Lymphedema

Yup.  I have it.  I saw the LE therapist this afternoon, and start with her tomorrow morning at 7:00 am.  I'll see her on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for up to four weeks, depending upon how my body responds.  I found out that I am NOT guaranteed to wear a compression sleeve for life, but I'm also not guaranteed NOT to wear one.  That made me feel better, because I assumed that I would have to.

Each session will involve her doing a very gentle massage that moves the lymph fluid out of my arm and toward the remaining lymph nodes.  Some toward the opposite side and some down, toward my stomach/groin nodes.  It won't hurt and some people fall asleep.  Cool.  Then, I get wrapped.

There is a thin layer of foam that will be wrapped around my arm, and then a wrap that looks like an ACE, but works completely differently.  Instead of being immobilized, I am to use my arm as normal.  The wrap will help push the fluid out of my arm, and prevent fluid from building back up.  She warned me that it is hot, uncomfortable, and annoying.  She also said to remember that it is temporary.

If the best case scenario comes to pass, my body will respond favorably and the swelling will go down.  Then, I will get a compression sleeve.  How much I wear it, and how long I wear it, will be determined later.  I truly do feel better than I did before this appointment.

Oh, and I told Kevin that there was no need for him to go to this appointment.  I didn't need him there.  He met me there anyway, and it made a world of difference.  I was able to tell all the details of the past year and talk in depth about things without tearing up a single time.  Yup.  I need him there.  I have to stop arguing with him about that.