Immune System/Lymphedema/Cellulitis

Hugs to both of you!  

melmcbee, I doubt that it's a question of not doing things right, if you're taking basic precautions to avoid infection such as attending to cuts properly etc.  Don't be too hard on yourself!

As to immune function, I do believe in the common-sense element of David Servan-Schreiber's 'anti cancer' diet, which makes sense for any immune-boosting need, and it boils down to: eat a diet that's very diverse in fruits and vegetables. Another researcher (who is leading trials at MD Andersen to test anti-cancer properties of a number of spices) tells us in his book The Healing Power of Spices to add diverse spices to our diet.  I don't believe for a minute that food or spices = a miracle cure for anything, but it just makes sense to me that eating a whole food instead of what's extracted for a supplement gives us more than what meets the eye.  

I can't say a fruit-veggie-spice (oh, and green tea, according to Dr. Servan Schreiber) - rich diet will prevent cellulitis, but it *might* help and can hardly harm us.  I drink some green tea each day (not buckets full) and I shoot for at least 25 different fruits and veggies each week, which turns out not to be hard to do. And I spice up what I cook.  And I cross my fingers and hope all my health evils are behind me!

KatieJane, some people with recurrent cellulitis will be put on prophylactic antibiotics by an infectious disease doctor. Now, just yesterday the CDC put out a bulletin about antibiotic resistance, but one of the points was to AVOID infection.

Your immune system is compromised systemically after the chemo and locally with the LE, and recurrent cellulitis can be avoided with prophylactic antibiotics, although when they stop them, sometimes it recurs. I'd strongly recommend you meet with an infectious disease doctor or discuss it with your oncologist.