Hi Everyone:
First off……Happy Lunar New Year. Wishing everyone prosperity, happiness, success and good health. This year is the Year of the Snake. The “water snake” to be exact. I was born in the year of the OX. The highlights of my year, read this: “You would receive much help from your peers and friends. Your people relations are good. You would find easy to break through your difficulties.” **phew. Not too bad for my individual year because the general OX reading was only ‘so-so’. Apparently Ox and Snake can connect very well once a rooster person is involved. (Good thing a couple of Winnie‘s Warriors are Roosters!!) Otherwise, I’d have to work harder and there would be instability and low efficiency. So, to my dear Rooster Warriors….we’ll be spending a lot of time together this year!!
Sorry for the late update on my results of my visit to the Lymphedema clinic at Womens College Hospital. I just had it today. The OT had to cancel last Wednesday and we had rescheduled for last Friday but we had the biggest snow storm in Toronto since 2008 and she was without child care due to the school closure in her area. So we met today. She had felt bad about the two cancelled sessions that she had all the paperwork signed off by my surgeon in case she needed it after she performed my consult. (Now that is good anticipation and good service!).
So the diagnosis: mild lymphedema.
She was a little surprised at her findings. She marked up both my arms and measured different parts to see what kind of differences there were. Although, the swelling was better than it had been in the past couple of weeks (I’ve been wearing my compression sleeve everyday for the past while), you could still visibly see some swelling and feel the bump around my wrist. She didn’t think there would be much difference because I am still quite small generally, so when she measured, and found 3 different spots at more than 1 centimetre (cm) difference from the right (affected) to the left, she was surprised and told me so. However, she told me that I had great bony prominences for her to mark and measure. Small victories I suppose……. 2 centimetres would put me into the moderate lymphedema stage. So, it is good that I have looked into this now in the early stages and not ignored the symptoms.
There is no cure for lymphedema. But it can be treated and potentially be reduced. Educating oneself and learning to do some self-treatment is key. I tried to wear a compression sleeve to prevent it, but sometimes you can’t control what may be inevitable. At least I didn’t ignore the symptoms for too long. Thankfully, I’m only in the mild stage….but borderline.
So what is Lymphedema? Lymphedema is swelling, usually in the arms or legs, that occurs as a result of an impaired lymphatic system. A person’s lymphatic system can be imparied in a variety of ways: by surgery, radiation, injury or even infection. About 25 percent of breast cancer surgery patients experience lymphedema – which can be a disfiguring, painful swelling, most frequently in the arm. Radiation can increase the chance of getting lymphedema – which I had considered – but one has to make the choices in order to fight the cancer first and foremost. The benefits I’m sure of radiation out-weighs the risk of lymphedema.
One study reported a 26 percent overall average incidence of lymphedema within two years after treatment for breast cancer. I, happen to fall within that 26%. (Crap….just can’t catch a break sometimes……*le sigh).
However, I knew that I was in a high risk category with the radiation, modified radical mastectomy and removal of all my axillary node dissection. So, as I told the therapist today, I accept it. I just want to treat it, deal with it and try and continue to do what I do and hope that it gets better, goes away or at the very least doesn’t get worse. She told me she liked my attitude!
I got a prescription for a higher compression support garment that I will now have to wear daily for at least six months. I have to get an arm sleeve, hand gauntlet and full glove. Starting next Wednesday, I have to see the therapist to start treatments. Our health care system will cover the intial ones that I will do at the hospital. Then, if I need more, I will have to find a local source. But our health care system is really quite good here. There is even an Assisted Device Program that will help cover part of the cost for the compression garments that I will be getting. I will never complain about the taxes I pay anymore…….LOL…
I went to a medical garment fitter after my appointment today. There are all kinds of designs, colours, materials for these compression garments. The fitter asked me if I would like something fancy, some design, maybe some different fashion colours? I told her definitely not. Plain beige would suit me just fine. Plain and simple……just like me! (haha). For a moment I thought about going with the mock ‘snake skin’ but decided against it. Too hard to co-ordinate with. Luckily, I still fall into an over the counter size (for the arm sleeve part), so it doesn’t have to be custom made…..although maybe the glove might have to be made (my fingers are child size!)…..They didn’t have my size in stock – for anything – I’m the smallest – – so it’s being ordered. Everything in Beige.
I’m lucky that my lymphedema is not out of control…….and that I can still try and control and treat it. And although it may never go away and my two arms will never be the same, I know that I am doing something about it and facing it head on…..and THAT gives me hope for my future.
And with that, I wish all of you, my warriors, a very Happy Valentines Day. I cherish and love each and every one of you dearly.
Winnie xoxo