Monday, July 28, 2014

Lymph edema left-over.

After everything that has happened since the day the surgery was postponed (here is that post), I am indefinitely postponing the right hip surgery.

I have learned a lot about being aligned with my intuitive voice since NF.

Since the surgery was postponed because of my allergic reaction to antibiotics, then the follow-up allergy testing, then cellulitis (four days later), and a near-relapse last week after three days of vacation, I understand that my body is more susceptible to infection than other people's. I hadn't really realized this before. Maybe that sounds crazy to you, but I had my own belief that I was the statistical anomaly which drew the short straw, so to speak, and got NF. While that may be true, the damage that I was left with *does* increase my risk of infection.

At the moment I am suffering from lymph node overload. It's something that I dealt with the year following NF. It's called lymph edema- swelling in the area where the lymph nodes have been damaged by illness and/or surgeries. The damage happened with NF, and the whole year following NF I needed lymphatic massage, which was the only thing that relieved the discomfort. The lymphatic massage itself was actually quite pleasant, thankfully. The purpose is to "train" the lymph system to drain by way of the undamaged areas of the body through gently massaging fluid under the skin layer. After the year of this therapy, the lymph edema was pretty much under control. I would feel it occasionally, but not too bothersome.

Now, after this last bout of cellulitis, it is back. The lymph system near where the NF was is all swollen and painful. I have tried to do the lymphatic draining myself (as the therapist taught me years ago), but it's not helping. So, I will be starting a new course of lymph edema treatments.
Just what I need- once a week traveling to have this appointment- for who knows how long.

I was susceptible to the cellulitis because of the lymph damage. Infection settles there because there are no lymph node "soldiers" to combat it.

In short, I am not in any position to go through a surgery. My orthopedic surgeon told me a long time ago that he doesn't like the idea of operating on me because of the infection issues, but I always thought he was being overly cautious, that the chance of me coming down with an infection was just like anyone else's chance. Now I realize he was right to be cautious. Even with that, he was willing to operate on my right leg if I decided to. He wants me to be out of pain as much as I do. So, we decided to do it. The rest is history... only a month ago! Getting a serious infection in the interim has been a wake-up call for me. I am just going to have to deal with the pain from the hip. I don't know for how long. It is nice to think that the teeny tiny voice in the recesses of my mind telling me that maybe the broken labrum will heal itself in the time being is the voice of wisdom and truth. That remains to be seen. Since I am not going to go ahead with the surgery, we will have an opportunity to see if that will happen or not. :)

OK, even though I want to write more, I will end this here. I promise a post soon with pictures of vacation, and of my kids returning from camp (yesterday) all tan and magnificently happy!!

It's just that when I wait for a post to be finished, it winds up taking so long that more things happen, and there is too much to do. I am very busy with writing my book proposal for the contest, due Thursday!

Gotta go. On my way today to Jerusalem for an infusion of Torah with some classes I am going to attend. Bus in an hour. Bye!

(tomorrow is the ultrasound of the new right side pain... let's hope it's nothing.)

1 comment :

  1. Wow.
    That inner voice is worth gold.
    I love it that you are reading your instruction manual and following what's written in it!

    Love you sweetie.

    xxxRivka

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