Kicking cancer's ass - day 1519

October 24 - Lymphedema is a potential side effect of breast cancer surgery and radiation therapy that can appear in some people during the months or even years after treatment ends.

I miss wearing my wedding rings.

Lymphedema is annoying.  It's uncomfortable.  It can be painful.  Mostly it's frustrating.  

Mine isn't severe.  It's limited to my left forearm, wrist and hand.  But that means my rings don't fit.  And that upsets me.  I cried in the hospital when I had to take my rings off long enough for surgery...it does not make me happy that I haven't been able to wear them in months.  MONTHS.  

There is no cure for lymphedema.  Once it shows up, you're stuck with it.  It can be managed and hopefully get better, but it doesn't go away.  Since mine appeared back in June, it has not gotten better.  Despite many, many hours of therapy, stretches, exercises, and wrapping, it's still the same.  Despite thousands of dollars spent on appointments, a lymphedema pump, custom sleeves and gloves, and bandages, it's still the same.  Whether I do my pump therapy every day or not at all, or whether I wear my compression garments or I don't... it's still the same.  Actually my new "custom" sleeve and glove seem to make it worse!  How fun is that?

There is an experimental surgery that involves transplanting lymph nodes, or rerouting the lymph vessels that both my lymphedema therapist and my doctor have mentioned.  I didn't jump all over it because yeah... another surgery?  And the success rate right now is about 40%.  But....

There is a lymphedema institute in Dallas that I may add to my list of places to visit.  

If you had surgery for breast cancer, lymph nodes removed and/or radiation, please please PLEASE take precautions against lymphedema.  I don't know what set mine off, but it took almost 4 years to do it.  Unexpected, and unwanted.  I hope it doesn't happen to you.