Day 178 - Axillary Web Syndrome or Cording

Had my first physical therapy treatment yesterday for my cording. It was a good appointment. I got there shortly before one and was with the PT by 1.10. She went over my paperwork, asked me a few questions about pain and when I recognized the cording. I told her it was about 5 days after surgery. I told her that the cording was getting worse as time went by. Following the question and answer session, the PT measured my range of motion. My right arm is 113 degrees if I lift straight up in front of me. My left arm is 80 degrees. I had to stop because of the cording. Putting my hand behind my back was not an issue. My ROM was great. Following that, it was time to get busy. I got on the table and the PT started massaging the cords. She felt two of them. I asked her what exactly she was doing. She says that the massage is basically stretching the cord in a "C" shape, "S" shape and other manipulations. She would hold the cord that way. It felt really good, like a good stretch. It didn't hurt at all. It felt really nice. I asked her if she knew what caused the cording. There really isn't anything definitive. However, they believe that the cording is an inflammatory response to the removal of lymph nodes. What I didn't understand before was that the cords are actually channels that were already there in place where the lymph fluid drains. I just didn't feel the cords. So now they're inflammed. You can see one of the cords right in the bend of my arm. The PT manipulated my cords for about 1/2 hour. She could feel some tight ones in the back of my arm, but she wasn't as concerned about them. I did tell the PT about the "popping" of the cord and if it hurts. She says, yes it does, but it is brief and doesn't happen very often. At the end of the appointment, she said the cording was responding well to the therapy. I did feel like I could move my arm better. And today, it's not as bad. I go to PT three times a week now. Fun times. I also get to do exercises at home! My PT sent me home with several for me to do. In addition, I have exercises to do to make sure my scar tissue doesn't get hard and remains supple. Perhaps I'll get my husband to do those exercises on me! Those exercises include rubbing in small circles above and below the scar line.

My therapist also discussed lymphedema. I didn't know that there were stages to the disease. Stage 1-3. The first stage is reversible. Basically you feel something different about your arm... such as it feeling heavy or achy. You may not notice that it's starting to swell. The next stage is where you notice swelling, but it's reversible with therapy and manual manipulation. The last stage is where you've let it go and it isn't going away. But treatment is still the same. According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer patients rarely see Stage 3 lymphedema. Phew!

I think it's time to get another fill! There's a spot near my sternum that hurts. So far that has been the indicator that it's time to get a fill. Once I get my tissue expanders "inflated" the pain goes away. I asked Jason and he seems to think that it's because of the double material near the port. Nevertheless, I get my next fill on Thursday at 12.30 - 100cc's. I'll tell you how that goes. I got a call from the reconstruction office this morning. Jason had some sort of foot surgery and they're trying to space out his appointments. Fine with me. I don't have to leave work so early now and it's closer to my PET scan. Did everyone take notice of my ticker to the right?? My goal of 420cc's. You can track my progress! Hahaha! Looking at my boobies, I would guess that my size is about a B cup. I am right about where I was before I had kids. So about a 34B. Just so you know what the tissue expanders feel like, they're not very comfortable. There's that double material near the port that gets annoying. (see post Day 166) The expanders also "bleed" over on the sides by your arms, so sometimes my arms are rubbing against them. In addition, when I sleep on my side, I can sort of feel them shift... it's more of the liquid inside shifting. The tissue expanders are definitely heavier than the saline and silicone implants. The expanders are made with heavier material. Looking at my boobs is really interesting. They look a little flat in the front, rather than round. But when you put a shirt on, it looks fine. It's just nice to have boobs again! I'm wearing tighter shirts now.
Until next time...