Today’s adventure is lymphodema, a swelling of my left arm as a result having 18 lymph nodes removed. When I woke up I was first aware of stiffness in my hand and then noticed that the hand was really swollen and it hurt to make a fist. The swelling goes from my fingers to my arm pit.
There is a good side of this: when my upper left arm is swollen. I don’t have “bat wing syndrome” …. Just on the left, though. So what is worse than a bat wing? An upper arm that is bigger than the original bat wing. Bummer.
I went to the oncology clinic for fluids and a lymphodema consult and a referral to the physical therapy clinic for treatment. I was advised to keep the left arm elevated as much as I can tolerate for the next few days. There is good news. I can no longer do mopping or wash windows or play golf or tennis. Well, I’ll really miss that tennis!!! Seriously, I will need to wear a compression sleeve for a while and find a lymphodema massage therapist.
Time will tell if this is to be a limited time event or a long term problem. Stay tuned.
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