I've had mild Lymphedema a few times since 2010. It sometimes happens to women who had a sentinel node removed while undergoing mastectomy. The sentinel node is in the armpit, and the idea is that if it's removed and biopsied, the docs can tell whether cancer has spread from the breast to the lymph system and consequently, to other areas of the body.
The biopsy of my sentinel node came back clear in 2010. That was good news, of course. The bad news is that removing the sentinel node interferes with the natural process of lymph flow. Lymph can build up in the arm, resulting in the condition of Lymphedema, for which there are treatments but there is no cure. Severe cases of Lymphedema can be painful and disfiguring.
Fortunately, my experiences with Lymphedema have been temporary. When I notice swelling I elevate my arm to help the lymph flow toward my heart, and after a week or so it goes away. This was my approach a few weeks back, when my left hand and arm started to swell. It turned out more was going on than was visible to the eye, however. Last Wednesday evening, red spots popped up on my left lower arm. I was scheduled for chemo the next day, so I figured I'd talk to my doc about it then. By the time I saw my doctor, though, my arm was swollen from my hand to my elbow and it was red and warm. When I showed it to my doctor, he said, "That's not good." He diagnosed a skin infection. Much discussion ensued, and the decision to postpone chemo was made.
The doc sent me to Emergency at OHSU (Emergency is on the hill at the main hospital; I receive chemo at the Center for Health & Healing on the Waterfront) and eventually I was admitted to the Acute Care Unit, where I was given IV antibiotics. They kept me overnight, and after the redness subsided and the swelling went down a bit, I went home with a prescription for 14 days' worth of pills. I was also given two packets of blood while I was in hospital, due to my ongoing anemia. The plan is to resume chemo on Thursday, March 29. My arm looks better, but it's still swollen. I suspect I'll be frequently raising it in the coming weeks, in the hope that it will help the fluid dissipate.
My mood and my energy level have improved with the antibiotics, too. I had assumed they were due to chemo (or possibly, in the case of my mood, I was generally grumpy due to my illness, interpersonal conflicts, and the general horror of the world these days) until the infection came to light.
When I feel especially lousy, or when a new problem pops up, it's easy for me to get discouraged and assume that I'm in my final decline. But I'm trying to look at this as just another bump on the road, and when I raise my left arm in the coming weeks, to help with my lymph flow, I'll remind myself that it's also a way for me to signal that I'm here. I'm still here.
The biopsy of my sentinel node came back clear in 2010. That was good news, of course. The bad news is that removing the sentinel node interferes with the natural process of lymph flow. Lymph can build up in the arm, resulting in the condition of Lymphedema, for which there are treatments but there is no cure. Severe cases of Lymphedema can be painful and disfiguring.
Fortunately, my experiences with Lymphedema have been temporary. When I notice swelling I elevate my arm to help the lymph flow toward my heart, and after a week or so it goes away. This was my approach a few weeks back, when my left hand and arm started to swell. It turned out more was going on than was visible to the eye, however. Last Wednesday evening, red spots popped up on my left lower arm. I was scheduled for chemo the next day, so I figured I'd talk to my doc about it then. By the time I saw my doctor, though, my arm was swollen from my hand to my elbow and it was red and warm. When I showed it to my doctor, he said, "That's not good." He diagnosed a skin infection. Much discussion ensued, and the decision to postpone chemo was made.
The doc sent me to Emergency at OHSU (Emergency is on the hill at the main hospital; I receive chemo at the Center for Health & Healing on the Waterfront) and eventually I was admitted to the Acute Care Unit, where I was given IV antibiotics. They kept me overnight, and after the redness subsided and the swelling went down a bit, I went home with a prescription for 14 days' worth of pills. I was also given two packets of blood while I was in hospital, due to my ongoing anemia. The plan is to resume chemo on Thursday, March 29. My arm looks better, but it's still swollen. I suspect I'll be frequently raising it in the coming weeks, in the hope that it will help the fluid dissipate.
My mood and my energy level have improved with the antibiotics, too. I had assumed they were due to chemo (or possibly, in the case of my mood, I was generally grumpy due to my illness, interpersonal conflicts, and the general horror of the world these days) until the infection came to light.
When I feel especially lousy, or when a new problem pops up, it's easy for me to get discouraged and assume that I'm in my final decline. But I'm trying to look at this as just another bump on the road, and when I raise my left arm in the coming weeks, to help with my lymph flow, I'll remind myself that it's also a way for me to signal that I'm here. I'm still here.