The tips of my fingers are purple

     The therapist wrapped you too tight!!!  I had that happen a few times.  The PT told me as she was wrapping that each time I brought the bandage around my arm, I should give it a little pull.  Well, by the time I got home, my fingers were purple and cold!  I wrapped myself and it was much better.  You have to be the judge of how tight to wrap.  Listen to what the PT says, but it's your arm, you know when it's too tight.  I'm sure Binney can give you more (and better) instruction on what to do.  Glad you re wrapped yourself before you lost all feeling in your hand!

Funny you should mention purple fingers! Mine were purple yesterday too, when I went to the fitter to try on my new gloves. Happened in about 15 seconds. The fitter, who'd be a great stand-up comic, just straight-faced it with: "I don't think I like that color." Sure enough, there's something a bit unhealthy about it! Good for you for fixing it! Even the best of therapists will sometimes wrap too tight. Especially at first. We're all different in the amount of compression we can tolerate without turning all shades of oxygen-starved. She'll get the hang of it, and so will you. Honest!

As for cooking, eating, combing your hair, driving, putting on clothes -- all those things you've always taken for granted -- what can I say?! It's bizarre, but it gets lots easier. I can do just about everything wrapped now (except for the dishes -- heh, heh!) The more you move while you're wrapped the more lymph fluid you'll move, because the wrapping helps put pressure against the lymph vessels to pump the lymph along. To loosen up, start with some simple exercises, done slowly so as not to rush the leisurely pace of lymph. Both arms straight up, stretch up with one, then the other, as though you were trying to touch the stars, several times. Arms straight out in front of you, bend your elbow and touch your fingers to your nose a few times. Both arms out to your sides, palms facing the floor, turn your arms over until the palm is facing the ceiling, then back again as far as you can turn it in the opposite direction -- do that a few times. Arms out in front, bend your wrists up and down, up and down - or turn them in circles first one way and then the other. Arms out to the side, elbows bent so your hands are near your ears, curls your fingers and thumb, one by one, into a fist, then out again, several times. Then finally, arms hanging loose at your sides, raise your shoulders up toward your ears and down.

Then go find somebody to give you a very gentle shoulder rub while you sip a cup of something yummy -- we deserve the pampering!

There's a page about "coping" on the StepUp-SpeakOut site here:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/How_You_Can_Cope_with_Lymphedema.htm
It has a section on dealing with wrapping, and one on dealing with the feelings that go with this diagnosis. (There's a link near the top of that page to more information about the emotional side of all this.)

 Hang in there, Cheryl! You're doing a terrific job with all this.  

Big hugs!
Binney

Sharon and Cheryl, hello!

Cheryl, you're sounding so GOOD! Yes! Brava!

Are you in touch with the Lymphovenous Association of Ontario? It's here:

http://www.lymphontario.org/

Ontario has better benefits than other provinces (as Jinky will tell you!), so do be sure you're taking advantage of everything that's available.

Be well!
Binney

Mason, there are many references that clearly state that over-compressing with wrapping, to the point of cutting off circulation is counterproductive, if not dangerous. I've been over-wrapped by therapists who thought they were helping, but have since learned that the "ideal" wrap is comfortable, a gradient compression--more at the hand and lower going up the arm, and there should never be purple fingers and an inability to brush your hair, etc.

From Lymphnotes: