Hello, lymphies!
I apologize for the lack of posting these past few months. I’ve been taking some time to find myself and it’s been an invaluable experience. I’m back, though, with lots of love and ideas for The Lymphie Life!
I will pick up posting within the next week or so, so please check back! I hope you’re all doing well and staying elevated :)
Much love,
Alexa
Have you been to the Lymphie Life’s online store yet? Treat yourself or a beloved lymphie to some cool merchandise and get in on that lymphedema swag:
Check out the store for these and other products today!
After three weeks of wrapping, my garments have come in: I’m now the proud owner of a brand-new Mediven stocking and a Solaris Tribute nighttime garment. Wahoo!
I’ve had both open- and closed-toe stockings before but I didn’t find either to be particularly comfortable, so I decided to go a different route with my new one. I’ve never had a stocking quite like this – I love my new Mediven! My new Medi is closed-toe but each toe is separately enclosed, with sort of a “toe socks” aesthetic. Having each toe separate gives it that much more individual compression, which I need because my toes and forefoot are my most affected areas. It’s super comfy, too – the team at GBMC and Caring Touch Medical did a great job measuring me for a custom fit. I’m looking forward to ordering these in a couple more colors when I go for my follow up appointment next week.
For nightwear, I got a Solaris Tribute. I’ve had a Tribute before and so I’m already pretty used to it, although my new one is a little different: it’s colorful! Solaris offers the Tribute in a small variety of colors now – a simple pleasure for us lymphies – and I got mine in a pretty shade of navy blue with two different sleeves: one jade green, and one red. I also got a set of toecaps to wear at nighttime for some extra compression. So far so good although I’ve been taking it off in the middle of the night, in my sleep. Not quite sure what that’s about but I think after a few more nights of wearing it I’ll get adjusted to the new fit!
I’ve been really consistent about wearing my stockings these past couple months, and getting new ones is strengthening my resolve to continue doing so. If I am able to wear my garment and have my leg wrapped during summer – the most difficult season for lymphies – then I can keep it up during the fall and winter!
What types of garments do you have? Which ones do you prefer?
I feel so fortunate to live near a lymphedema clinic, especially one as personable and competent as GBMC’s. My appointment yesterday went really well: they said that I had done a good job maintaining my swelling since my last visit three years ago, and that made me feel a lot more confident about my ability to take care of myself. I truly have made a daily effort to wear my garments and to have that recognized is super encouraging!
I met with a nurse, a doctor, and a lymphedema therapist, and between the four of us it was decided I’d start a physical therapy program where, in addition to the physical therapy itself, the therapist will be wrapping my leg in tight bandages each day for about a month. This process (“wrapping”) will allow for smaller measurements and a garment with tighter, more effective compression.
I’m excited to get this started; I did wrapping three years ago but am definitely overdue and in need of another new garment. I start sometime next week – hooray! Although I’m not relishing the idea of wearing layers of bandages in 90+ degree weather, I know it’s going to help me a lot in the long run.
What’s your experience with physical therapy and wrapping?
For the past two and a half weeks, I’ve been in treatment for my eating disorder. This is the second time I’ve been in treatment and I’m sharing this with you all because my lymphedema has played a large role in my eating disorder’s complex development and continues to affect my body image every day – something I think most of you can relate to, eating disorder or not.
When I was in middle school, a peer made a comment that stuck with me to this day: “You wouldn’t look so fat if you didn’t have that cankle.” Cankle. She had spit out the word like it was disgusting, ugly, and ever since then I’ve felt the same: because my leg was fat and ugly, I was fat and ugly. If I lost weight, then my leg would get skinnier and I wouldn’t look fat anymore. If it weren’t for my disgusting, ugly, fat leg, I could be happy.
And so began my distorted thinking about my body and my self, one that would hold such a tight grip that, ten years later, I’m still struggling to break free of. I don’t have a real purpose for this post as I’ve spoken about body image and my eating disorder before, but it’s something that’s been on my mind a lot lately. As I re-enter treatment for my body and mind, I’ve been rethinking the way that I treat my leg. I’ve been so spotty in my lymphedema care, usually ignoring it because I’d just be so angry at it. Now, though, I’m in a different mindset. A more therapeutic one. It’s a part of my body that requires special care, just like the parts of me that have been so damaged from my eating disorder. My body as a whole needs as much love and nourishment as I can give it, and that includes lymphedema maintenance.
I’ve been really good about wearing my compression garments every day and what’s helped me is to think about it as though I’m taking daily medicine: I wouldn’t skip my other medications, would I? Of course not! Yeah, it still gets me down a lot, but when I catch myself getting frustrated with my leg or with lymphedema maintenance, I remind myself that if I don’t take care of it like I’m supposed to it will get worse, and then I’ll really have a reason to be upset.
Our lymphedema isn’t our “fault,” it’s not a punishment or something to resent. It also isn’t something we must live our lives for – rather, it’s something we must adjust our lives to. Instead of being upset that I can’t wear short sundresses in the summertime, I need to get excited about the pretty longer skirts and dresses that are available. Instead of getting angry at my leg, I need to take care of it. It’s a part of me, after all, whether I like it or not.
My current mantra.
Okay, with that being said, I need to get something off my chest: I feel absolutely AWFUL about not regularly posting on here in what seems like months. As some of you may know, I run another blog focused on my eating disorder and recovery, and that usually takes precedence. I do promise to upkeep with this blog more often because you all are so wonderful. I have so much love & thankfulness for all of you – you not only read my blog but also actively comment and help one another, and that’s so amazing and beautiful. I couldn’t ask to be part of a better community!!
(PS: I’ve been working on a logo for the site to appear on merchandise, like shirts, tote bags, etc. Exciting! Below is the extremely rough draft; suggestions and comments much appreciated!)
