Nobody says anything about your sleeve if you have a.....

Cane wins...I love it!

And so true about people making assumptions. 

Hope your foot heals up fast.

I once had a grocery store clerk protest that I shouldn't lift any grocery bags from cart to car, because from the looks of my arm I must have done a real job on it.  I was wearing sleeve and gauntlet, but the funny part is that I had just left the gym where I'd been lifting weights for an hour.  I didn't want to launch into any long explanations, so I accepted 'help' to the car with a smile.

I'm getting ready to order TWO of those wild sleeves from Lymphedivas to wear when I'm cycling.  They'll look just like sun-protecting arm warmers, and no one needs to know the one on the left is protecting my arm from more than sunburn.  Whaddya think?

Where are those old threads when you need them...

cookie, I like the "scissors, cane, sleeve" game. Cane wins, for sure.  I wore my sleeve and glove the last time I flew on a commercial airliner, and people were tripping over each other, offering to help me with my carry-on bag.

What I vaguely remember from an older thread is things we can say if our sleeve gets too much attention.  Some people might think we've had a bad burn.  (That would be even more likely if we were wrapped instead of wearing a compression sleeve.)  But, if the attention is too personal, somebody recommended that we say, "Yes, well, the doctor said I should keep it covered so it wouldn't be as contagious."  And then smile pitifully.

otter

Annette, the shirts I wear when wrapped are men's.  They seem to be a lot roomier in the upper arm compared to women's shirts/blouses.  And not all men's shirts fit so I shop for them while wrapped. 

Try sleeveless women's shirts rather than short sleeves. 

Good luck with that drink in your avatar.  Wowzer.

I always thought if I wore my wraps in public that people would just think I had a surgery done on my arm/hand and think no big deal. I think I get a lot of comments with my glove/ sleeve because people think that I have had a burn and they are just dying to know what happened.  I would like to say. "Are you really intertested or just nosey." If they are interested then I would educate them. I doubt they would say they are nosey, but get the point made. I'm too chicken to try this method. But... you can go for it!

Moogie. That eye patch is a winner. Nobody would say, whats wrong with your arm! 

It is weird how we all have different takes on this. It is all to do with our thinking/feeling patterns. 

Cane wins! I often use one due to severe arthritis in my hip. People move out of the way, give up their seats or are just polite and smile. With my sleeve on, I often have to skip out of peoples way so they don't slam into me (have had that happen to many times) or they just stare at me like I am infectious?

I almost wish more people would ask about it, I would rather educate then be stared at like a leper. I always tell my fiance that I would like on that is fluorescent yellow and says "lymphedema" down it in black so people would give me a little clearance. LOL and if they asked I can just point and smile

I am already a big girl and trying to find tops that fit my arms was a challenge (I used to body build), now it is more of a challenge. I find I wear tank tops or sleeveless more often so I try to wear sleeves that are interesting so I don't get the "you look like a weirdo" looks and people will be more likely to approach me for an education. Here's hoping.