GRRRRRRRRR I HATE LE..........

Happy, happy birthday, Binney!



You're such a gift and blessing to so many of us here!



Hope your day was filled with joy and yes, lots and lots of chocolate!



Blessings and love, dh.

Happy Birthday Binney!

Betsy Buzz...I developed LE in my legs after my hysterectomy.  I just started treatment in Jan. While you wait elevated those legs.  I  did two weeks of LE treatment and almost four weeks of it being wrapped before my compression socks came in.  It was overwhelming having to learn more stuff but I think I finally have it down.  Now to get the exercise part down.

 My leg is a wee bit puffy today along with the top of my arm.  Tomorrow I see the ortho Dr. finally about my trigger fingers.  I have hit the point and ready to take that risk.  Praying for shots tomorrow but if he says surgery...my answer is ASP.  I can no longer pick up anything with out pain.  The thumbs are staying locked in weird positions to the point it wakes me up at night.  Fingers crossed no added swelling for whatever he does tomorrow.

A silver lining of being a member of this Swell club ... no need for plastic surgery for saggy, wrinkly hand skin.

The New York TImes had a piece on the newest craze in plastic surgery ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/fashion/Skin-Deep-Treating-Hands-for-Signs-of-Aging.html?_r=1&ref=health

Comparing the before and after pictures, I'd say the woman should cut down on the doritos and do some MLD KS

KittyDog,

So sorry to hear your story but I can finally relate to someone else. Surgery scares the begebes out of me these days. Seams like every time I go under the knife I develop another SE. Do you know if the LE was caused because during your ooph & hysto they removed more lymph-nodes? I asked my GYN onc prior to surgery if he takes more nodes please focus on the opposite side as my LE arm and trunk. He said he did, now I have LE on the leg he focused on but I know he took nodes on both sides and it scares me about my other leg too.Only two days before my LE assessment, I can hardly wait. I've been elevating it, I don't have anything with salt in it and drinking lots of fluids. I'm hesitant to get compression until I know exactly what I need. Thank you so much for writing.

I'm sorry that you are facing more surgery. My mom had issue with her legs (diabetes) and she had a tool that helped her put her socks on but I'm not sure if it would help with compression garments. You might call your LE specialist to see if there are any tricks that you could use or if there are any occupational therapists that might be able to help you. Sending you positive thoughts, hugs and strength.

Betsy 

A million thanks for all the birthday wishes! I had to laugh at all the references to chocolate, because among my gifts were not one, not two, but THREE 1-lb+ Trader Joe's Belgian Chocolate bars. Yes! How transparent am I?! And a jar of chocolate/almond spread. And dark-chocolate covered almonds. And my daughter made me a chocolate Whoopie Pie cake with chocolate chips and chocolate/marshmellow frosting (goodness!) Have a piece, all of you -- it's to die for! (Or maybe to die from...?)

Anyhow, a great day, and hugely blessed by all your greetings -- thank you!
Binney

OMG..I was fitted for leg compression stockings yesterday. I could not get the dang things over my foot. I was hoping to get some pantyhose but NFW. It took me five minutes, no joke, to get them on, and by then I was exhausted. Who needs to go to the gym, just try putting on medical compression pantyhose....it's a total work out. Stretching, bending, resistance, it even felt like a little cardio. Now I admit I'm not in great shape but I'm also not in real bad shape either. I work out at the gym 2-3x a week and swim so I'm not a total wuss. I ended up ordering thigh highs and knee highs and bought some lesser compression stockings and knee highs at Rite Aid to tide me over until my order comes in. In the mean time it trying to stretch the dang hose with my hand, I flared up the LE in my chest and arm. Grrrrrrr....grrrrrr! 

I got instructions for MLD of my leg and my redirection for my arm and trunc. I'm just thankful I love my therapist she is fantastic. I'm scheduled for six more MLD sessions with the therapist and I'm hoping by session three things will be under control so I can cancel the last three.

I hate LE!

Oh, Betsy and Kitty, my heart goes out to you. You have even more reasons to hate LE than the rest of us!   Sending (((hugs))).

Garnet

Serves me right.  Didnt' think about it this weekend, lounging around in pj's most of the day on Sat and Sun so didn't think about putting on the sleeve or bra.  Swelling started up again in bicep and at the spot where the outer breast goes into that side bra fat.  Guess that'll teach me!

Hi everyone.  I just joined the ranks of the recently dx with LE and it looks like this is the most active thread.  I had revision surgery a year ago and my PS placed new incisions in my armpits rather than using my original MX scars in my IF that we agreed upon during consult.  I really believe this is what caused the LE but can't get him to admit this is even a possibility.  I just started at a program called Breast Cancer Rehab and really like my lymphedema therapist.  (Sorry, don't know the lingo yet!)  I have early stage LE in one arm only and she was very optimistic.  She's ordered the sleeves and gloves which I should receive at the end of the week.  And I'm starting PT twice a week.  She also taught me the massages which she told me to do 3x day.  Now that I'm really researching all that is involved with treating LE I'm appalled at the nonchalant way most doctors act about trying to prevent it.  I've been taking LE precautions for at least a year now and it's a struggle to get anyone to take it seriously when it comes to BP, blood draws, etc.  Sorry if this has been asked before but are there are printouts I can give to these medical personnel to help them understand?  Ironically, during my revison surgery I insisted on everything being done in the legs/feet (i.v. etc) and then he goes and puts incisions right in my armpits.  

Kate, I'm so sorry to see you here on this forum, but it sounds like you have a good head start in addressing the LE with your therapist and learning self care. I am going to PM you some info I originally wanted to post on the Uncomfortable Implants thread. Things got too hairy over there and I feared my post would only stir things up again in a nonproductive way. I may go back and post there (because it Should be there for a reality check), but I think you deserve to digest without interruption. However, I attended a conference this past weekend with Dr. Marga Massey, who is a PS and very much involved in LE. She has her LANA certification and practices proactive LE care when it comes to recon surgery. She is the one who destructed me. She discussed all the current forms of recon, the pros and cons. This particular conference was limited to 30 attendees and was comprised mostly of LE therapists and a doctor and was a little more advanced. While she described all the current forms of recon, the presentation also focused on LE prevention and care aspect as it relates each type of reconstruction. She also talked about node transfer surgery. Anyway, I was able to ask her some specific questions and wanted to pass this additional info on to you as well.

Olearca, I think you will enjoy Dr. Massey's presentation. Besides knowing her stuff, she has such a nice way about her. I came away from the conference with a lot of good info. She definitely is on a mission to promote LE awareness and has great compassion for those with LE.

okay, so we're kicking LE's butt, but it still stinks to have it, and it's okay to have days that we don't triumph over it, and times we resent it and it scares and upsets us.

But I do appreciate the move away from victimhood

I'm going to try really hard not to let it define me, and but dealing with it is still a royal pain,IMO

To quote Mary Chapin Carpenter: "Some days you're the wind shield, some days you're the bug."

 Trying hard to be the windshield, but some days, I am the bug...

Dawn-Hope: I've wrapped for years, and last night my pinkie hurt, but I was too tired to re-do it: and I just figured out, I caused a blister!!! Antibiotic cream and bandaid on, but I swear, it's always something.

The heat is bugging me too. 

Kira

Kira - I love that we allow each other to have the full range of emotions on this forum. No whitewashing the reality, yet doing what we can to take control of our lives. The support, compassion, understanding, knowledge, and motivation here is terrific! Love that song.




This early heat is no fun. Trying not to worry, but definitely paying attention to my body. I'm sorry you guys are swelling from the change. I swear it's also more humid than usual.