I was attacked by a shark!

Faith, how did he jump from your 'shark attack' to 'drug addict'?

Binney I like the idea of the information written on a balloon. . .

Sheila

OMG I have never laughed and cried so hard before.  When I saw the title of the post I thought someone else had an underarm like mine after breast surgery--it looks as if I was bitten by a rabid dog, but a shark--that just about sums it up doesn't it?  The puppies story--brilliant--keep them coming because today I really do need to laugh.

I also have tried a variety of answers, but finally decided on this one: "I have carpal and edema swelling. . ." and I find that after they hear the word carpal (which I just assume I have a touch of) they stop listening. They nod and figure they understand perfectly. Has been working well.

3jay - to PM you need to be logged in.  Are you logging in first?  Once you're logged in, you can click on a member's name where they've posted a note and that will take you to their bio page.  On the bio page there is an option on the right, in blue letters, which says "send member a Private Message."  When you click on that, it will pull up a form for you to fill in your message.  If someone has PM'd you, one you're logged in, at the top of the headings there will be a pink (1) to alert you that you have a message.  If you click on the Navy colored "private Messages", it will pull up your message(s).   I just sent you a PM, so there is one waiting in your box.

am looking forward 2 hearing how it goes, suzybelle..what sassy lymphedivas did u get?h, answer when u get home  lol safe trip.. light and love,    3jaysmom

Wow, can anyoine do any better than a shark attack?? LOL BUT, when you DO tell the shark story, crouch down a bit, use your best Aussie accent, squint your eyes...really captivate them. Then, calmly say, "NUNYA!"  LOL

hey ladies.. glad ur all well.. i cant yet afford ONE lymphedivas , but have put in a request for christmas, AND anniv!! no more diamonds (as if that would happen !) but a sleeve!  life sure has changed, hasnt it...life seems 2 be kicking my butt lately, theyre "CKING for cancer ,wherever they can think of.. my opinion is i have gotten a nasty case of "leaky gut" fro chemo...anyway, recently dxed with honest to God nervous breakdown, while trying to stay on ALS couldnt do it, so am looking 4 naturals.. going to dr. 2morrow for a an antidepressant. dr, i n  "nuthouse" gave up on me, nothing agrees w/me. he wouldnt listen 2 me. am allergic to serotonin, and all new ones r serotonin uptakes. say a preayer my gp will listen , and give old one.. elavil, or the likes..anyway, enough bs...whats NUNYA// gotta practice my Aussie... god bless all      light and love,    3jaysmom

thanks momcat.. i LIKE that will commence on using that 2 day !! NUNYA...

I love all your comebacks.  They totally crack me up.  I guess I'm torn between the need for better exposure for LE, and my need for privacy.  I generally say, "my arm has a permanent swelling problem as a result of breast cancer surgery. The sleeve keeps the swelling under control and lets me do what I need to do." They usually say they're sorry and kind of nod their heads like they know what I'm talking about.  I figure I'm planting seed for some future day when that person will need to know more.  Kind of boring.

If it's an adult, they get a lecture about this common side effect of surgery for breast cancer.  If it's a child, the amount of information depends upon their age.  My grandmother had lymphedema so I learned about it early.  In fact, I made treatment decisions based upon lessening the odds of getting lymphedema.  Sigh.  Other than multiple surgeries and 11 weeks of taxotere, I had no risk factors.  However, I painted an apartment on a hot humid day and voila--stage II lymphedema in my hand in less than three days.  I already had a compression glove, but it suddenly made the problem worse.  Enough rambling.  That was in 2005 and after a summer of bandaging and lots of p.t., it is under control.

It's always been older people who have asked about my bandages, never anyone younger.....course I'm older, so maybe that's the reason.   Anyway, I think most of the time it's a 'sympathetic' thing, they see the bandages and are pretty certain I have somehow injured myself.  Asking is just their way of showing their sympathy.

To them, I usually just say something like - "it's not an injury.........I have lymphedema and the bandages are to control swelling".  If they still seem interested (or sympathetic) I might tell them it's a result of surgery, adding for breast cancer depending on where we are, who is asking, etc.

We all know there are times when people are just plain rude with their questions and if that ever happens to me, I'll probably just say "it's a long story" and/or walk away.

Oh, Suzanne, I'm sorry you're feeling down.  We all plunge to that place now and again and it does pass.  I am having a flare that I don't seem to be able to bring down.  My dh says he hardly notices it, but I think he's having a down time as well.  The "back to normal after vacation blues".  Tomorrow I have a lymphedema massage with my new person.  Rather than teaching me her brand of it, I'm going to request that she just work on getting rid of the fluid.  If she can't, then I'm gonna call my le dr. and ask her to refer me back for therapy that Medicare pays for!!!  Have been trying my old way and new way and it's just not working.  Perhaps I should be in bandages 23/7 instead of night only, but am trying to get my second floor ready for the painter who's coming tomorrow and it's just impossible with bandages on.

Oh, sorry, this was supposed to be about YOU! 

I don't know, friend, but I don't get upset on the rare occasions when I get asked about my garments.  I think that the more people we can make aware of this horror, the better off we will be in the long run.  I find, though, that when I do get asked, it's when I have on my Sassy Sleeve or one of my color garments.  The neutral ones seem to blend in more, I guess.  Anyway, I don't mind people asking--it's a new audience for me since my family and friends must get sick of my kvetching about le.  

The one thing that DOES get to me is when people say, "Oh, you don't look 65."  Well, what does 65 look like?  And that saying, "60 is the new 40."  Like hell it is.  I feel every single year of my age and if I don't look it, it's cause the day I turned 40 I stopped laying in the sun for good.  Or maybe it's cause I have oily skin.  Or it might be because....well, there I go again, making it about ME instead of you.

You are always such a ray of sunshine and so positive that when you get down, you must really get down.  Call your le therapist first thing tomorrow and find out what the heck is going on with your new Las Vegas Elvis look.  Don't delay.  Let us know what's going on.  And if you want to be in a bad mood, heck, that's OK once in awhile.  Like I said, it will pass.