My Left Arm is a Ninja

“You are lucky! Your compressive sleeve has been delivered!” Bridget, my therapist, had a bright smile on Monday, when she made that statement. I would have not minded some delay. It is hot this week. 

I did not even know there were such things as compressive sleeves before Bridget mentioned them. Their purpose is to avoid fluid buildup when lymphatic nods don’t work as they should. Half of those nods were taken away last year to check if cancer had reach them (it did not). The other ones were damaged by radiotherapy.

Bridget showed me some sleeves, which were thick and beige. I figured I would look as if I had an artificial limb. I browsed the internet and saw sleek compressive sleeves in bold colors, some with fancy patterns.

I start seeing the sleeve in a perspective a la Gilda, as a sexy accessory. I picked a black one rather than beige.

Annoyingly, since I researched those on internet, I cannot go on Facebook now without having ads for thick stockings on every pages…

So the fact is, the sleeve does compress. I must also wear a gauntlet which prevents my hand to swell while the sleeve is on. Putting the whole thing on is quite a process. 

When I take if off at the end of the day, I experience relief… and there are little elastic noises.  It does not look like Gilda taking off her silky gloves AT ALL. The truth is, my arm looks like a Ninja all by itself.

Once up on the arm, I can forget I wear it. Unless it gets really hot… if it does, then sorry Ninja sleeve, you will stay in my drawer!