Wearing a compression garment is...

....well, a bit weird actually. When you think about it, having to wear a compression stocking every day is not like taking tablets or using an inhaler, or all the other things that people have to do to control a chronic condition. Most of the time I don't think about it. After 13 years of living with lymphoedema, wearing a compression stocking feels more or less normal. You get up, you get dressed, you wear a compression garment. But I was walking along today and was suddenly aware that my stocking was there and I thought how unusual it was really, how unusual a whole heap of things are in relation to lymphoedema and what an achievement it is to aim to live with the condition.

Living with lymphoedema, things that are unusual become commonplace. We wear compression garments, we moisturise, we do simple lymphatic drainage, we exercise. We may or may not be lucky enough to be able to access a good specialist lymphoedema service. We live with the condition and aim to be able to manage it in the best way we can, but do not forget that what you are aiming to do takes exceptional determination. It takes a special kind of mindset to manage lymphoedema and getting to this place is not always easy. Some people never get to this stage in the management of their care. They refuse to wear a garment or to engage with their specialists. With lymphoedema we cope with the unusual every day. Always remember the fact that in working to manage your lymphoedema, you have achieved a great deal. Never let the discomfort of a swollen limb, a bout of cellulitis or the ordeal of bandaging take this achievement away from you. You have faced unusual circumstances and evolved to take transform these circumstances into your usual life. With lymphoedema you achieve so much every day.

That's it. I've finished bigging us all up. Give yourself a round of applause lymphies!

The First Bite of Summer

OK, so I have lymphoedema in my left leg, which means my lymphatic system doesn't work properly and if I don't wear a compression stocking every day my leg will swell up. In black and white it looks very simple, but there are all sorts of complications and considerations impacting on my day to day living. But that's just what you try to do. You live with lymphoedema and try to make sure that it doesn't take over your life.

At this time of year I have to start thinking about wearing insect repellent to bed. Yes, this does sound completely ridiculous, as I'm not living in some sub-tropical, mosquito-infested paradise. Lymphoedema means that you have to try and keep your skin in as good condition as possible, and try not to get cuts, grazes and bites, in fact anything that could let the bacteria in and potentially cause an infection. Cellultis is NOT the lymphie's friend and I do go to great lengths to try and avoid it. As I am taken to be a tasty meal by every biting insect in a three mile radius, in the Summer I moisturise with aftersun containing insect repellent at bedtime, meaning I'm maintaining the condition of my skin and repelling the biters at the same time. Last night it was actually very chilly and the windows hadn't been open during the day, so I never thought there was need to use the repellent stuff. I woke up with a large bite on my hip. Where was it hiding? And how had it survived the cold? In it's thermal undies, just waiting to get it's teeth on me? Luckily it wasn't in a place effected by my lymphoedema, so I'm not anticipating a problem, but it does indicate the time is here for insect repellent when I'm sitting out in the day and at night. Sigh.

This is just a small vignette of what it's like to live with lymphoedema. My blog is actually part of a much bigger project - more to follow!