Joining the rapt club (not)

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Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

OK so now I have the unpleasant side effect of LE. Wrapping! Ughhh.

Fortunately no pain, but been noticing some increasing puffiness below the elbow area of late.... So it kinda came "off the cuff" (sooorry) while I was at my appt when my LEist suggested wrapping me. I've only been wrapped once when I initially was dx with LE and it was NOT an enjoyable experience. I ripped it all off at something like 2am. However after being wrapped this time it was much better, and I was able to drive. It was OK through the nite, and Im in a "well see how we go" phase. The idea being I do my best to wrap and do so until I go back in a week. LEist will wrap me again and THIS TIME I'll be better prepared.

Silly me forgot to take camera and so what hope did I have of remembering all that!!! Yell

Well heres some fun. I decided to improvise and get hubby to record it AS I was taking it all off. LOL.. the idea being I would play it BACKWARDS (which works well in Quicktime [ for .mov formats] if you go to: window >  show AV/COntrols > hold the jog shuttle notch in reverse choosing the speed as you do so) .....  and kinda get the idea that way. Gee bandages come out of nowhere!!! and do wonderful grippy things all on their own. It was doable so long as hubby held the shuttle with the mouse. I only lost the plot once where I threatened to bifff the bandage to the other side of the room ... Kiss

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited April 2013

    Hmm, no--I think biffing the bandage to the other side of the room IS the plot!Undecided Or at least...been there, done that. If you have pets, vacuum first or you'll spend hours picking dog hair off the bandages before you can re-wrap.

    Sorry, Musical!Frown Hope the therapy goes quickly and with great results!Smile Steep learning curve, but knowing how to wrap well is an accomplishment worth celebrating (I suggest chocolate...), and one of the most reassuring "tools" we can have in our LE "toolbox." Keep us posted, please. Onward!Kiss
    Binney

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    Thx Binney  Smile . Last couple of days I've been looking at some videos (links from SUSO and here).  I've seen videos of others wrapping the LE person and they are great, but infinitely better would be people doing it themselves and of course in forward motion.... Reckon that would be very beneficial to those of us who only have 2 hands (including the cludge) ....lol.

    BTW I LOVE innovation ...what we call here in NZ.."Number8 wire approaches".  Someone somewhere mentioned a device for rolling up bandages. Does anyone know what theyre called? I'd love to see a pik.

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2013

    Musical, it was Kicks who mentioned a bandage roller, which she said is very inexpensive if you get it at a shop for equestrians.  Apparently there's a lot of bandage wrapping of horses. (You can tell I'm not very knowledgeable here!)  I think her point was that you can get bandage rollers for LE, but the same function can be found much less expensively as a vet or horse supply item.

    Soooooo sorry you're having to deal with this!  With a name like Musical, you are clearly qualified to write a rap song about how horrid this is...  (sorry right back at you for the pun!).

    Carol

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    Ha, Im sure someone mentioned a drill ... Lol I can just picture it now.... bandages flying in all directions. Going to have to put my thinking cap on... but it'll have to wait...look what youve done Carol! ....

    I feel some lyrics coming on
    Could put these words to a new song...
    No raps for me but bandages
    An "axeattack" is what I need

    Don't get me wrong about the axe
    A guitar song is where it's at...
    Nothing less - I lay the blame
    On lymphoedema's horrid name.

    Musical

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited April 2013

    Your posts inspired a search for "bandage roller" on Google, and there are scads of them, with widely varying prices. This one in the Health & Personal section of Amazon.com includes reviews from folks who state they have it for lymphedema bandages.

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2013

    Musical, I think it might have been Binney who mentioned using an adapted electric drill.  I'll bet the ones the Mods found are quieter! Wouldn't want the bandage roller to drown out the LE tunes!

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited April 2013

    Thanks, Mods! The equestrian supply places offer the same kind of product for less than half the cost, though. Here's an example:
    http://www.horse.com/item/wrap-and-bandage-roller/BHV01/

    That's true of vetwrap as well--less than half the price through horse supply places. I find that so odd, as they serve the same purpose.

    Musical, sing on!Laughing
    Binney

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited April 2013

    Musical - don't get discouraged about the wrapping.  Practice makes perfect.  I'm a pro now.  I wrap at least twice a day because my arm changes.  Sleeves don't do well on me.  And I have other gizmos but don't like them and in this flare up, wrapping works best.

    Make sure you sit down and do it over a table (LE Spec taught me that one), because invariably I was dropping it and having to start over.  I can wrap fast now!   And I can relate to ripping them off at 2 am!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    Great links you guys. Thanks! The one you posted Mods looks great as it has a guide. Your one Binney looks great too at less than 1/2 the price! Knowing me it would go pair shaped until I practised but I like that its fixed so you could use the other hand to guide it. Now I'll see what they cost here in NZ. Better not start me on that if its the same as the last item I enquired about on the LE forum.... 

    On a brighter note (oops) Im soooo wrapt  (awwww sorrry again Wink)  as Ive just got on broadband and the LE videos and piks like these load in a zap. 

    LOL girls if I load my axe up (guitar) it's lookout drill! Gotta get passionate about this LE ya know and last night was a good start.

    Carol, if I get on this lark with rhymes going on in my head I'll know who to blame!

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2013

    Musical, I'm optimistic for you finding a bandage roller in New Zealand, at a price that's not highway robbery.  Let us know what you find out. 

    Rhyme on!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    How about this.... trouble is it's not for sale....

    http://www.nzmuseums.co.nz/account/4033/object/137080/Bandage_Winder#!prettyPhoto

    Edited out the image and left the link in so as not to breach copyright.

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2013

    Musical, that is very funny! Did you find anything a bit more modern?

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    Denise thanks, I didnt see your post. The table is actually a very good idea if its butted up against something ... Im one of those people who would be sure to roll it over the edge otherwise. Guarunteed!!! 

    Well Im googled out and still havent come up with anything. Only the museum. Looks like kiwi ingenuity has to kick in afterall  Undecided  

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  • purple32
    purple32 Member Posts: 3,188
    edited April 2013

    I have to give all you ' wrappers' SOOOO much credit!  My LEist tried kinesio on me recently, and I asked her to show me how to wrap.  My husband was there so she showed him as well.

    He happens to be one of thse ppl. who are exceptional at those kinds of things ( In 2 days he was putting his ileostomy bag on better than the would care nurse !)
    Anyway, I was stunned at the amt of work that went into it.  She said she would show us again next time, and just watching my husband roll the bandgage back up for her , the LEist said : " Wow!  Somebody's going to hire you  :>)"

    I am going to ask her to show me/us again next time  and start by asking him to do it for overnight of course.  How long should one expect to (re) use the one bandgage normally ?

    The kinesio had 2 holes for my fingers which acted much like  rings and made my finger swell more.  She had given me another pc. and suggested I merely cut those holes bigger, but I didnt like the fact the tape went all the way to my wrist and also  just having the holes around my fingers seemed ' not good ' somehow.

    Gotta run- too hard to articulate all this ! Yell

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited April 2013

    Musical, here's Australia--we're getting closer!
    http://www.onlinesaddleryaustralia.com.au/products/Quick-Bandage-Roller.html

    Actually, you could call and equestrian supply store/feed store and ask about a bandage roller. Can't wait to hear what you end up with!
    Binney

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited April 2013

    Purple, if you wear bandages nightly they last around six months, but if you only wear them occasionally (for flares or travel, say) they can go on indefinitely. In my experience it's pretty easy to tell when they're no longer doing the job, but it's hard to remember to keep an eye out for that over time.

    Hope that helps!
    Binney

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited April 2013

    Purple - that kinesio tape around the fingers makes my fingers and hand SWELL like crazy no matter how big holes are.  Instead, my LE Specialist taught me to hold arm out straight with elbow to my side, bend wrist downward, attach kinesio tape past wrist and then around finger tip.   Works like a charm...  If I have any swelling, takes it down quickly!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    Carol, nope, nothing yet, but boy Ive seen some great ones in my travels yesterday. Somewhere ( Italian site I think) there was a real doozy but it was over 400 big ones. Surprised . Meanwhile I've been thinking of all the gadgets we've got ...  like eggbeaters, mens tools, kitchen meat grinder etc... LOL!!!  love all the handles but when I think what the other end does its definitely back to the drawing board! Well at least I can't complain about our prices coz there aint none.... Frown

    Binney I was thinking of doing just that. Ringing around. Surely there MUST be something. If we contiually hit a brick wall well hubby will make up something. My dad always had a "can do" attitude when it came to such dilemmas. He'd always pull something out of the bag. Lol we still have egg beaters with a screwdriver handle on it. Love it. It epitomizes my Dad to a T.

    Well, no losing the plot this am! (Binney pass the Choccy please) and I didn't drop any bandages ....but I don;t deserve any really, because I haven't started on the finger wrapping. Im just using my glove.

    Hey Purple and Denise, I didnt know kinesio was used on the fingers. I'd love to see some piks of that or how that works. I had 2 lots of kinesio up round my shoulder and top of arm, and it irritated me. The 1st app was orange tape and was much worse. I ended up with welts and rashes galore.Yell

    The questions on bandages and their useful life are also something Im interested to know. Looks like I'll be paying for these out of pocket. NZ has a very different system to US. for things medical.  Some district health boards in NZ fund things differently. For example, in my region I only get one supply of sleeves and gloves per year... other areas get 2.

    Im sure there would be differences between LEists and how they wrap even if they have the same training or stick to a certain protocol, plus taking into account each individual and their unique needs. That said,  I would strongly advise anyone learning like me, to video the experience. Even with my "backwards" version, it has helped immensely. Unfortunately Im one of those who some might call pedantic but I like to pay attention to detail and get it as right as I can.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    Choices choices...

    http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=bandage+roller&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=yyRvUZHMJcWOiAfB64GQAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=1467&bih=708

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2013

    Musical, that's a dizzying array of bandage rollers and such! Did you have any other plans for your days, except to click 'n read about these things?  You're at risk of drowning in Internet research!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    Done my looking, done my ringing...nothing... so thats that. Onwards...

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2013

    Musical,  Forget writing a wrapping rap song; it's time to sing the blues. It seems impossible that there's not a well developed equestrian industry in NZ, with bandage rollers all over the place. But you've done quite a search, so seems if it exists, you'd find it.  How frustrating!!!

    Carol

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    Nothings impossible here Carol ... as you already know lol....indeed with top world class riders, who ever would of thought ... rung up ones in this area and of those that did answer,  NOT ONE. In fact 2 said they hadnt heard of them for years...like 20!  Never mind. Reckon hubby will design me one like that museum one...lol long as it works doesnt matter to me.

    Ah the blues - what shall I do - I could but I will not
    Look into the saddest news - about what is my lot
    Instead this thread is like a string- which makes musical sounds
    Just a thought - instead I ought - to say thats what I've found

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited April 2013

     The vast majority of horses are never wrapped unless injuries require it but the upper level athletes are often/usually wrapped.  The equine world is very much alive in NZ according to what I'm told.  It can often take several stores (even here in the States) to find them locally.  Look more to stores that deal with jumper, Dressage, Eventing or race owners/horses.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited April 2013

    Binney - yes VetWrap is a lot cheaper to buy at feed/tack stores.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    Youre told correctly Kicks. Its big here and theres always been very keen interest. However, with the likes of Mark Todd, a mulitple Gold medal winner at the Olympics we have an even stronger following. We also do polo here which is hard on the legs and usually they will be wrapped. Ive had a lot to do with horses back in the day, but not so much up on it now. Horses are also typically wrapped when floated. Usually we'll get the big guys with subsidary stores around the regions. I tried looking on their websites 1st and nothing. Amazing, but it doesnt surprise me.

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2013

    Musical, maybe these are all signals that you should get into the import business. In your spare time!  Love the blues lyrics you wrote, by the way!  Maybe we should start a new thread called LE Blues and see what kind of LE-done-me-wrong lyrics we can all come up with.  My arm's got an ache I just cannot shake...

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  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 2,781
    edited April 2013

    You girls crack me up.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2013

    Update...

    My arm's got an ache - I just cannot shake...
    and I aint gonna take it no more
    theres bandages here and sticky tape there
    and it all rolls out onto the floor    

    My arms such a pain, but Im thinking again
    its better than nothing at all
    still cant wrap it right - its too loose or too tight
    Wanna biff the whole lot at the wall

    Backing Vocals
    Ahhhhhrggg

    Sing it now...
    CHorus
    And were waiting for that day
    When there something better to say
    And we wait patiently for that day
    Lymphoedema is taken away...  HEY!!!!

    to be continued... (maybe)

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2013

    Musical, that is super fun!  Lymphedema done me wrong, but at least there's a song...

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