53. Wear Sunscreen...
- Amy Littlejohn
- Apr 10, 2022
- 2 min read
If you haven't heard this song before, it's worth a listen. It does make you think.
Plus it's a good reminder to anyone that has had chemo and radiotherapy to wear sunscreen. Even on a day like today, 10° so not that warm but sunny and windy, I've managed to come home after a day 4x4ing red faced from sun/wind burn. On the drive home my face was on fire!
Even now my face is still a bit red. I've put a Hemp overnight moisturising mask on so it's also a bit green!!
So remember, wear sunscreen!!
During last week I had an appointment with the Lymphoedema team to have a look at my boob. I had to go to St Margaret's Hospice in Taunton. I've not been to this one before but parking up memories of last year started coming back.
Once in the waiting area a weird feeling came over me. It's hard to describe. It's like seeing an old friend again. I sort of missed it as all the treatment was a big part of my life last year. But then again its somewhere you hope you never have to go to again.
I got called into a room by a very nice Irish nurse. She went through all my notes, asked some questions then done an exam.
It's more usual to see Lymphoedema in arms and legs but it's certainly normal to get it in your boob too, especially after lymph nodes are removed under your arm.
She politly asked me to get undressed and also apologise that I would have to take my whole top off. I laughed and said not to worry, so many people have seen my boobs now it doesn't bother me! 😆🤣
So top off and she had this little scanner that she places on the skin that sends an electric pulse through the skin to see if any fluid is underneath. It's completely painless. As she was scanning she explained a normal reading is about 1.4mm, but mine was reading 1.6mm - 1.8mm, which is quite high.
She said she wasn't surprised I was in pain and uncomfortable.
She then showed me some new massage techniques to move fluid and empty my Lymph nodes. The picture below is of the leaflet that is now next to my bed to remind me to do it!
Lymphoedema isn't something that will just go away, it's a case of you will always suffer with it, you just need to manage the symptoms.
After 2 days my boob is already feeling a bit less painful and hopefully soon it will be much easier to stay on top of, so less pain! Yay!
One thing I have been suffering with again lately is the fatigue. I've just been pushing myself too much and having a poorly cat at home is putting extra pressure on me. A couple times last week I ended up in tears due to just being too tired and not sure what to do with myself.
I'm certainly looking forward to a long weekend off over Easter and a Spa Day on Easter Sunday! 🐣 😊
For now, I'm just going to take it easy, try not to stress too much and chill out!
Bedtime for me now!
Catch ya later!
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