Lymphoedema (also lymphedema) has plagued Eric ever since he started chemotherapy last year. His lower legs then thighs fill up with lymphatic fluid, swelling to the point where he can't wear trousers and lymph fluid leaks out of his pores or any scratch or nick in the skin. And of course he also has to deal with the significant amount of fluid build up in his abdomen and back.
All this is linked to his carcinoid Neuroendocrine Cancer. We have been using lymphoedema massage to help clear his legs but this has ceased being effective some months ago.
So we were referred to Meeta Pillar from the Bunbury Primary Health Service Lymphoedema Clinic to see what could be done to help Eric. So last Wednesday we drove to Bunbury to see Meeta...
Eric's legs were huge.. and we could only fit him into 5XL pyjama pants and even then these were tight on him.
Meeta took one look at him and decided that she would teach me (Leonie) how to compression bandage Eric's . Some 2 1/2 hours and over 120 metres of bandaging later, Eric was fully compressed. Well at least his legs were!
Thankfully we had his dressing gown with us as there was no way Eric was going to fit into trousers with the bandaging on. You see there is 4 individual layers on each leg, and to walk is to waddle!
- First the comfort stocking to absorb sweat and save the skin from itching
- Soft wadding bandages to pad the legs and help keep the pressures even on the skin.
- The first layer of short stretch bandaging to compress the legs and allow the leg muscles to pump the l.ymph fluid out of the leg.
- The second layer of short stretch bandaging applied even firmer than the first.
Eric's skinny legs after compression banadaging for lymphedema
The idea was to keep the bandages on for 24 hours then a quick wash and change over to a new set of bandages... allowing the smaller circumference of the leg to be squished even further...BUT... Eric's legs had other ideas.
You see within 6 hours ,the compression bandages were starting to slip down the leg. They were working so very well that the leg had already shrunk significantly .So the bandages came off for the night.
The next day we bandaged Eric's legs again...and these stayed on until early the next morning.
And the results... nothing short of amazing. Eric's legs were skinny... to the point that the skin was all wrinkled ... and you could see how much weight he has lost over the past few months. Of course he still has some residual cellulitis....that's a another story... which we continue to treat with antibiotics.
Our aim now is to get Eric's legs to a point where there is no more extra lymph in his leg and we can put him in compression stockings... which will save that 2 1/2 hours of bandaging every day.
If you would like to know more on Lymphedema (lymphoedema) click this link to the Lymphoedema Association of Australia
So that's it for this edition...
Apologies for the the short;length of this newsletter but hopefully we'll be back to normal for our next edition. With Eric on the mend, getting stronger every day,there is even a rumour that Eric and Leonie will be able to get away for another camping adventure.
Update: Camping adventure confirmed... We're northward bound for a few days! I'll be hard at work writing a couple of research articles for you all to read for the next edition ...and of course enjoying the sights and sounds...plus the warmth of the northern climes!
Back at Moon Haven Chris and L:aura with the team will be making soap, infusing oils and producing our range of skincare, lotions and potions..so if you're down south do call in and say hi..or drop us a line.
Talk to you all soon.
Warmest and brightest
P.S. Don't forget to look at our Subscriber only specials for our SOAP of the MONTH - Rejuvamint... its available for this month only at a very special price!
