Margaret describes her treatments for lymphedema.

Transcript

I did discover or develop a little bit of lymphedema in my right arm where the surgery had been. So I was dealing with that but after my surgery, the hospital that I went at has a really good support system for people with breast cancer, and I went to that and it talked about all sorts of things. Everything that you needed to know like different activities, different exercises to do, different support groups, different organizations, and things like that which are good. It was at that place that I did discover about breast friends, a dragon boat team that I was quite interested in but at that time they weren’t taking any new members. I’ll talk a little bit about my lymphedema. I developed lymphedema in my right arm and for a year I wore a compression sleeve and a glove. Every night I would wrap my hand with gauze. I went for a lymphedema drainage massage about once a week. And I went to the physio at the cancer hospital that I went to. I was diligent in doing exercises and things like that and I also because I lead a very active life I think that’s why I’ve been very lucky that I hardly ever get any lymphedema and when I do I feel it so then I just put on my glove or my sleeve. I always wear something when I fly. You always have to wear a sleeve.

Interviewer: So you still have this recurring issue?

Not much at all but just I guess I want to stay on top of it. And it can be a little bit painful, it’s just a weird feeling. It’s uncomfortable and it can get really bad and I feel very lucky that it went away.

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