it once you start. I think some of the lebed exercises come from tai chi.
lebeds and walk so far today.
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Picked up my new-to-me fully restored vintage bike. Oooo, is she a sweet ride!
Probably will do back and chest tomorrow.
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NatsFan, how's it going today? Thinking of you!
Nibbana, how inspiring! Enjoy (and don't overdo
!)Hugs,
Binney, still tossing those corks0 -
so I think I over did it today, did the gym but really no weights or junk
went to a Florida-going away party, then to the grocery store for my monthly stock up of stuff
arm is aching now and figure I messed it up with carrying the junk in from the car....nuts but will do some fist pumping~~!any and all other suggestions welcome
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proud
I did more than my usual yesterday. Power walk in the park and then groceries ( the arm does not like pushing the shopping cart) after that. I always ask for light bags, btw, but they still add up.
Lots of running around as well as 'weekend housecleaning'. I elevate my arm on the couch when it feels achey. Seems to help.
Hope you have a better day today.
Don't overdo!!!!!
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purple, yeap, elevate the arm on the sofa is my solution today. Did gym this morning but took it easy on weights. Did sgretching and laps in the nice pool
I think it is rest up type of afternonn with no over doing! Although I do intend to roast a nice little chicken, small so not much weight!
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Although I do intend to roast a nice little chicken, small so not much weight!
YUM!
Sounds like the perfect end to an otherwise busy day.0 -
Finished the half marathon!! The last few miles were rough - I swear they inserted a few extra miles between the 11 and 12 mile markers!!! But I did it. All finishers got specially-designed Tiffany necklaces - here I am at the finish triumphantly holding my Tiffany box! Note what a good do-bee I was wearing my compression stuff!
Blew up like a balloon of course, despite wearing sleeve and underarmour compression vest, but swilled plenty of water and actually a lot of the swelling went down within a few hours. Had a good session with the LET this morning and another scheduled for Thursday, so that should help.
Other than MLD and Lebeds, I plan to sit on my butt for a few days!!
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Congrats Mary! You deserve all the Tiffany they give you and more
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Wow, congrats! Great pic!
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Oh wow Nat, what a wonderful achievement. LOVE, the picture. Your face says it all!!!
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YAAAAAAAY!
Great job, Nats- awesome photo too.0 -
Aw, Mary, THANK YOU for being there, pushing yourself, inspiring us all, and so proudly waving that sleeve and glove for all the world to see
. The picture is simply wonderful--I'm in complete awe!
While you're basking in your stirring accomplishment, better break out the good dark chocolate and indulge!
Binney0 -
You rock Mary, awesome job!
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When I first saw your picture it made me feel like I was at the finish line.
(I got gleeful inside) No doubt you are just darn tootin proud of yourself because you did all the hard work!....Now GO PLAY!The rest of us, COME ON SHAKE IT UP A BIT
45 min walk and lebeds/stretches to go still
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Btw Mary
I love that sleeve color/ what kind is it ?
Mary ? Wake up! Are you up yet???! LOL :>)0 -
Thanks for all the kind words. I felt like I was representing every single one of us, and we all deserve to raise our (swollen) arms in victory!
It was exhausting, but now that I'm a bit rested I'm realizing how much fun it was too. I actually saw one other runner wearing a compression sleeve and gauntlet - as I passed her I just said, "Lymphedema?" She looked startled, then saw my arm and grinned. "Yep," she said. We both chuckled ruefully and moved on. So there were at least two proud representatives of the Swell Sisters running that day.
Purple - my sleeve and gauntlet are standard Juzo - mine is the model 3511. I think I'm lucky in that it pretty much matches my skin tones.
Binney - not only dark chocolate, but when we got home dh broke out a bottle of champagne he'd been hiding in anticipation. It was perfect - I do love the bubbly!
Needless to say I slept quite well that night.Tried to run my Flexitouch last night, and a bunch of the chambers on all three pieces weren't working. I called Flexitouch all ready to find out about new garments and warranties, when they said to double-check my settings to make sure they were correct. Sure enough, somehow I'd changed the setting from "short arm" to "long arm". Doh! Just an FYI . . .
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Sure enough, somehow I'd changed the setting from "short arm" to "long arm".
hahahhaa...I'm thinking maybe your arm actually felt longer after all that running :>) !
I feel like you represented all of us too- thanks!0
