› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Surgery and Treatment
- This topic has 27 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 3 months ago by
Linny.
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- January 20, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Alrighty! My surgery to remove the rest of my lymph nodes is Thursday, January 26th at 9am! Hoping I don’t get lymphidema, but it would be a small price to pay if I do. I get a week of recovery and starting treatment February 6th at 9:30am. Matt posted on facebook for people to shave their heads in support. I said I’m not losing my hair! He said well…let’s just see who does it then! Spending time with Matt tonight and looking forward to beating this in the face! God is definitely good! He always provides! Anywho, have a great and blessed weekend everyone! Lots of love!Alrighty! My surgery to remove the rest of my lymph nodes is Thursday, January 26th at 9am! Hoping I don’t get lymphidema, but it would be a small price to pay if I do. I get a week of recovery and starting treatment February 6th at 9:30am. Matt posted on facebook for people to shave their heads in support. I said I’m not losing my hair! He said well…let’s just see who does it then! Spending time with Matt tonight and looking forward to beating this in the face! God is definitely good! He always provides! Anywho, have a great and blessed weekend everyone! Lots of love!
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- January 20, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Your attitude is awesome. You can beat this. If it lose at round 1, there are still 9 more rounds. Believe it can be done. I believe that you can beat it! I'll be thinking about you for your surgery.
David
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- January 20, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Your attitude is awesome. You can beat this. If it lose at round 1, there are still 9 more rounds. Believe it can be done. I believe that you can beat it! I'll be thinking about you for your surgery.
David
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- January 20, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Your attitude is awesome. You can beat this. If it lose at round 1, there are still 9 more rounds. Believe it can be done. I believe that you can beat it! I'll be thinking about you for your surgery.
David
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- January 20, 2012 at 4:41 pm
I had the lymph nodes removed from my left arm in November, 2009. My dr. referred me to a physical therapist that specializes in lymphedema prevention. I regained all flexibility/strength in my arm and have never had any trouble with lymphedema. Hope it all goes well!
Patricia
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- January 20, 2012 at 4:41 pm
I had the lymph nodes removed from my left arm in November, 2009. My dr. referred me to a physical therapist that specializes in lymphedema prevention. I regained all flexibility/strength in my arm and have never had any trouble with lymphedema. Hope it all goes well!
Patricia
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- January 20, 2012 at 4:41 pm
I had the lymph nodes removed from my left arm in November, 2009. My dr. referred me to a physical therapist that specializes in lymphedema prevention. I regained all flexibility/strength in my arm and have never had any trouble with lymphedema. Hope it all goes well!
Patricia
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- January 21, 2012 at 12:59 am
I had 28 lymph nodes removed from my right arm pit August 12, 2010 and have not had any further problem. I do take it easy lifting with that arm and my arm pit will probably never feel the same as it is totally numb but other then that all is good. I do have a compression sleeve incase I ever do have a problem. Good luck to you. The drane was the worst part I thought, but everyone is different. God Bless!!!
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- January 21, 2012 at 12:59 am
I had 28 lymph nodes removed from my right arm pit August 12, 2010 and have not had any further problem. I do take it easy lifting with that arm and my arm pit will probably never feel the same as it is totally numb but other then that all is good. I do have a compression sleeve incase I ever do have a problem. Good luck to you. The drane was the worst part I thought, but everyone is different. God Bless!!!
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- January 21, 2012 at 12:59 am
I had 28 lymph nodes removed from my right arm pit August 12, 2010 and have not had any further problem. I do take it easy lifting with that arm and my arm pit will probably never feel the same as it is totally numb but other then that all is good. I do have a compression sleeve incase I ever do have a problem. Good luck to you. The drane was the worst part I thought, but everyone is different. God Bless!!!
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- January 21, 2012 at 2:21 pm
I had a full lymphadenectomy done in January 2010 and have no lymphedema. I did see a physical therapist who specializes in it and got some exercises from her as well as a compression sleeve. Don't just randomly buy one from a drug store. You need to be properly measured and fitted for one. They come in colors and I picked a lavender-colored one. 🙂
I took some advice from a breast cancer survivor who'd had a double lympadenectomy and I'm not sure how much it helped. She gave me a simple excerise to try with the affected arm: place your fingers on your shoulder and begin gently "walking" up your shoulder, neck, past your ear, over the top of your head to the top of the opposite ear and back. Go slow. Of course you won't get anywhere near the top of your head the first try. Just go as far as you can and then back. Then measure your progress as you heal. Your goal is to reach the other ear. I started doing this the day after I got home.
Once you can use the shower again, here's another exercise you can try: stand about a foot from the wall of your shower and "walk" up the wall with the affected arm. The goal is to reach the same position on the wall that your unaffected arm can reach when fully extended. On the first try, you won't get anywhere near it but it does improve over time. I was able to measure my progress using the tiles. Once your comfortably extended the affected arm, give it a gentle massage by gently stroking downward from the wrist to your shoulder.
After I saw the therapist I learned even more excerises and preventive measures. And, my arm is fine.
Over the year I've noticed that I do get normal swelling on the hand of the affected arm in the warm weather and when I do certain activities like weeding. The first time I noticed the swelling I freaked out. But after I elevated my arm and began stroking down from my wrist to my shoulder I could feel the fluid drain from my hand.
The experience I had with the surgery wasn't as bad as I feared it would be. Not that it was a walk in the park but I managed just fine. The biggest pain in the butt was the drain. If the hospital doesn't give you a mastectomy bra (the one I got had a pouch for the drain) then wear a sports bra or stretchy cami to help keep the drain in place.
You are on practically the same timeline that I was on last year. My surgery was on January 25. At my two week follow up with the surgeon my pain was minimal, I was able to dress myself and get a jacket on/off with on my own. ANd, I couldn't wait to use a shower again! LOL
Hang in there. You're going to do just fine.
Linda
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- January 21, 2012 at 2:21 pm
I had a full lymphadenectomy done in January 2010 and have no lymphedema. I did see a physical therapist who specializes in it and got some exercises from her as well as a compression sleeve. Don't just randomly buy one from a drug store. You need to be properly measured and fitted for one. They come in colors and I picked a lavender-colored one. 🙂
I took some advice from a breast cancer survivor who'd had a double lympadenectomy and I'm not sure how much it helped. She gave me a simple excerise to try with the affected arm: place your fingers on your shoulder and begin gently "walking" up your shoulder, neck, past your ear, over the top of your head to the top of the opposite ear and back. Go slow. Of course you won't get anywhere near the top of your head the first try. Just go as far as you can and then back. Then measure your progress as you heal. Your goal is to reach the other ear. I started doing this the day after I got home.
Once you can use the shower again, here's another exercise you can try: stand about a foot from the wall of your shower and "walk" up the wall with the affected arm. The goal is to reach the same position on the wall that your unaffected arm can reach when fully extended. On the first try, you won't get anywhere near it but it does improve over time. I was able to measure my progress using the tiles. Once your comfortably extended the affected arm, give it a gentle massage by gently stroking downward from the wrist to your shoulder.
After I saw the therapist I learned even more excerises and preventive measures. And, my arm is fine.
Over the year I've noticed that I do get normal swelling on the hand of the affected arm in the warm weather and when I do certain activities like weeding. The first time I noticed the swelling I freaked out. But after I elevated my arm and began stroking down from my wrist to my shoulder I could feel the fluid drain from my hand.
The experience I had with the surgery wasn't as bad as I feared it would be. Not that it was a walk in the park but I managed just fine. The biggest pain in the butt was the drain. If the hospital doesn't give you a mastectomy bra (the one I got had a pouch for the drain) then wear a sports bra or stretchy cami to help keep the drain in place.
You are on practically the same timeline that I was on last year. My surgery was on January 25. At my two week follow up with the surgeon my pain was minimal, I was able to dress myself and get a jacket on/off with on my own. ANd, I couldn't wait to use a shower again! LOL
Hang in there. You're going to do just fine.
Linda
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- January 21, 2012 at 2:21 pm
I had a full lymphadenectomy done in January 2010 and have no lymphedema. I did see a physical therapist who specializes in it and got some exercises from her as well as a compression sleeve. Don't just randomly buy one from a drug store. You need to be properly measured and fitted for one. They come in colors and I picked a lavender-colored one. 🙂
I took some advice from a breast cancer survivor who'd had a double lympadenectomy and I'm not sure how much it helped. She gave me a simple excerise to try with the affected arm: place your fingers on your shoulder and begin gently "walking" up your shoulder, neck, past your ear, over the top of your head to the top of the opposite ear and back. Go slow. Of course you won't get anywhere near the top of your head the first try. Just go as far as you can and then back. Then measure your progress as you heal. Your goal is to reach the other ear. I started doing this the day after I got home.
Once you can use the shower again, here's another exercise you can try: stand about a foot from the wall of your shower and "walk" up the wall with the affected arm. The goal is to reach the same position on the wall that your unaffected arm can reach when fully extended. On the first try, you won't get anywhere near it but it does improve over time. I was able to measure my progress using the tiles. Once your comfortably extended the affected arm, give it a gentle massage by gently stroking downward from the wrist to your shoulder.
After I saw the therapist I learned even more excerises and preventive measures. And, my arm is fine.
Over the year I've noticed that I do get normal swelling on the hand of the affected arm in the warm weather and when I do certain activities like weeding. The first time I noticed the swelling I freaked out. But after I elevated my arm and began stroking down from my wrist to my shoulder I could feel the fluid drain from my hand.
The experience I had with the surgery wasn't as bad as I feared it would be. Not that it was a walk in the park but I managed just fine. The biggest pain in the butt was the drain. If the hospital doesn't give you a mastectomy bra (the one I got had a pouch for the drain) then wear a sports bra or stretchy cami to help keep the drain in place.
You are on practically the same timeline that I was on last year. My surgery was on January 25. At my two week follow up with the surgeon my pain was minimal, I was able to dress myself and get a jacket on/off with on my own. ANd, I couldn't wait to use a shower again! LOL
Hang in there. You're going to do just fine.
Linda
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