Early Stage Natural Girls!

NYCmom, glad Falk was able to fix you up. Mediven does make an all-in-one sleeve and gauntlet. I had those but they are very uncomfortable and gnaw your hand where the thumb meets your palm. It is also much easier to take off the gauntlet for washing hands etc than having to remove all the gear and then put it on again.

Purple, thank you for the advice! That's very sweet of you.

Yay NYCMom, happy Falk could help you. Sounds like an exciting job you have, although I'm guessing tiring too..I'll doublecheck about gauntlets, better safe than sorry. About purses, yup, doctors told me to never again wear a 'conventional one' and I found it awful too. I was going to Denmark for a concert a couple of months after surgery and went looking for 'a bag worn across the shoulder' (in French 'bandoulière', this is what it said in the dictionary) and found the perfect one in a second hand store, what a relief! (I found it on the floor, laying around, 'Ok, this will do, it's black leather with handles and the possibility to wear it across the shoulder' I thought) so I snatched it, paid a mere 20$ and left, when I got home and started packing I saw it was actaully a designer purse, woohooo!) To have both hands free is amazing. Today, one year and a half postsurgery, I can carry a small bag of groceries in a linen tote on my shoulder, but only exceptionally. Beware though, I used my 'good arm' far too much and carried heavy bags and such (Christmas shopping of course grrr) so I actually tore a muscle under my scapula (dictionary again!) on my 'good' side..Silly goose 

The backpack I carry is very light. Definitely better than a shoulder bag. I am careful to not load it too heavy when possible. My equipment is sometimes in a backpack type of case as well but I try to keep it light as well. The straps are really built well so that the weight is even. But I wear it on my right side only when I can. Gets really clumsy though and I end up banging into people!!!



I have a nice satchel type bag that I can obviously carry in my right hand but will have to retrain myself!!! I have quite a few sling bags too but always find them annoying after a while. And when they get heavy my back goes nuts (I have scoliosis and have always had a hard time with asymmetry in bags) If only we were back in the 80's an fanny packs were cool again. Hahahaaa!!!

Yeah... it's hard living in a city, wheeling stuff around. But I do it. When my daughter was little, I preferred using a front carrier and later a backpack to carry her - hated strollers! But, you do what ya gotta do. 

On another note, my black sleeve and gauntlet arrived tonight. I didn't have a chance to try it on but will now. The nice thing is that they're so thin, so I found a cute little cosmetic bag to roll them up in. There's room for my second set when it arrives too! Hoping I don't have to use them a lot but SO relieved that I have them. 

I don't know if it's my brain playing tricks on me, but my elbow and forearm have been feeling weird. I'm going to a lymphedema talk on Thursday with the family (dragging them along so they keep on me about self care!) Should be interesting. I hate having so many things to think about. But, glad to be alive - of course!

I love the idea of the leashes on your belt! Hysterical!

Purple, I wore a sleeve daily until this fall. Now I can usually get away with wearing it only for trips to the gym, travel and if I feel it acting up. 

I tried on my sleeve tonight to model for the family. It actually didn't feel bad. I don't love the gauntlet, but overall, it's not horrible. I wish the hand part was a little shorter on the fingers. We'll see how the other one is, maybe I can shorten it a little? Also the cuff on the gauntlet bags a little over the sleeve. Can I put something there? Maybe a cute leather cuff, something that would lay flat but not be too tight. Ah, the things we do. 

And yes - how the heck did you go from wearing to not? I'm told I shouldn't unless I feel weird or compromised. I'll learn more tomorrow, hopefully! I just wish it wasn't so freezing out - I swear my expander doubles as an ice pack!!! Brrrr.

Interesting! Glad you have it under control. I am worried about my bra - but I only had one side removed. It would have been easier if I'd gotten rid of both - at least for this time period with clothing/bras etc. 

We went to the lymphedema workshop, and it was good. A lot of info on prevention etc. I was told the sleeve and gauntlet are good to fly with in my bag. If I note any swelling I can just pop them on, and was told to leave them on for the duration of the flight, never take off in the air as that would instantly change the pressure. Some flights I make are quite far, so that was a good bit of info to hear. I'm glad my daughter and hubby came along too - it was a lot and now they can help me visually check. Funny, since it's on my left side, I'll know if my wedding ring doesn't fit any longer! I've switched my watch to the right arm already. But she said I shouldn't worry much about the backpack/bag situation - as long as I'm comfy and not lugging around tons of stuff. Also, with the flying and performing and luggage, it's been my life for a long time, and my body is used to it. I am looking forward to being done with radiation so I have some energy to get back to working out. I'm going to try and do a little daily (though I walk at least an hour a day). It just feels like so much all at once - the surgery, radiation, lymph worries, medication paranoia. 

The good news is I've been successfully sprouting broccoli seeds! Delicious! And easy! I would highly recommend it if you're interested. I also bought the pills but the sprouts are amazing. My daughter even loves them, and she's 11!!!    

Purple, as I said, I think I was mostly just lucky. But I also think it is a really good idea to start taking precautions - sleeves, massage, rest etc - as soon as it feels even a little funky. Before I get actual swelling, I get pain and heaviness. In the beginning I thought that was nerves regenerating, now I know better. So it is also about getting to know how your body deals with this particular trauma.

I think the flu kicked my LE up. My arm is not huge, but it's very sore. it seems to be worst at my inner elbow which is different. Usually, even if I have swelling I don't have this much discomfort. And I can't take anything for it because of this stupid flu bug.

I will check out the threads. But I think that they don't want me to wear the sleeve as a default - it might actually encourage problems when I don't have any. I think for a short flight it's more of a placebo effect (to keep in my bag). If I have to do any overseas flying, then I will call them and get an opinion on whether or not to wear it - but they did say to put it on before the flight if I'm feeling funky - sometimes when I travel I just get swollen, period, so perhaps for a flight home after long workdays? I'm in touch with the lymphedema expert via phone and email, and she was super nice so I can reach out to her. It's interesting how much different info is out there, seems a lot of grey area in the lymphedema world. A woman at the workshop was 5 years out of her surgery and developed it - but didn't seek help until 6 months later! I don't know if she thought it was something else, but I would have been at the doc asap. 

Went to the gym for the first time with hubby since radiation treatment started. I'm So tired but glad we went. It was a mellow workout, light weights, slow cardio. This is my first day off in a very long time. Next week is a heavy schedule, so I'm going to take the rest of the day easy!  

Purple - I may be having a duh moment, but what is MLD?

If anyone has a great video link, please post? There are so many out there! Thanks!

I do it. A therapist showed me how, I just didn't know there was an acromym for it.

Should've known, there's one for everything else. :-)