Post # 33 -- Learn of Him

Dear Family and Friends

 I hope this post finds you all healthy and happy. It has been a sort of stressful week here in my world – not so much for me as for those around me, both at home and at work😊 I am sure you all have had those weeks, where things are just so ‘loud’ and so ‘confusing’ all around you.

I sometimes feel so guilty because I can feel so at peace  during my trials and tribulations in my life when everyone around me seem to be totally stressed out and frustrated when troubles come their way. I want you to know that if you are one of the ones that are stressed out or confused in your life when troubles, trials, tribulations come your way or if you have not done it yet – You need to Learn of Him.

Only He can give you the peace and comfort that you desire during the trying times in your life.With that thought in mind I want to share part of a talk with you. It was the First Presidency Message in the March 2016 Ensign magazine. 

“Learn of Me”                          By President Thomas S. Monson

Because Jesus Christ was perfectly obedient and submissive to His Father, He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” ( Luke 2:52.  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.)  Do we have the determination to do likewise? Just as Jesus “received grace for grace,” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:12.And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;)  we must patiently and persistently seek light and knowledge from God in our efforts to learn the gospel.

Listening is an essential element of learning. When preparing to be taught, we prayerfully seek inspiration and confirmation from the Holy Ghost. We ponder, we pray, we apply gospel lessons, and we seek the Father’s will for us. (John 5:30. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment as just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of my Father which hath sent me.) 

Jesus “taught … many things by parables,” ( Mark 4:2. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,) which require ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to understand. As we live worthily, we can better hear the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, which can “teach [us] all things, and bring all things to [our] remembrance.” ( John 14:26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.) 

When we respond to the Lord’s gentle invitation, “Learn of me,” we become partakers of His divine power. Let us, therefore, go forward in the spirit of obedience, following our Exemplar by teaching as He would have us teach and learning as He would have us learn.

Here are a few other scripture references that were mentioned in this talk. I wanted to share them with you, just in case you don’t have your scriptures handy right now😊

Matthew 11:29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

John 3:2. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Luke 18:22. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

3 Nephi 18:16.  And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.

Matthew 18:1–3; emphasis added. 1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:77–78. 77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. 78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things pertaining unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

1 Peter 3:15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Moroni 7:41. And what is it that thee shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

John 5:39. Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2016/03/learn-of-me?lang=eng

I found this story that I really enjoyed so I thought I would share it with all of you. I hope it inspires you as it has me to learn more about our Savior and His teachings. This story is from the Friend magazine of February 1996. 

Learn of Him

By Virginia Carter

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6).

It was at the well where I first heard the talk. I listened intently as I waited for my turn to draw water. Everyone was talking about him. There seemed to be so many different accounts and opinions. How do I know which is right? I wondered. Can any of this talk be true?

A touch on my arm brought me swiftly back to awareness. “Anna,” my neighbor said, “draw your water.” I took my turn at the well and drew my pitcher full of water. There were so many questions in my mind that I wanted to linger and listen, but it was nearly dark and Mother was waiting. As I hurried along the familiar path home, my mind kept reviewing all the things I had heard at the well.

Some said he was a miracle worker—a healer! He caused the blind to see!

Someone called him the Messiah! Could this be true? Could he be the promised Messiah of the scriptures?

Others said, with scorn in their voices, that he was only a Galilean—and a carpenter’s son, at that! The miracles were only tricks, they told each other. Turning water into wine was just a magic trick done to fool people.

As I was walking away from the village well, I heard someone say “… tomorrow on the hillside above the village.” Did she mean our village? There was only one way for me to know. …

I was up at daylight. I worked hurriedly to finish my chores. Before I was finished, though, my little brother, Timothy, called to me from his bed. “Anna, why are you up so early?”

I went to his bedside and said, “I want to go to the hillside as soon as my chores are done.”

“What for?”

“Come with me, and you’ll see.” I handed him his crutch and told him to get ready.

Timothy has a crippled foot, and I have always been the one, besides Mother, who has helped him.

After my work is done each day, I often walk with him to the street so he can watch the children run and play. Some children come over to speak to him, but others make fun of him. My heart aches for him then, and I try to apologize for their behavior. He always tells me, “It’s all right. They just don’t understand.”

But I can see the hurt in his eyes.

My chores finished, I asked Mother if Timothy and I could go to the hillside for some sunshine and fresh air. With her permission, I put a little bread in my pocket, and Timothy and I hurried along the path out of the village as best we could. As we walked, I told Timothy all that I had heard at the well.

Soon we saw the people who followed him—I think they were called disciples—gathering on the hillside, more and more coming from all directions. Some seemed excited; some looked very thoughtful. A few had tears in their eyes. I wondered why. My brother and I sat down on the ground at the back of the crowd.

The man I had heard so much about looked strong but gentle too. His face seemed to have a shining look about it. His eyes were full of compassion and love for all the people at his feet.

Then He spoke.

Timothy and I could not take our eyes from Him, and like the others there, we listened in awe. His voice was filled with the same love that was in His eyes, and He said wonderful things!

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. …

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

“… but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

“… Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. …

“After this manner therefore pray ye. …

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. …”*

With surprise, I suddenly realized that it was nearly evening, and His Apostles were asking the people to go to their homes.

“Anna,” Timothy asked, “can we come again? Can we see Him again?”

“We will come again, Timothy, I promise! There is more we need to know—much more we must learn of Him.”

Timothy did not want to leave, and the others around us seemed to feel the same way. For Timothy—and for myself—I promised once more, “I’ll take you to see Him again, but now we must hurry. Tonight there is much we must tell at home!”

Timothy and Anna learned of Him and His teachings and wanted to get right home and share what they had learned from the Savior with their family and maybe their friends as well. Just like Timothy and Anna, I want to share with each of you what I have learned in my life about my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

I know what a difference for good learning of Him and of His teachings has made in my life and I can not think of anything more important that I can share with you. 

With this thought in mind I offer the challenge for each of you to take this opportunity to Learn of Him! Get to know Him personally by studying about Him in the scriptures. Read and learn of Him every day. Make the time! you only need fifteen minutes!

I promise that it will be the best thing in your lives if you learn of Jesus Christ and learn of His teachings. Go to your Heavenly Father in prayer to know if what i say is true. Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son and He is each of our own personal Savior.

Post# 32 – Freedom or Captivity

Dear Family and Friends

I have been thinking about my children and grand children a lot lately. I can see the potential in each of them and it is really hard to watch them making some of the choices that they make in their lives, but I need to remind myself that Heavenly Father gave us the freedom to make our own choices.  I am sure that some of you have felt this way as well, when someone that you love make choices that are not really the best choice that they could make.

We have each been given the gift of agency – some people call it free will , and I guess it was given to us as a gift from our Heavenly Father so in that respect it is a free gift to us, but every choice that we make with our agency has a consequence that comes along with it, and that part is definitely not free in most cases if not all cases.

For those positive or good choices that we make I our lives there are usually positive or good consequences, and for those negative or not so good choices there also comes with those choices negative or not so good consequences. This too, I am sure that you have seen with your own choices or those of friends and family members.

I found this story from the April Ensign magazine that I would like to share as it illustrates what I have been saying about agency.

Freedom or Captivity

By Matthew Flitton                            Church Magazines

Choosing an action means choosing a consequence.

Illustrations by Iker Ayestara

When I was a priest, our quorum went on a hike to Donut Falls near Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The trail is short and leads to an impressive waterfall. We rushed ahead of our leaders until we came to a fork in the trail. To the right was a service road that went uphill. To the left was a small trail that continued across a meadow. We didn’t know which one was the right way, but we decided to take the service road. It looked more rugged and exciting.

A dozen yards past the junction, we heard our bishop call to us, telling us we were heading the wrong way. He urged us to come back and take the other trail. We argued that both trails probably went to the same place. We wanted to take the more interesting route. The bishop shrugged his shoulders and we walked up the service road.

I believe I would have listened to the bishop and followed him up to the falls. They did not listen to their leader and almost missed going to the falls, and if they had not turned around they may have encountered some form of trouble.

And we walked. And walked. We continued about two miles before we decided this was definitely the wrong road and turned around.

When we returned to the fork in the trail, the bishop’s wife was waiting for us in the early twilight. We said we hadn’t found the falls. She pointed to the trail we’d ignored earlier. “You still have time to get there before it gets dark.”

Half a mile up the trail, we came to the falls. We scrambled up the rock face and into a cave where a torrent of water flowed through the roof and out the mouth of the grotto.

Choices

In life, we have many choices to make. These choices are like the trails I hiked in the wilderness. Each one leads someplace. I choose my destination the moment I choose which trail to take. If I want to go someplace specific, like that waterfall, I need to carefully choose the trail that will lead me there and follow the directions of those who know the way.

I know that throughout my life I have not made the best decisions, but I believe I have tried to make better choices after I learned the truth about my agency. I choose to follow my Savior’s example when choosing which trail, I should take. Even when making plans for a trip somewhere I make it a matter of prayer and take it to the Lord before I make my choice.

As we exercise agency, the choices we make have consequences that can result in freedom or captivity. Making righteous choices brings the Spirit. Having the clarity of divine direction in our lives is a form of freedom. Making unrighteous choices diminishes the influence of the Spirit and leaves us more vulnerable to the influences and captivity of Satan.

We need to consider our choices very carefully because we do not want to be under the influence of Satan, he only wants to make us miserable like he is, but he will never be there to help you through those choices. Only our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will always be there for us, even when we don’t make the best choices in our lives. They will always be there for us, to help us along our way. All we need to do is ask.

Lehi taught this eternal principle to his son Jacob: “Men are free … to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil” (2 Nephi 2:27).

Agency

Agency, or the ability to choose, is a gift that helps us become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Our wise use of it in the premortal life gave us the opportunity to come to earth. “Without agency, we would not be able to learn or progress or follow the Savior.”¹

But along with the ability to choose come the consequences of those choices. These consequences can be placed widely in two categories: freedom or captivity.

So, agency is the ability to choose, and is a gift from our Heavenly Father that allows us to become more like Him and Jesus Christ, as we make righteous choices  -- we uses our agency

Freedom

Freedom is the state of being free from the control or domination of another.²

Each time we make righteous choices we gain more freedom and strength to follow God’s plan. The Gospel Principles manual explains:

“When we choose to live according to God’s plan for us, our agency is strengthened. Right choices increase our power to make more right choices.

“As we obey each of our Father’s commandments, … we find it easier to make right choices.”³

Making righteous choices brings us freedom partly by giving us more opportunities. For example, in our home our children must complete and turn in homework if they want the freedom to watch movies, play games, or interact with friends online. Each day our children must decide if they want to do their homework and turn it in and thus gain more freedom.

As a freshman in college, Elder Craig A. Cardon of the Seventy was invited to a Saturday-night party. He asked if there would be alcohol. When his teammate said no, he agreed to attend. His friend drove him to the party and Elder Cardon found that everybody was drinking. He chose to sit by himself rather than participate. Later, police raided the party. They allowed Elder Cardon to drive his teammate’s car home, returning at 3:00 a.m. His alarm went off a few hours later. After a small debate with himself, Elder Cardon got up and went to priesthood meeting, arriving a few minutes late. When he got there, Elder Cardon saw his father in the congregation. His father greeted him with the words, “I knew I would find you here, Son.”

Elder Cardon’s choices, both to turn away from unwholesome activities as well as to be where he was supposed to be, blessed him.

“When my teammate misrepresented the party’s activities, I felt a spiritual unrest that I did not heed. When confronted with that reality, I was more disappointed with myself than with my teammate. But keeping myself apart from the crowd brought spiritual comfort and later temporal benefit when the police allowed me to return home.

“However, the greatest blessing of liberty came when, in the privacy of my dormitory room early Sunday morning, I chose to be where I should be, not knowing beforehand the treasure that awaited me there. Such experiences, accompanied by the ministration of the Spirit, foreshadow the liberty associated with the blessing of eternal life.”⁴

Captivity

The opposite of freedom is captivity. We choose captivity when we make unrighteous choices. In the example of my children and their homework, if they choose to ignore homework, then they choose to not use electronic devices. They are captive because their choices have been limited; they can no longer choose to participate in certain activities.

Consider the temple. If we live our lives in the right way, we are free to enter the temple and partake of its blessings, but when we live contrary to the standards of the temple, we lose the freedom to attend.

The problem is that sometimes, like that service road, the wrong path looks more interesting. We have to remember our ultimate goal, or we’ll lose the destination we’re seeking.

Elder Robert D. Hales (1932–2017) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

“When we don’t keep the commandments or follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, our opportunities are reduced; our abilities to act and progress are diminished. …

“… Obedience to the commandments ultimately protects our agency.

“For example, when we hearken to the Word of Wisdom, we escape the captivity of poor health and addiction to substances that literally rob us of our ability to act for ourselves.

“As we obey the counsel to avoid and get out of debt now, we use our agency and obtain the liberty to use our disposable income for helping and blessing others.

“When we follow the prophets’ counsel to hold familyhome evening, family prayer, and family scripture study, our homes become an incubator for our children’s spiritual growth. … By our righteous choices and actions, we liberate them from darkness by increasing their ability to walk in the light.”⁵

An experience during my missionary service in France taught how addictions can rob us of the ability to choose our actions. One day my companion and I were walking through a park in Pau, when a homeless man walked up to us.

This man laughed at us. He told us we were slaves to our religion. He bragged about how he could commit immoral acts and we couldn’t.

“If I want to drink wine, I drink wine. If I want to do drugs, I do drugs. But you can’t,” he said dismissively. “Your church has taken away your ability to choose.”

He continued telling us all the ways the commandments were holding us back. As he did so, he became increasingly agitated. Finally, he asked, “Do either of you have a cigarette? I need one now.”

When we told him we didn’t, he ran off to find a cigarette.

That moment showed the reality of captivity and freedom. My companion and I could have done any of those things he talked about. We still had the agency to make those choices and to suffer the consequences. But this man didn’t have the same freedom. Through repeated bad choices he’d lost the ability to not smoke. His choice to participate in behaviors that could lead to addiction had led to captivity. He could still regain that freedom, but the road back from addiction is often long and difficult.

Conclusion

That day on the trail with my priests quorum, I learned the importance of trusting those who have more experience and of listening to my leaders. I also learned that no matter how attractive the other choice looks, taking the wrong road will never lead me to the right destination.

We’re here to become more like our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We can do this by following the example of our Savior and making righteous choices that will free us to better follow Them. Doing so will help us as surely as taking the correct trail led my priests quorum to that waterfall.

Post # 31 –Lymphedema

Dear Family and Friends

I have told you about my second surgery when they had to take my cancerous breast, well, at that time they had to take out all of my lymph nodes on that side as well. When they did the surgery, they had told me afterwards that there was a possibility that I would develop lymphedema. 

I had my surgery in December of 2015 and I did well until 2017, that’s when I developed lymphedema and I began physical therapy. Part of the initial therapy is to wrap your fingers -each individually, your hand, wrist and entire arm. The therapist rubs different parts of your body, trying to create another avenue for the lymphatic fluids to leave your body.

What Is Cancer-related Lymphedema?

Lymphedema (limf-uh-DEE-muh) is a build-up of lymph fluid in the fatty tissues just under your skin. This build-up causes swelling, most often in the arms or legs. Lymphedema can also affect the face, neck, abdomen (belly), and genitals – depending on the part of the body that was treated.

If you are being or have been treated for cancer, talk to someone on your cancer care team about your risk of lymphedema and what you can do to help lower it. Once chronic lymphedema has started, it cannot be cured. But early and careful management can reduce symptoms and help keep it from getting worse.

 I was seeing my oncologist at the time the lymphedema was noticed by me, so he referred me to our lymphedema specialist at the hospital. I believe I went two or three ties a week for several weeks. My hand throbbed and hurt, so I asked questions at my next doctor visit.  I have learned so much about my body and its different systems since my diagnosis than I ever knew beforehand. It has been very interesting learning along the way😊

 

What is the lymph system?

Our bodies have a network of lymph nodes and lymph vessels that collect and carry watery, clear lymph fluid, much like veins collect blood from distant parts of the body (like the hands and arms) and carry it back to the heart.

Lymph fluid contains proteins, salts, and water, as well as white blood cells, which help fight infection. In the lymph vessels, one-way valves work with body muscles to help move the fluid through the body and control the flow.

Lymph nodes are small collections of tissue along the lymph vessels that work as filters for harmful substances and help fight infection.

The lymph system

What causes cancer-related lymphedema?

Any change in the structure of the lymph system puts a person at risk for lymphedema.

Surgery

During surgery for cancer the doctor may take out lymph nodes near the tumor to see if the cancer has spread. When lymph nodes are removed, lymph vessels that carry fluid from that area to the rest of the body are taken out, too, because they go through and are wrapped around the nodes.

Taking out lymph nodes and vessels makes it harder for the lymph fluid in the arms, legs, or other body parts to flow to the chest where it can get back into the bloodstream. If the remaining lymph vessels cannot remove enough of the fluid in the area, the fluid builds up and causes swelling, or lymphedema.

So, I have learned that there are other ways that a person can develop lymphedema other than having breast cancer and radiation you can find out more information about this here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lymphedema

I have secondary lymphedema as it was a side-effect from the surgery to remove the lymph nodes that were cancerous from my body. From what I understand having to have radiation treatments also adds to developing lymphedema.

Radiation --  Radiation treatment can affect the flow of lymph fluid by scarring and damaging the lymph nodes and vessels. This increases the risk for lymphedema.

Cancer -- Sometimes, a tumor itself can block part of the lymph system and cause lymphedema.

Infection -- Infections that restrict lymph flow can cause lymphedema.

Can lymphedema be prevented?

There is no sure way to prevent all cases of lymphedema, but there are ways to lower the risk of it developing. For example, when lymph nodes need to be removed, some modern surgery techniques might be helpful:

• Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a major advance in cancer surgery. It’s used to find the lymph nodes the tumor drains into so they can be checked for cancer. If cancer is not found in these nodes, it allows the surgeon to remove fewer lymph nodes. SLNB has shown to help reduce the risk of lymphedema.

They had to take all of my lymph nodes when they removed my breast after I healed up they did radiation treatments.

• Axillary reverse mapping (ARM) is a technique that uses a blue dye put in the upper arm to help find the lymph nodes that drain the arm. The surgeon can then try to not alter these lymph nodes. Results are not clear that ARM helps reduce lymphedema.

There might be things you can do to lower your risk as well. Talk to your health care team about your risk of lymphedema. If you are at risk, it’s important to know what to watch for (see below), and to take the steps to help reduce your risk part of your daily routine for the rest of your life.

When does lymphedema develop?

Just after surgery: Temporary lymphedema

Lymphedema can start right after surgery. This is called temporary (or short-term) lymphedema. It’s usually mild and goes away in the next month or so. It can also start later, about 6 to 8 weeks after surgery or radiation.

I didn’t notice my lymphedema early on because of my having neuropathy in my hands- this makes them tingle and have a sort of burning sensation all the time, the lymphedema makes these feelings feel like ten times worse I think.

Even though this type of lymphedema usually goes away on its own over time, you should tell your doctor about it right away. The swollen area may look red and feel hot, which could also be a sign of blood clot, infection, or other problem that needs to be checked.

If there are no other problems causing the swelling, temporary lymphedema might be treated by raising the arm or leg and taking medicines to help reduce inflammation.

Months or years after cancer treatment: Chronic lymphedema

This form of lymphedema develops slowly over time. It may show up many months or even years after cancer treatment. The swelling can range from mild to severe. The lymph fluid that collects in the skin and underlying tissues can be very uncomfortable. It can keep nutrients from reaching the cells, interfere with wound healing, and lead to infections.

Lymphedema can be a long-term problem, but there are ways to manage it. The key is to get help right away. Lymphedema is easier to treat and more likely to respond to treatment if it’s treated early.

Signs of lymphedema

If lymphedema does develop, it’s important to recognize it early so you can start treatment right away.

Common signs and symptoms you should watch for include:

• Swelling
• Part of your body (like your arm, leg, belly, or genitals) feeling full or heavy
• Skin changing texture, feeling tight or hard, or looking red
• New aching, tingling, numbness, or other discomfort in the area
• Less movement or flexibility in nearby joints (like your hand, wrist, or ankle) or your eyelid(s), throat, or lips
• Trouble fitting into clothes in one area, such as a sleeve, pant leg, or shoe being tight
• Collars, rings, watches, and/or bracelets feeling tight even though you haven’t gained weight

At first, the skin usually stays soft, and raising the affected body part might relieve the swelling. But over time, the swollen area may become hot and red and the skin hard and stiff. If untreated, movement and use of the affected part may become limited.

When to get help

Call your doctor, nurse, physical therapist, or lymphedema therapist if you notice any of the signs of lymphedema listed above or any of these changes:

• If any part of the affected area, such as an arm or a leg, feels hot, looks red, or swells suddenly. These could be a sign of infection or a blood clot, and you might need treatment right away.
• If you have a temperature of 100.5°F or higher (taken by mouth) that’s not related to a cold or flu
• If you have any new pain in the affected area with no known cause

Know what’s normal for you

If you’ve had lymph nodes removed or radiation treatment, look closely at your body in front of a mirror. Compare both sides of your body and look for changes in size, shape, or skin color. Get to know your body and what’s normal for you. This way you can spot changes and get treatment right away. Let your doctor or nurse know if you notice any of the signs listed above.

Some doctors measure the affected body part (like a leg or arm) before surgery, then re-measure afterward so that swelling can be detected and treated before it becomes obvious. You can ask your doctor to take these measurements or refer you to a physical therapist to have this done. If possible, ask to be referred to a certified lymphedema therapist (CLT).

The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team

https://lymphaticnetwork.org/living-with-lymphedema/lymphedema

https://www.cancercenter.com/treatments/lymphedema-management

https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/lymphedema

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000045.htm

https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Lymphedema.html

Lymphedema and Your Job

Take special care if you’re in a job that puts your arm or hand at risk of cuts or exposure to harsh substances. Examples include chef, gardener, doctor or surgeon, chemist or researcher, and florist. Protect your hands with gloves and minimize your risk of injury.

You’ll also need to take precautions if your job requires heavy use of your arm, hand, and/or upper body — including repetitive or intense lifting, reaching, pushing, or pulling. Some examples include daycare teacher, nurse’s aide, cleaner, mail or package delivery person, assembly line worker, construction worker, and waitress. These are professions where you’re not sitting at a desk or computer, but actively using your limb all day.

I am a preschool teacher, so I am usually pretty busy, though these past few years I have slowed down due to the damage in my knees and then the breast cancer diagnosis and all that has come with it, then the surgeries on my knees --- but I am bouncing back little by little😊 Though I will still need to be careful with my lymphedema side and remember not to carry my heavy bag on that shoulder or in that hand.

It’s critical to work with an experienced lymphedema therapist to strengthen the arm gradually and condition it for work-related tasks. Try not to go right back to heavy arm and upper body use within a few weeks after surgery. Every woman is different, but it can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 2 months to get the arm and upper body back in condition, says Nicole Stout, MPT, CLT-LANA, Senior Rehabilitative Services Practice Leader at Kaiser Permanente, Mid Atlantic Region.

In order to have that time, you may need to:

·         Educate your employer about lymphedema and ask for a temporary change in role. Many people have never heard of lymphedema as a complication of breast cancer treatment. You may need to educate your employer about this, perhaps supported by a note from your doctor or therapist. Ask for temporary adjustments in your role until your therapist says it’s OK to return to your previous tasks. For example, if you’re a mail carrier, you might be able to take a desk job for a while. If you’re a daycare teacher working with babies or toddlers, ask the other teachers if they can handle all of the lifting for now — or try switching to a room with older children who don’t need to be carried.

I have been very blessed to have a wonderful work family – they are all so caring about one another and have been very supportive for me and so helpful whenever I have needed it. I had to go through many sessions of bandage wrappings before my arm and hand got down to the right size before my physical therapist could order my glove and sleeve.

·         Investigate whether a work leave may be possible thanks to short-term disability insurance, if you have it or your employer provides it, or the Family Medical Leave Act. Either may be an option for taking time off so you can focus on conditioning your arm and upper body.

When you return to work, your therapist might recommend wearing a compression sleeve or garment as a precaution. He or she will consider your daily work tasks in addition to other risk factors you have for developing lymphedema. If you do start wearing a sleeve to work, you may find that your colleagues are curious about it. You might want to prepare a set answer you can use to respond to their questions.

After my lymphedema therapy, when my hand and arm was down to a more normal size my therapist fitted me for a glove and sleeve that I wear every day now. I put on my glove and sleeve with the rest of my clothing each morning. 😊 I sure am glad that I do not to have to be wrapped in bandages anymore, they were very cumbersome.

To learn more about employment and treatment issues, visit our section on Breast Cancer and Your Job. This section also will be helpful if you already have lymphedema and need to take time off from work for treatment. At least initially, treatment for lymphedema can be time-consuming, requiring frequent visits to your lymphedema therapist to bring symptoms under control. Talk to your employer and co-workers about your condition and why you need to take time off during the day. You’ll need to ease up on tasks that involve the arm and upper body until you get your symptoms under control. Your therapist can help you figure out what’s safe.

I know that this post is a little long, but I wanted to show you this next section from the following site: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/what-is-cancer/body-systems-and-cancer/the-lymphatic-system-and-cancer

Because it shows great pictures of the lymphatic system throughout your whole body, especially in regards to the lymphatic system and cancer.

The lymphatic system and cancer 

What the lymphatic system is

The lymphatic system is a system of thin tubes and lymph nodes that run throughout the body. These tubes are called lymph vessels or lymphatic vessels. The lymph system is an important part of our immune system. It plays a role in:

• fighting bacteria and other infections
• destroying old or abnormal cells, such as cancer cells

You can read detailed information about the immune system and cancer.

The lymphatic system

The diagram shows the lymph vessels, lymph nodes and the other organs that make up the lymphatic system.

diagram-of-the-lymphatic-system.jpg

How it works

The lymphatic system is similar to the blood circulation. The lymph vessels branch through all parts of the body like the arteries and veins that carry blood. But the lymphatic system tubes are much finer and carry a colourless liquid called lymph.

The lymph contains a high number of a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes. These cells fight infection and destroy damaged or abnormal cells.

As the blood circulates around the body, fluid leaks out from the blood vessels into the body tissues. This fluid carries food to the cells and bathes the body tissues to form tissue fluid. The fluid then collects waste products, bacteria, and damaged cells. It also collects any cancer cells if these are present. This fluid then drains into the lymph vessels.

diagram-of-a-lymphatic-capillary.jpg

The lymph then flows through the lymph vessels into the lymph glands, which filter out any bacteria and damaged cells.

From the lymph glands, the lymph moves into larger lymphatic vessels that join up. These eventually reach a very large lymph vessel at the base of the neck called the thoracic duct. The thoracic duct then empties the lymph back into the blood circulation.

Lymph nodes (lymph glands)

The lymph glands are small bean shaped structures, also called lymph nodes.

diagram-of-a-lymph-node.jpg

There are lymph nodes in many parts of the body including:

• under your arms, in your armpits
• in each groin (at the top of your legs)
• in your neck
• in your tummy (abdomen), pelvis  and chest

You may be able to feel some of them, such as the lymph nodes in your neck.

The lymph nodes filter the lymph fluid as it passes through them. White blood cells, such as B cells and T cells, attack any bacteria or viruses they find in the lymph.

When cancer cells break away from a tumour, they may become stuck in one or more of the nearest lymph nodes. So doctors check the lymph nodes first when they are working out how far a cancer has grown or spread.

When the lymph nodes are swollen, doctors call it lymphadenopathy. The most common cause is infection but lymph nodes can also become swollen because of cancer.

Other lymphatic system organs

The lymphatic system includes other organs, such as the spleen, thymus, tonsils and adenoids.

The spleen

The spleen is under your ribs, on the left side of your body. It has 2 main different types of tissue, red pulp and white pulp.

The red pulp filters worn out and damaged red blood cells from the blood and recycles them.

The white pulp contains many B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes. These are white blood cells that are very important for fighting infection. As blood passes through the spleen, these blood cells pick up on any sign of infection or illness and begin to fight it.

The thymus

The thymus is a small gland under your breast bone. It helps to produce white blood cells to fight infection. It is usually most active in teenagers and shrinks in adulthood.

diagram-showing-the-position-of-the-thymus.jpg

The tonsils and adenoids

The tonsils are 2 glands in the back of your throat.

The adenoids are glands at the back of your nose, where it meets the back of your throat. The adenoids are also called the nasopharyngeal tonsils.

The tonsils and adenoids help to protect the entrance to the digestive system and the lungs from bacteria and viruses.

diagram-showing-the-adenoids-and-tonsils.jpg

Well, Family and Friends, I do so hope that this has been as helpful for each of you as it has been for me. Like I said before, this journey has taught me so much about my body and how it works. Especially those parts that I was not very familiar with at all. I mean I never would have thought to ask what a lymph node was before I began this latest journey of my life. I would not have been able to tell you where my lymph nodes were located in my body either or what they were used for – and shoot, they are very important vessels in the body😊 everyone have a good week! Keep smiling and remember that your Heavenly Father loves each of you so very much. He is there waiting for you with His outstretched hands – always reaching down, waiting for you to reach up!