11/1/2023 0 Comments TRYING TO MAKE IT A HABITHere I am, 3 series of knee injections later. Yes, I survived the second without issue (I may have taken a dr prescribed xanax beforehand to keep the anxiety at bay-and it helped). And the third was so easy I barely felt it. I was feeling pretty invincible at that point, until I did some research and noticed that typically folks get the series of injections EVERY 6 months! Doc said it can take 6-8 weeks to feel any relief, so I'm cautiously optimistic and waiting.
I also finished my stint at the LE therapist doing the massage once a week. My numbers went down on both legs! That means me doing the pump and velcro wraps daily is working! Now I am trying to turn the daily "I better do my pump today" attitude into a habit. Something that I don't even have to think about and something that really isn't a "choice". That is a work in progress... I already skipped two days this weekend - so it is really a work in progress... yikes! But while skipping those two days I had to run out to do errands. It was rainy and cold, so I couldn't wear my normal flip flops (which are great and comfy with my swollen LE leg and foot). I wore my socks that used to be comfortable (and these were the socks I got AFTER my normal socks that come up my leg no longer fit) and they were snug on my leg, leaving that line when I took them off. That's when I made the decision. We are heading into November here in Pittsburgh, and that means cold weather, and soon snow. That means socks and tennis shoes or boots. I have already been searching for winter boots (that is another story-I'll get to that in a minute, but back to the socks.) There will be holiday outings I'm sure, family gatherings, shopping trips, and or course weekly errands, and I will need socks, but want to keep my legs from swelling. So I bought compressions socks!! Yes, I have the pink and white ones we already discussed. But it's close to Christmas! So I bought some Christmas ones! Fun, right? I actually can't wait to wear them. I also bought a pair of plain pink ones. I want gray ones too, but in due time. I guess that will be my new normal, at least for now. Compression socks instead of my normal ankle socks. Oh, I almost forgot about the boots. Okay. Since my leg swelling has gotten worse over the years before knowing what the dx was, I have had difficulty finding winter boots. Years ago (like 15 maybe) I bought a pair at Walmart (at the store, imagine that) they felt like tennis shoes and went with anything I was wearing, I could wear them in the snow and then all day at work. I LOVED them. They lasted YEARS (maybe 12 years or so?). When they finally caved in (literally, the heels) I searched for a new pair and of course Walmart no longer had them. No one did. I searched online and found a pair that looked the same, but they weren't as comfy, and the tongue annoyingly moved, and my swollen LE leg looked RIDICULOUS in them. Well, I wore them when we had a sewer backup. They were literally the ONLY pair of shoes I had that weren't going to let the water in. Obviously they were ruined. Finding new ones was now even harder. I used to be a size 9. Then the leg swelling started (that was 20 years ago). I have to buy a size 11.5 extra extra wide now, and typically womens shoes are too small. I couldn't find a single pair of boots last year! I ordered one, they were SO CUTE! They were pink and tall, and I loved them, but they were too small (#sadface ) They reminded me of the tall boots the girls wear on Chicago PD. Finding the size I needed and the width I needed is impossible. Everything was out of stock! And I used to get all my shoes at Skechers, but even they no longer cater to extra wide feet, and the one they "say" they had in my size, they never had the size I needed in stock. I don't believe they ever did. I think it was just listed as a tease. So I had no boots last year. I dealt with my tennis shoes, and avoided too snowy or slushy days. This year I started shopping in October (online because no one has the size I need in stores) and still found it difficult to find a 11.5 extra wide width! You really have no idea the aggravation I have finding shoes. That's why I wear flip flops most of the year. If it isn't snowing, and I'm just taking the dog out, I am in flip flops or Crocs. Well, if I'm wearing the compression socks, I can' t wear flip flops! So boots were a must. My feet hurt so much I need comfy boots, not hard stiff, heavy ones. The one paid I found and ordered are stiff. Cute, but stiff. Again #sadface . It didn't dawn on me until yesterday, I should be looking at mens boots. They are wider then womens. I found a pair, an extra extra wide - why is it so hard to find them for women but you can find them for men? Someone needs to change that! I feel like that is a huge stigma with LE. Women just can't find shoes that fit. No one wants to only be able to wear slippers. I won't know if these mens boots are what I am looking for until they get here. That is the annoying part! I can't go in a store and try them on. I have to order them, pay for them, and then try them on. If they don't fit, it's to the post office to send them back. It's annoying! I guess I'll keep you informed of the boot dilemma. Will I or won't I have winter boots this year? That is the question! (but I will have compression socks at least)
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AuthorI am living with Lymphedema for the past 20 years, however I wasn't diagnosed correctly until summer 2022. There is no cure, just managing the swelling and uncomfortable heaviness. I am now trying to learn how to make managing it and incorporate it into my daily life. Archives
January 2024
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