Yesterday I had a (not so fun) back procedure. As my arm has been acting up, I wore my lymphedema sleeve on my left arm. I am going to the lymphedema clinic in another week or so and will keep wearing my sleeve.
But I digress. I got there and got checked in and changed into a lovely hospital gown and robe - they make them ugly so people don't steal them. The nurse took my vitals after getting me settled in a big comfy chair. Even though I was wearing my sleeve she asked if she could use my left arm for blood pressure. Really? But she did put the IV into my right arm without questions
Then when I got positioned on the table with my back (and the bright red underwear I wore on purpose) exposed for the procedure, they needed to hook up heart electrodes on my chest as well as oxygen in my nose, and blood pressure, O2 sensor, and start the IV on my left arm. A student nurse asked if all three could be done on one arm and the other nurse said yes.
The procedure went well. It should help with my back issues. It was painful to have but it should really be beneficial once it heals up. Before it, I could barely stand for ten minutes before my back started to hurt. This morning, I slept late and it didn't hurt at all until I walked downstairs to feed the cat.
I have a love-hate relationship with my sleeves. I really dislike wearing them all the time. It will start to annoy me when either the
little silicone disks cause a rash on my arm or I start to get a tan
line on my wrist. (Both have happened in the past.) In addition, its a reminder about cancer - sort of like wearing your heart on your sleeve, you wear a sleeve for your cancer.
Showing posts with label sleeve. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleeve. Show all posts
Friday, March 13, 2015
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Medically induced tan lines
Its bad enough when you wear shorts and a tee shirt outside frequently enough that you end up with a farmer's tan. But then when you add in medically induced tan lines you start looking really weird.
I have a lymphedema sleeve for my left arm. I goes down to my wrist. Supposedly you can get sun exposure through it and should wear sunscreen even if you are wearing a sleeve. I don't know what they are thinking. I get a tan line on my wrist.
These days I am wearing a wrist splint for carpal tunnel/tennis elbow on my right arm. I am starting to get funny tan lines on the back of my hand and where it ends just below my elbow.
Finally, I have these wonderful little pain patches that I wear for my back pain. They are about 1.5" x 1.5" and I have to wear them on the corner of my chest near my collarbone, on the back of my shoulder, on the outside of my shoulder, or on the side of my chest. I have to rotate them each week and cant repeat the same place for three weeks. And I can't wear them on my left side because of lymphedema so I am kind of stuck rotating through the four spots on my right side. And you really can't pick one up and move it around during the week.
This is beach season and I am out in the sun. I went to the beach last week with my patch on the back of my shoulder. I think I have a tan line. This week it is on the front of my shoulder and I might go to the beach again this weekend. That might mean more tan lines. I am starting to look like a weird zebra or something or that I am developing a skin condition.
Back when I was a healthy person, I was only worried about farmer tans.
I have a lymphedema sleeve for my left arm. I goes down to my wrist. Supposedly you can get sun exposure through it and should wear sunscreen even if you are wearing a sleeve. I don't know what they are thinking. I get a tan line on my wrist.
These days I am wearing a wrist splint for carpal tunnel/tennis elbow on my right arm. I am starting to get funny tan lines on the back of my hand and where it ends just below my elbow.
Finally, I have these wonderful little pain patches that I wear for my back pain. They are about 1.5" x 1.5" and I have to wear them on the corner of my chest near my collarbone, on the back of my shoulder, on the outside of my shoulder, or on the side of my chest. I have to rotate them each week and cant repeat the same place for three weeks. And I can't wear them on my left side because of lymphedema so I am kind of stuck rotating through the four spots on my right side. And you really can't pick one up and move it around during the week.
This is beach season and I am out in the sun. I went to the beach last week with my patch on the back of my shoulder. I think I have a tan line. This week it is on the front of my shoulder and I might go to the beach again this weekend. That might mean more tan lines. I am starting to look like a weird zebra or something or that I am developing a skin condition.
Back when I was a healthy person, I was only worried about farmer tans.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Medical beige is such a dreary color
Who invented medical beige? Was it meant to blend in with no one's skin tones? If your skin is medical beige either your self tanner is very weird or you found some strange body paint or have a very unique medical condition. It also doesn't go with anything. Beige is a neutral but medical beige matches nothing. It wouldn't even work as an upholstery color - nothing would match it but baby spit up.
But now I have the privilege of figuring out how to match medical beige to every out fit I own. Indefinitely. I am so excited (NOT). I went back to the lymphedema therapist yesterday. The lymphedema in my arm is improved but still there and since I have been having issues with my hand swelling, I get a little fingerless glove to wear when ever it is acting up.
Originally I was told to try wearing the sleeve for a couple of weeks and doing exercises and see if it resolves my problems. But since I have problems with my hand, and some on my torso as well, I should continue to wear the sleeve daily indefinitely. Meaning all day every day. I said what if I want to go to the beach or something? I was told I can swim in the sleeve in a pool if I want. But I should keep it on all day every day, from after showering in the morning until I go to bed.
Eventually I will solve the medical beige problem by ordering a fancy sleeve from lymphedivas but for now I will focus on doing the impossible - and coordinating with medical beige.
In addition, I got more exercises to do for my arm. It now takes me forever to get out of the house in the morning because of all my exercises. Grr.
But now I have the privilege of figuring out how to match medical beige to every out fit I own. Indefinitely. I am so excited (NOT). I went back to the lymphedema therapist yesterday. The lymphedema in my arm is improved but still there and since I have been having issues with my hand swelling, I get a little fingerless glove to wear when ever it is acting up.
Originally I was told to try wearing the sleeve for a couple of weeks and doing exercises and see if it resolves my problems. But since I have problems with my hand, and some on my torso as well, I should continue to wear the sleeve daily indefinitely. Meaning all day every day. I said what if I want to go to the beach or something? I was told I can swim in the sleeve in a pool if I want. But I should keep it on all day every day, from after showering in the morning until I go to bed.
Eventually I will solve the medical beige problem by ordering a fancy sleeve from lymphedivas but for now I will focus on doing the impossible - and coordinating with medical beige.
In addition, I got more exercises to do for my arm. It now takes me forever to get out of the house in the morning because of all my exercises. Grr.
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