Let's catch up!
So I got the reduction kit mess figured out. Since I wasn't going to be able to meet with a therapist to help fit the reduction kit to my lymphie leg, my garment people back in California decided the best option was going to be talking me through the steps over FaceTime, as I did it myself. I’m sure someone with training would have done a better job, but I would like to think I did a pretty good job. I wore the reduction kit as much as I could for the next week and a half, and the swelling did go down a bit, but of course not as much as I would have liked. After a week and a half of wearing the reduction wrap it was time for me to make my way home to California to get measured for new compression garments, and with all the traveling (you can probably guess if you are a fellow lymphedema friend) my leg started to swell up again even with the reduction wraps on. I knew this would probably happen as traveling is always hard on my leg so, I wasn't too upset, but I do wish that didn't happen. The day after I got home I went to my appointment with, as my physical therapist would call her, the "compression garment queen." I was measured for new garments, finally! I'm super excited to get them! After all my surgeries and the added years since I was last measured my calf is about the same size as it was when I was first measured for custom garments, and my thigh is much smaller. The "compression garment queen" was very pleased that I’ve been able to maintain and improve the condition of my leg, so I guess I have to be doing something sort of right, right? We decided together that I will be staying in the Juzo- one-legged, stocking type of garment but instead of a covered toe I will get the ones cut off at the toes with a toe cap sock. With this garment each of my toes will have their own compression. Hopefully I can finally say goodbye to my sausage toes. She (the queen) mentioned I could even where flip flops/sandals with this kind of toe cap if I wanted to. That might be fun for summer, but it has been a while since the last time I wore them so we’ll see. The garments come from Germany so it takes a little while for them to get here. I haven't gotten them yet, but they should be here any day and it couldn't be a better time as my best garment finally gave in to the hole-in-toe trend that all the others started to follow a while ago. Since I was measured, I have to admit I have not been the best at keeping to my management routine and let me tell you... I can definitely tell. My fourth semester of college just ended on the 7th of April, and I did quite a bit of weekend traveling the last few weeks of school. With all that mind and body stress I should have been taking better care of myself. It's hard sometimes always having to remember my limits. Of course I can't live with limits all the time because... your girl has to have fun.. but when I do decide to "have no limits" I need to prepare to do damage control afterwards. I always think life is going to get less crazy and I will finally have time to do things like take care of my leg, but I am learning that that is not the case. Life keeps moving faster and faster. Living in the fast life can take its toll on anyone, but it can be a little extra straining on someone with a chronic illness like lymphedema. Today was the first day of the new semester. Semester 5 for me. <-- That's wild. As I was sitting through classes and walking around campus, I was so uncomfortable! Does this happen to anyone else? I felt like my leg was suffocating in my compression garments. It felt like my leg was trying to escape from them. I swear the garment was going to burst at the seams just so that my leg could find relief from the pressure. The weird part is that my leg wasn't unusually more swollen today. I wanted to drive home and rip my garment off to free it from the prison of compression, but the thing is that wouldn't help me. It might have felt relieving in the moment, but if I decided to take off my compression for the rest of the day I would regret it. Taking compression off for comfort just gives your leg time to swell more with no restraints. One day with no compression can mean up to two weeks of trying to get the swelling back down. It's not worth it. Compression is everything. Without it there is no hope in having a sort of normal looking limb. As I have learned and grown the past few years with lymphedema I have come to understand and firmly believe in the power of compression. You know, I never thought I would have to deal with something like this in my life. I don't think anyone would. It was about 4 years ago that my leg first started swelling. I thought I might have just twisted my ankle a little weird while walking or something. Little did I know my whole life was changing. I am not saying that I am glad I have lymphedema in any way because let's be honest, it sucks, but I have learned a lot of lessons I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to learn without it. I have learned how to be more independent as I made all my doctors’ appointments and found someone who would consider and perform surgery for it, I have learned I can't be perfect and that is okay, I have learned to be less judgmental, and so much more. I think it may have been God's funny way of helping me to be more humble, and I'm okay with that. |
AuthorHi, my name is Sydney, and I have Primary Lymphedema. I created this blog to share my journey, and I hope that by sharing my story I can help those who are on a similar path. Archives
April 2017
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