The unexpected…
1.Axillary Web Syndrome: Painful Cording.
- A Seroma: Seriously?
My wounds healed quickly, leaving only two small scars, one where the tumor had been removed, and one in the axilla where lymph nodes had been resected.
What I wasn’t prepared for was the painless, boggy swelling that formed below the axillary scar, which made putting my arm at my side a constant reminder of the procedure. It was a SEROMA, a harmless fluid filled swelling which can occur after surgical disruption of the tissue, but it took weeks to resolve.
Something more bothersome was the sensation that my arm was tight, making it painful to reach overhead, or behind me. Looking at my arm, I noticed thick band like cords forming under the skin, all the way from my axilla, to the inside of my wrist. Sometimes the pain even shot across my chest, almost up to my collar bone, but this was mainly with extension of my arm.
Dr. Katin referred me to a wonderful lymphedema specialist, although I protested that I had no evidence of LYMPHEDEMA. This is a swelling that can occur due to blockage of lymphatic fluid after surgical disruption of the lymphatic chains. The therapist proved to be a God-send, and relieved the symptoms with just a few sessions of massage and painless low-level laser treatments, and after a while, the cords softened and disappeared.
The formation of this cording, called AXILLARY WEB SYNDROME is associated with a higher risk of developing lymphedema at some point, but I hope and pray that it won’t happen, and hope my yoga practice will discourage it.
To avoid complications of lymphedema, and infections after removal of lymph nodes, I am advised not to have blood draws from veins in the affected arm, nor should this arm be used for an IV. I should be careful to avoid cuts or scrapes that could be a source of infection. Taking my blood pressure in this arm is to be avoided, and my lymphedema therapist tells me not to sling my heavier-than-expected hand bag across my forearm. New things to remember…but not so bad…..
Thoughts of cancer, chemo, radiation, and the journey ahead, continue to twist in my mind and never leave me for long. Friends and family are kind, and offer support, but it’s difficult to see my fear mirrored in their faces, so there are times I just try to forget, take long walks, play a game of mahjong, or lose myself in a wonderful novel.
It will soon be time to start chemo.
http://www.cancercenter.com/lymphedema
Next Entry: Coming soon!
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