[ Post a Response | Lymphedema Board ]
Posted by Kaye
on 8/29/2006, 8:19 am, in reply to "Still working??"
68.183.142.196
Yes--working full time with 'bad' lymphedema arm. Mine started soon after surgery--even before radiation. It has just continued to worsen despite doing exercises, self-message, regular sleeves, MLD, bandaging, custom day sleeves, custome night sleeves, and pump.
The one good thing is that it is mostly in my arm (not hand or fingers). My husband does bandaging for me--daily--but we leave the gauze off the fingers and keep hand w/just the bandage across middle to keep it on.
I do alot of running around and also typing on the job. I have come to see/treat it as just a minor annoyance--don't even think of it.
I have stopped using night sleeves--quite hot in summer and let my arm breathe then. My surgeon told me that I had the worst case of all her patients--wonderful (NOT).
Basically, I am just happy to be alive. I was dx'd 5+ yrs ago with 3/possibly 4 different types of very aggressive b.c., 9 mos after a 'supposed' normal mammogram. (The mammogram 2 or 3 yrs before that had showed what looked like calcifications--um, yeah)...
Basically, without the bandaging I look like 2 different people (if comparing arms). Clothing can be a minor problem -- sometimes -- but think I found a good solution. I wear sleeveless knit tops (got 'em in 5 or 6 different colors at Target) and then where a large shirt over it. My shirts were getting tight (put on a little extra) and was having a hard time finding sleeveless shirts for the summer until I had an 'aha' experience. I went to check out my husband's closet to see if there would be anything that might work. He has very few short-sleeve button downs but one he did have that I liked was a Hawaiian shirt that I had picked up for him at Costco. So, I made a special trip to Costco and found 5 different Hawaiian style shirts that work nicely with the sleeveless knits. I wear those with different colored long culottes, pants, or skirts.
I also found a gal who sews/sells clothing at our local indoor swap meet. She offered to change the sleeves on the clothes she makes for about $10.00. That also worked fine.
I also try and get daily exercise--more at home although still occasionally go to the gym. I use treadmill for 30 min/time or ride exercycle for same amount. At gym I use the machines.
Exercise is for its benefits but without it I find myself in pain.
I am on a bunch of meds--Arimidex, Levothyroid, Celebrex, Doxycycline, Lovastatin, Zometa (every 3 mos), and Beta Seron (for M.S. which I have had for 32 yrs). I also take fish oil and recently started taking COQ10 (actually just started that a couple of days ago).
I have so much going on that I just can't let lymphedema impact my life any further than it has been by everything else.
Back to bed--it's 5:15 am...
Message Thread:
« Back to thread