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Compression Sleeve

OK when you think of lymphedema and you think it is no big deal and it is not painful well you may want to reconsider that line of thinking. It has been about 3 weeks of being wrapped from fingers to shoulder and it is definitely uncomfortable.

I am still upset that I have done everything that the doctors told me to do and I am still stuck with lymphedema. The disorder at first is not uncomfortable but your affected limb can start feeling heavy and you can also get tingly fingers (if you have it in your arm), you will notice what I call play dough arm when you put your arm out straight and you push down you will leave an indentation.

I must apologize for not writing as often as I should be but if you saw how thick this wrapping is you would understand how hard it is to type. As I mentioned in the last entry I have had to wear this wrap 24/7 only to take it off when I am in the office of my therapist and then I can wash it and then she does the manual lymph node massage and that back into the wrap. This has gone on for 4 weeks going there 3 times a day it is quite exhausting. Sleeping with this wrap on is difficult and it just makes it hard to do and very hard to get comfortable with it on. My family probably thinks I am a huge grump because I am just tired and I know I get cranky when I am tired.

Today I went to the therapist and we have decided to try to use the compression sleeve which is like a girdle for my arm. It is super tight and goes from wrist to shoulder, and then I have a hand gauntlet which is fingerless glove that is with the compression material as well. I need to wear this for all waking hours. It is better and hopefully I can sleep better tonight.

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About Tammy Woolard

My name is Tammy and I am 40 year old mother of 3 wonderful children who came to us through domestic adoption. Although we did not have any fertility issues we chose adoption because there are so many kids that did not ask to be born but truly want a family to love. We did research on adoption choices and decided on domestic adoption through CPS. You would be surprised the differences between each agency. The adoption process is nothing like you see in the movies. I am also a 5 year breast cancer survivor. When I was diagnosed my kids were 3, 5 and 7 I did so much research I may have driven my Dr. a little crazy but that is ok it is my body not his.