Drops of Rain

As the drops of rain fall
The peace inside of me grows
Calmness fills my heart
Happiness is known
 
Drops of rain that fall
Wash away my sadness as you go
Fill me with a sense of worth
Make happiness be known
 
Rain that brings life to the world
Wash me and make me anew
Fill me with a sense of joy
Come and let happiness be known
 
Copyright 2020 Ricardo and JoJo My Unique Stories.com

Coffee, My friend

As the morning arrives
I look for you, my friend 
The one who gives me peace
The one who makes me be

Without you I am nothing
Without out you my mood is wrong
Without you people avoid me
Without out you I am not whole

Coffee, my friend you are
My one and best support
The one who gives me strength
The one who makes me whole

Copyright 2020 Ricardo and JoJo My Unique Stories.com

Lymphedema Frequently Ask Questions

1. Is there a cure treatment for lymphedema?

At this time there is NO cure for lymphedema. But it can be controlled, or it can be managed.

2. How do you know that you have lymphedema?

When you notice that you have swelling that does not go away, make sure you visit your physician and have her or him check on you. And he/she makes a diagnosis.

Once you are determined that you have lymphedema then get a referral to a certified lymphedema therapist.

3. What can be done when having lymphedema?

There are 2 phases of treatments, first you will be seen by a certified lymphedema therapist and during these sessions you have treatments such as therapeutic exercise, skin care, manual lymph drainage and bandaging using short stretch bandages.

The second phase, once the swelling /lymphedema is decreased in volume and it is determined by your therapist that you are ready to move forward with compression garments , your therapist will let you know. Then you are set to be fitted with compression garments or farrow wraps. At this point you are ready to manage your own lymphedema.

It is very important that during your sessions with your therapist you learn the manual lymph drainage, self-bandaging, taking care of the skin and therapeutic exercises.

4. How often should I change my compression garment?

It is very important that you change your garment every 6-9 months. There are so many brands that you can choose. Make sure you are measured for right fit to avoid wasting your money.

5. Is ace wrap okay to use for bandaging?

Ace wrap is a long stretch type of bandaging. It is recommended to use a short stretch type of bandaging for better compression of lymphedema. There are different brands such as comprilans or lo press. There are also different sizes.

6. Why skin care?

Our skin is our protection so if you take care of your skin you minimize the entry of the bacteria. For example, if you leave your skin dry and it is scaly, your tendency is to scratch it. Once you keep scratching the skin, then it is subject to skin being cut and is potential for bacterial entry. With the presence of fluids in the interstitial tissue there is less blood flow and your immune system is compromise.

7. What can I do to take care of skin?

Taking a shower or bath would help. Keep the body clean. After taking a shower or bath apply moisturizing lotion such as Curel, Eucerin or Aquaphor.

Looking Back at You

What do we see looking back at us when we find a surface that reflects ourselves? Do we see a nice beautiful image, is it full, does it contain small parts that make a whole? Do we like what we see? Do we want to change what we see?

Many times what reflects back to us looks different to what we expect. Hardly any time we see what we would like, but does it mean that we have to dislike what we see? Not necessarily. We also need to accept what is shown back to us, we take the positive and see what needs to be improved. This is the way that we can become better and move forward.

It is also important to remember that sometimes we might think that there is nothing worth about it, but other people might see it beautiful. We have to be careful to see ourselves in a positive and real way. Do not put your self down, but do not think you are over other people. The higher that you think you are the harder that you will fall, and the more painful that it would be.

Always remember that all that we do eventually comes to the surface, both the good and the bad. If this is the case then why not just do good and not be ashamed when it comes out? It is our choice to do it, nobody can choose for us.

Work hard on improving your self and be someone that you will be happy when your reflection is looking back at you.