In 1986 I visited my doctor for my annual physical, confident that there would be no problems. I left feeling anything but confident, with my doctor finding a lump in my left breast. That led to an appointment with a surgeon, a biopsy and the resultant news that I had breast cancer. The next step was surgery to remove my whole breast (in1986 lumpectomies were not discussed) - not a very happy Christmas that year! But things looked up when I heard that the cancer had not spread and it wasn’t even necessary to have radiation or chemotherapy. 

And that was that, until about 17 years ago, more than 20 years after my surgery, I was in an exercise class doing the step on step off footwork when my foot slipped, I fell backwards and tried to save myself by using both hands. Off to Emergency when they said I had fractured both wrists and I ended up with both arms in casts for three weeks. Thank goodness I have a caring husband otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to cope. Think about it: no hands, can’t do anything!! 

When the casts came off, I went for physiotherapy. No one could understand why my left arm and hand were swollen whereas my right was fine. The first place I went was useless so I tried somewhere else and really lucked out with the physiotherapist who knew right away that the problem was lymphedema. The fracture had triggered lymphedema, which I had never heard about and was completely ignorant of this condition. He recommended Cedar Hills Lymphatic and Massage Therapy. Rang them and made an appointment for four, I think, weeks of MLD. Since then, I have had MLD treatment every six to eight weeks. I was also fitted for a day garment which I find very restrictive and confess that I don’t wear it too often. But every night I wear a night garment, my preferred one being JoviPak. I find this garment, although bulky, very comfortable, and it helps enormously with my hand and arm looking nearly “normal” every morning. During the day my left hand and arm swell up again and are noticeably bigger than my right but my lymphedema is not too bad and I feel I can cope with just the night garment unless I’m travelling. I also use moisturizer twice a day as my skin gets very dry. 

I wish to thank the caring volunteers at the B.C. Lymphedema Association for the wonderful help they gave me at the beginning of my lymphedema journey, giving me useful information and encouragement, and continue to help to this day.