As if having Aggressive MS wasn’t enough, I had to add Lymphedema to the mix. Oh you don’t know what that is? Let me “dumb-it” down for you. I am not saying you are dumb , I am just helping you understand it. I do encourage to research it further.

I had to research it because I was not familiar it and now I’m being told that life is going to change. My husband was getting instructions on how to do certain things while I was still answering questions.

See my feet had begun to swell up and no one knew why. I was taken off all of my medications and each one reintroduced separately. I had CT scans, MRI, ultrasounds and countless blood draws. Each one ruling out certain things. Now mind you my feet were swollen but now my legs were as well.

Water pills were kind of helping but not enough to be considered the cure all. We figured out that it wasn’t my heart or circulation. It was getting harder to walk and I can’t even explain the tightness in my legs. My bones felt like someone took a sledge hammer to them. I was then told that whatever it was ,it was MS related.

My primary care physician sent a referral to a Vein Specialist. Now mind you I am no longer able to wear shoes or even socks. My feet look like I am related to the elephant man. They are red and painful. The skin is extremely tight. Sometimes my legs will swell up to the groin area. Mere clothes are torture for me.

Fourteen years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had went in for my yearly exam and the Dr had felt a lump. He immediately scheduled for a biopsy. It was a whirlwind from there. I was scheduled with specialists and surgeons. This isn’t something I wanted to deal with because I had just lost my dad.

So I had a total lumpectomy performed. They also removed all of my lympnoids removed from my right side. Everything under and behind my breast was removed. I was also scheduled to go through six sessions of radiation just to make sure that there was no cancerous tissues or cells missed. I would have a session of chemotherapy before and after the radiation.

Well because of that surgery you are at risk of getting Lymphedema. All it takes is a traumatic event, injury or whatnot to occur to trigger it. Well mine was the blacking out and falling due to the Aggressive MS. Now I have both to live with.

I told you earlier that my husband was getting instructions on things. He will now be wrapping my legs since I am unable to make sure that wrapping is done correctly. You have to loosely wrap the leg with gauze wrap. Then starting at the toes you use a 4″ ACE bandage and wrap tightly. You overlap slightly, when you get to the end you begin a 6″. You keep going until you reach the upper thigh. You are doing what they call “milking”. Trying to get the fluid to move off the bottom where it has settled.

I then have to be fitted for compression socks and stockings. I also have to have these compression pumps fitted. I have to constantly apply lotion to everywhere. I have to readjust my diet. I am forever on water pills. I have to constantly watch.

So now my ms therapist will have to work closely with my lymphedema therapist. A regular schedule has to be arranged with the visiting nurses. My immune system is really compromised, more than it was with MS. My diet is really strict and I even more Dr. appointments are scheduled.

My husband didn’t ask for this. I am exhausted. I am still trying to get adjusted to MS. I’m tired. I am losing myself in this process. Oh and let’s add the virus into the equation. I only leave the house for Dr appointment. When I do get around people I worry about the flu. We didn’t ask for this..Enough is enough.