Lymphedema Anyone?

Yeah.  So, I noticed some swelling in my upper arm.  And it felt funny.  Well, it's been feeling funny ever since surgery, but over the weekend it felt especially funny.  So I'm thinkin, "Great.  A year & a half out of surgery & here we go with lymphedema?"  Ugh.  So, I get an appointment with the oncologist to take a look & see if it really is, or, maybe my arm has looked this way & I'm just now paying attention to it?  But I didn't see the oncologist.  His nurse says he doesn't diagnose/treat lymphedema.  Refers me to a "Lymphedema Center".  It's about an hour away from me.  So I get there & get told "We're not 'allowed' to 'officially diagnose' lymphedema."  Great.  So they did educate me on what it is, what to watch for, how to treat it & measured me for a compression sleeve.  Then she did a massage technique & showed me how to do it too, so I can move fluid out of that arm.  Picked up the sleeve.  I wear it during my elliptical workout & when doing strenuous activity.  And was advised to wear it if I fly on an airplane. 

I'm not 100% sure it's lymphedema.  Soooooo, when I see the surgeon, Dr V on Tuesday, plan to have him take a good look.  Surely the surgeon who removed the damn lymph nodes would be "allowed" to "officially diagnose" lymphedema.  Or officially declare this the "new normal" & NOT lymphedema.  I'm hoping for the latter.  

Hair regrowth:  Here we are at 11 days shy of a year out from last chemo, December 1, 2010.  From the front, I'm starting to look more like "me"....when I would pull my hair back into a ponytail.  Just gotta regrow that ponytail back long.  Right now it's a nubby tail.  And I'll like it better when I can wear it higher up on my head like I did before.  But anyway, it's nice to be lookin & feelin more & more like myself.  Yep.

 

 My studying for the insurance exam got put on hold a bit, (came down with my annual sinus infection & felt like shit for a few days, then it was Thanksgiving, then the lymphedema thing...ugh) but I'm putting that back on a fast track.  I need to get that exam scheduled. ASAP.  Very excited to get to go back to work with my insurance friends.

Next up: Mediport removal in T-5 days.