Motivation

Thanks all!  You are so nice to me!

The heat has returned to NC. Still working nights and still walking twice a day. Yes Spring I have lost weight. About 8 pounds. I'm not hungry at all and making myself eat at meal times. Then the Dr said to drink more water. And that fills me up too.Hopefully I get the results next week. I don't hurt and not weak or anything. Go figure!

Good news Kari. I know you are overjoyed.

Deanna take time to heal and don't push yourself like I know you will. This is just a sign for you to relax and slow down some.

Diane - looking good! I think all survivors are better looking than any one else.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I'm wokring as usual. But it is beautiful and now getting ready to walk for the first time today. Hugs to all 

Joy, yes, survivors are gorgeous aren't they!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Yes indeedy they are!

Penny, well now that's just not fair, WTH is up with that patient coughing in your face and now you've been down for the count.  darn it.

DH and I walked 45 minutes this a.m.  Hadn't done anything except stretches for 2 days! yikes!

Spring, that makes sense. When Aunt P had lymphedema, they did lots of massage and movement. Remember when we were pregnant and you would get fluid build up of the ankles, they told us to keep flexing and extending the ankle to move the fluid out. Keep on and you will end up with nice pipes!

p 

pk, ugghh, you know you hit one one of my pet peeves, people who don't keep their germs to themselves. 

Binney, thanks, as usual very enlightening

Spring, what exercises are you doing that are helping.  My upper body weightlifting hasn't made my lymphedema worse in my arm or trunk, and my arm has been pretty good, but the trunk lymphedema hasn't budged much. I thought last week pilates might have helped witht he trunkal lymphedema, but not really sure

Great information (as always), Binney!  Thank you!

Managed to get my sneakers on today, and just walked 2.6 miles.  Funny, but my back doesn't bother me much at all walking; just sitting or lying down are the worst.

Hope everyone's enjoying the weekend.  DH & I went over to Temecula yesterday to put some new things in my antique space.  They have the nicest certified organic farmer's market there on Saturday mornings, so I stocked up on lots of organic goodies -- things like dried juju berries (I swear I feel healthier when I eat those), almonds, garlic and avocados.     Deanna

Springtime Binney is right I have struggled with this since my chemo was over 2008 I found a PT but it got too expensive for me even with insurance as I am a single mother of a college student so you know how hard that is but I was very lucky finding out that wrapping helps my diet also soduim intake which all foods have it in them some worst than others so you know if you eat it you will suffer. I was very lucky to have a machine my insurance paid 100% of and I use it every night and I need to be as faithful with my weights they are not heavy ones but as Binney says they move the fluid and water is the best for us too. I also find when its humid out which MO can be even in the winter a cold hunidty it affects it but I use my machine at least one hour a night some times I fall asleep with it on its very relaxing you might want to see if your ins. will pay for one. good luck and happy walking I am getting a MP3 player to make my walk more fun with DD and I put a harness on her and we are both happy campers..I have a doctors appt. to get my nipple on in July and my sons marrying in August I have a goal just need more motivation and I got shape up sneakers so I should be set..I am one of them that never got my hair back so I am trying to work with that problem cant imagine why I get down bald fat and swollen arm but I dont want to have it keep me down dont want cancer to win ..

Maura

Met 3 of my Cancer Sisters for lunch today at the beach. We even walked on the beach for a few. Then I had to come to work. But it was very relaxing.

Some people have no manners. Coughing in your face sucks. Hope you are feeling better. I am eating breakfast and dinner only because I know I have to eat. I don't want it though. At least my weight lost has evened out and I'm holding steady. The irony is I was told I needed to drink more water too. Now when you drink water there isn't any room for food!

I leave Friday for VA for a few days. Long drive but it will be fun. Leaving Dd with a sitter. She will be so mad at me but she will have more fun with the kids than traveling. Might have to break down and turn the AC on when I get back. I had to cut back with the TV so now I don't get Army Wives but I can watch it on the computer. Hugs to all. Ainm is the "ash" causing more trouble for you. Hope everyone has a great week.

Joy I watch Army Wives on the computer because I can't stay up that late.

pk0199 it will be hot when you are here.  Pack your swimsuit and lots of sunscreen.  If you need any help picking out shows let me know, I've seen a lot of them.  If you like Garth Brooks and he is here, get the tickets, best show I've seen.  Off to watch the rest of the Lakers/Suns game, go Suns! diane

Laurie HIP HIP HURRAY!!!! Congrats on finishing chemo!! Baby steps is how it begins.  This is a great forum to vent, question... and it does help you to be motivated.  diane

Laurie - congrats on completing chemo!  Good for you!!!  And I'm so pleased to see that you are getting back into shape.  Very ambitious!!!

Diane - yes the weather here in Vegas is gorgeous!!! 

I got a sore throat that turned into a terrible head cold so no exercise for 2 days in a row! Actually, I was all suited up yesterday and a downpour! My gunk build up!! ahhhck!

Thanks for all the info on Weight training and Lymphedema. It makes sense what you say. The effect on lasts for several days. I was going to the gym once on the weekend (I just do all or most of the upper body weight machines they have there, as well as abs and lower body). It takes about 20-30 minutes. I am going to try and go 2x a week. My arms and shoulders are looking awesome! LOL. I get a build up under my left armpit, on the side of my chest. When bad, it goes around my back. I don't feel the back part, but the area under my armpit is **VERY** annoying when it gets "full" feeling .I HATE IT. So this is good.

When I do the weights or even walk, I wear a sleeve and also a "shape wear" garment on top that squeezes. My therapists told me do do this when my heart rate goes up, and I do think it helps. 

But NOTHING has been as good as pumping iron! This is AWESOME. I get a couple of days of feeling NOTHING under my arm pit (it feels SO GOOD) and then it seems to slowly build up again. I am hoping if I go 2-3 x a week, maybe it will really make a difference. 

Thanks for all the info! I noticed it a few times and wondered if there could be something to it, or if I was imagining it. You all know I do Yoga, but it does not have the same effect, and sometimes, it seems worse after, not sure why, it defies logic! All that moving and stretching... This is a very confusing condition, I think it will just take time to figure out what works.... 

Deanna, know its scary.  When was your recon done?  My understanding from my PS is that they end up with a lot of nodules for the first couple of years after recon that end up being fat necrosis.  Hope that's the case.  Don't want to minimize things, but, hate to see you too worried.  Mass sure is a head spinner at this point.  She may have written it that way to keep you from having grief from insurance companies too.   BTW: I love the proverb in your signature

kmmd ~ My surgery was 5/08, and I did have an area of fat necrosis removed from the underside of my reconstructed breast during Stage 2 surgery in 10/09.  I guess I've been aware of what my PCP is calling a mass, assuming it was an area of lymphedema, which I don't have in my arm, but do seem to have across my chest.  It comes and goes, but I'm more bothered by it when I've been exercising outdoors in hot weather -- sort of like a constant heaviness or tightness, much like what I think Spring has been describing.  Oh, well, we'll see what they say on Friday.  

Forgot to say earlier, KUDOS to dianenv for the 8 mile treks!!!  That's awesome!  And 2 days in a row!     Deanna

Deanna, we see that a lot on our reqs from post BC patients. Sometimes I wonder if the docs actually know what they are feeling. The vast majority of those reqs always turn out to be fine, a scarred area or just  thickening due to all the surgeries. That is what I will be praying for for you. Wish you all the best.

Spring, I know how you feel, cold not lymphedema.

As for everyone else, great job on the exercise!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!!