Explaining what lymhedema feels like isn't always easy.
BY Bonnie Annis
PUBLISHED October 19, 2018
Bonnie Annis is a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in 2014 with stage 2b invasive ductal carcinoma with metastasis to the lymph nodes. She is an avid photographer, freelance writer/blogger, wife, mother and grandmother.
Lymphedema has been one of the greatest challenges I've faced since being diagnosed with breast cancer. It didn't appear immediately after surgery, and I wasn't expecting to experience it at all. Little did I know that the removal of several little lymph nodes would cause me so much trouble, and little did I understand that it would grow progressively worse over time.
Lymphedema is a condition that can occur whenever the lymphatic system is disrupted. It's easier to understand if you consider the lymphatic system a super highway that transverses the entire body. That system is a complicated one and includes lymph nodes and lymphatic fluid. The lymph nodes help move lymphatic fluid along like tiny little vehicles. Those little vehicles are strategically placed throughout the body to insure a complete and healthy removal system for impurities. When one or more of the lymph nodes are removed, it can cause a problem. Just like an automobile accident disrupts the flow of traffic, missing lymph nodes cause the normal flow of lymphatic fluid to be impeded. When the fluid can't flow freely, it backs up and builds up. This usually affects one or more extremities and can also affect the chest area.
Lymphedema is a condition that can occur whenever the lymphatic system is disrupted. It's easier to understand if you consider the lymphatic system a super highway that transverses the entire body. That system is a complicated one and includes lymph nodes and lymphatic fluid. The lymph nodes help move lymphatic fluid along like tiny little vehicles. Those little vehicles are strategically placed throughout the body to insure a complete and healthy removal system for impurities. When one or more of the lymph nodes are removed, it can cause a problem. Just like an automobile accident disrupts the flow of traffic, missing lymph nodes cause the normal flow of lymphatic fluid to be impeded. When the fluid can't flow freely, it backs up and builds up. This usually affects one or more extremities and can also affect the chest area.
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