Fluids tend to congregate

Fluids tend to congregate. It seems they love to find a vacant space and move in. These past few days they have gathered in my arm pit. Not a pretty sight.

Friday we went back to Dr. Kollmorgan’s office and her assistant drained a big vial of fluid from the baseball size lump under my arm where the lymph node incision is. Over the week end, the congregating fluids gathered again.

We went back in yesterday and saw the assistant again. He thought there was no point draining again since the fluids filled the space so quickly. Now, since that the lump is red and angry looking and my temp is slightly elevated, he consulted with Dr. K. and decided to put me on a course of antibiotics. I will go back next Monday for another look and the hope is that the problem will resolve itself.

Meanwhile, I can put ice on it and avoid using my right arm. That’s not terribly convenient. Try putting a cold compress under your arm and you’ll see what I mean. The not doing anything part isn’t as easy as it sounds either. It seems like an invitation/authorization to loaf, but that’s not as much fun as it sounds. If there is something that I want or need to do, I have to either ignore it or ask Chuck to do it for me.

If I felt ‘sicker’, I could just sleep, read and watch tv. The problem is I feel pretty good except for the pain under my arm which is manageable. This seems like a time I could get some things done but instead I’m supposed to take it easy. This is very frustrating. My window of feeling good is going to be wasted because of some stupid congregating fluid. I am not a happy camper and that makes me feel guilty because I should still be on a high because of the good news about my clear lymph nodes.

Okay, deep breath. I am happy and grateful and done whining for now anyway.

.