As I sit here and reflect on the past year, I realize how naive I was. I really thought it would be "over" at some point. NOT!
I am now positive for Lymphedema - swelling in my limb. I will have this risk for the rest of my life. It is chronic and annoying. I have a "pressure point" in the palm of my right hand that feels like I have been pressing down on a nail head all day. My Index finger is swollen and hard - I have fibrosis (hardening) of the finger. This is caused by protein enriched fluid pooling in my finger. Why? because some of my lymph nodes have been removed which pump the fluid out and away from the limb. The back of my hand is visibly swollen - the skin stretched taught. My axillary (armpit) is swollen and tender - the tuck 'n roll is puffy.
I am being treated. But it won't go away. I have a wonderful team of women (no salamanders) who have experienced first hand breast cancer, mastectomy and lymphedema. Yeah!
So the treatment is making me crazy!!! I have to wrap (a very specialized process) my fingers, hand and arm every night while in treatment. It's super crazy and frustrating. But it works. Then I wear a (temporary) compresion sleave during the day. All in preparation of being sized and fitted for my very own compression sleave and possible glove. Goody! Michael Jackson impression.
I will tell my tale of wrapping woes later. I'm not exactly the most patient person in the world (Boy is that an understatement) and this has been like going back to school - something I've never been very good at.
One word comes to mind after reading your latest blog message – Damn! I’m sorry you didn’t get the abridged version of breast cancer. I wish I could provide you some words of wisdom to help you through your bad days but frankly my dear, I’m not sure if I can come close to understanding the courage you have expressed in your blog. You have tackled a very personal subject with honesty, humor and a pinch of sadness. I’m grateful for your persistence by keeping us informed. So, just say the word, what can I do for you. You need only to ask.
ReplyDeleteI shouldn’t complain about my health just because my bad left knee required me to scale back from running to walking - so I for the first time in my life have a weight problem. My arthritis has become more prominent the last few years - Pittsburgh weather is no friend (wet-cold winters, soggy summers). You see, my annual mammo results just came back and were clear, my bone density passed, oops, my pap was inconclusive (not enough living cells were extracted to test – a product of being over-the-hill) but no worries, a make-up test is scheduled. Yes, I shouldn’t complain about my health just because I’m getting older……