Just an update...

About a month ago I started having some weird pains in my right arm. Yep, the same side all my problems started with, and very similar to the pain a year ago that prompted me to get the ultrasound that found my recurrence. My arm was falling asleep and heavy feeling and I felt like there was a string connecting the inside of my elbow to my shoulder blade and every time I moved my arm it tightened. I started having trouble with range of motion reaching my arm over my head or behind my back. One day at work I actually had to have a co-worker put my jacket on me because I simply couldn’t reach back with my arm.
It didn’t feel like lymphedema-which is what can happen after an axillary lymph node dissection when lymph fluid has no place to go and the arm swells up-but then again I have never had lymphedema before so I wasn’t sure. I have a compression sleeve I wore as instructed-and it didn’t really resolve any of the symptoms.
I called my amazing lymphedema nurse Sabrina and told her what I was experiencing. When her response was “I need to see you right away-can you be here tomorrow at 11?” I knew something was going on.
My appointment with her was very educational.
Good news was I did NOT have lymphedema of my arm, but I did slightly have some going on in the right boob. Awesome. Easy fix-massage it out and wear a compression type camisole to sleep in for the next few weeks.
*thank goodness for the Ruby Ribbon tanks I bought last year!! Thanks Stephanie and Lori!
Bad news was I had a lymphatic cord in my arm, also known as Axillary Web Syndrome. When you have no lymph nodes, lymph fluid and cells and other stuff gets clogged up and solidifies.
Think Grandview Triangle at rush hour.
In the rain.
With a wreck.
*my KC peeps will get this analogy*
Yah, fun when that jam happens in your arm.

When that happens, you can actually feel and sometimes see a rope-like structure extending from the elbow to the armpit. Mine wasn’t visible to the eye because it was deep. But Sabrina could definitely feel it. And how does one ‘fix’ a lymphatic cord?
With a lot of deep massage.
And I mean DEEP massage.
Sabrina worked on my arm for about 15 minutes and it felt like an eternity. It was one of those ‘hurts so good’ type feelings because as she massaged, she was breaking that cord loose. And in turn, loosening the tightness and pain in my arm.
Woo-hoo! I left there with instructions to get an electric massager and work on my arm with it and do some stretching and range of motion exercises for the next few weeks and then see her back.

Within a couple of weeks it already felt better.
And then last weekend I noticed a hard lump under my original mastectomy scar extending the length of the scar from mid- chest to my armpit and it was tender to the touch. Knowing I was scheduled to see Sabrina today I didn’t worry about it.
And that’s what I get for thinking...

So my lymphatic cord is basically gone.
My breast lymphedema is cleared up.
And now I have radiation fibrosis to my scar and myofascial tissue around my right implant. Hence the hard, lumpy feeling.
Myofascial tissue is a type of connective tissue that provides support to your muscles and bones in basic terms. So, because I’m now 13 weeks out from radiation, we are seeing these side effects, and can for up to 8 months and sometimes a year post Rad zapping. And if I don’t do something about it now it will never get better.
Imagine being in terrible pain and being told that is the best it gets without intervention. If we didn’t work on it now and for the next few weeks it would only get worse.
Today Sabrina did some myofascial release work on my arm and at times I was fighting back tears.
But as bad as it hurt, I let her work on my arm for about 15 minutes. And I could not believe the relief when she was done.
And when she said I would be sore tonight she wasn’t lying. I’ll be popping a muscle relaxer and washing it down with a dry red before bed tonight.

BUT, since I was south of the river, I did get to go have lunch with my bestie that I don’t get to see often enough. Sarah is having some health issues of her own and an upcoming surgery that I know she is worried about so it was really nice to just relax and laugh, a lot, and catch up. She’s been there for me through all this bullshit so please say a prayer, light a candle, send good juju or whatever you do, for my friend for a successful surgery and easy recovery.
My fabulous KU CV RN friend-I may need you to keep an eye on her while she’s there! I’ll message you!

And my other bestie must have known we were talking about her because she text me in the middle of our lunch. Her Mama had surgery today for breast cancer and she’s her caregiver for the next couple of weeks so send her some strength too and her Mama some healing juju also!

Working like crazy the next few weeks. Using up all your PTO and sick time for treatments sucks so the OT has been nice. But apparently everyone in the city thinks my hospital is the place to be and CT scans are the cure for all that ails and we have been super busy pretty much every shift I’ve worked!
Next week we are going down to Fayetteville for one of the last times to bring all of Hailey’s stuff home. She still has some classes the first week of August, but has to be out of her apartment by the 27th. So she’s gonna stay with a sorority sister there and live out of her suitcase for a couple weeks until she’s home for a while.

Lots going on with the bald kid-I’ll save that for another post. Not bad-just some changes we are implementing.
Now I’m going for a walk in the cool (91 degrees at 9:30pm) night air to burn off some calories from lunch and then catch up on Handmaids Tale and Stranger Things....