From swollen feet to sexy feet ~ Lymphoedema

I don’t know any girl that doesn’t get over excited and fall in love with a pretty pair of shoes, I know I’m one.

Up until 2 and half years ago pretty shoes where our of my reach and just there for me to admire wishing I could wear, both my feet where swollen and generally a lovely shade of purple my right was the worst out of the two. ‘why’ I wasn’t really sure at the time what was causing it, I haven’t always had swollen feet wasn’t until the ability to walk came to a stand still you could say ‘literally’ as standing is all a can do these days, it wasn’t really a problem for a few years but they gradually got worse as time went on I did yes ignore it and added it to my list of just get on with it.

It didn’t matter how many times I looked for that pretty pair of shoes hoping I’d find just that one pair I could wear It was just never going to happen I couldn’t find any that would ever fit my right foot not even a trainer and it’s not as if you can walk in to a shoe shop and say hi I’d like to buy one left shoe in that one please!!

my feet where always so cold and dry, it became very hard to stand for more than a few minutes as the pain was sometimes unbearable so standing started was now becoming very hard, I did however have one trustee pair of shoes (black leather ballerina type shoe) I would wear all year round not the best in the rain, I’d get home with very wet wrinkly feet as if I’d been in the bath for hours with the added bonus of a puddle at the bottom of my shoes, winter was probably the worst time to wear these shoes my feet where already very cold so you can imagine how cold they where after a trip out, even having a blanket covering my legs and feet didn’t quite shelter my feet from the cold winter elements, trying to warm them up that could take hours and sometimes just wasn’t happening until I was in bed with my heat blanket on (I love my heat blanket)

I suffered like this for year’s it got so unbearable it was just time to not just suck it up now and to do something about it, so I made an appointment with my doctors, after talking to the doctor that was available at the time he wanted to do a few test to see if there was anything that could be done, so the normal blood pressure check and a new one I’d never had before its like a mini ultrasound on my feet to find my heartbeat.

After few months of not hearing anything back I called my doctor’s surgery to be told the doctor had left, back to square one I was of just living with it, until my cousin Kristi mentioned looking into a lymphoedema clinic at Willen Hospice in Milton Keynes, I thought ok worth a look I guess so off to ask my good friend Google.

After I’d done all my research I thought time to call my doctor’s surgery again, speaking to another doctor explaining that I’d already seen a doctor and had tests done but he’d left and nothing had come of it, he looked into my past results and said well there’s nothing we can do it’s just one of those things ‘ok’ can I get a second opinion and a referral to the lymphoedema clinic at Willen Hospice please, the answer I got back was no we can’t do that and don’t think they can help you disheartened still with swollen purple painful feet I went home,

I’ve spoken about my amazing Anna Kent Neurological conditions clinicalspecialist in a past blog, over the years Anna has been my saviour in more ways than one, we was having our general catch up and I happen to mention my feet, the doctor’s appointment that went swimmingly well, then in her wonderfulness Anna said don’t worry I’ll refer you to the lymphoedema clinic (I’ve come to the conclusion everyone needs an Anna Kent in their life).

When my appointment came I was a little apprehensive but excited to see if I could get help finally, it was a home visit which was great definitely makes you feel that little bit more at ease, then in came a wonderful lady called Kate in her blue nurses uniform with a colleague, I was pre told in my letter that my first appointment I’d need to be laying flat other than throwing myself on the floor which was clearly not a great idea to lay down the only other option was my bed.

We went through a check list of questions to being with your normal ones how old, disability it was a relaxed getting to know each other that’s how it felt, Kate did the same checks as the doctor did way back when but then pulled out a tape measure, little ruler and a washable pen started making little lines about 3 inches apart starting from my feet and ending just above my knee after all the test were finished kate talking/showing me everything and how my lymph notes weren’t working instead of draining fluid it was storing it, my first question was of course can you help is the treatable, kate answer was yes most definitely at that moment kate became my shining angel I finally had not only diagnosis but treatment as well. 

Treatment

• Wearing Compression socks everyday
• Keeping my feet and legs moisturised
• 6 monthly check ups at home

Here some information – What is lymphedema

Lymphoedema is a swelling of the body that develops as a result of fluid build up without normal lymph drainage affecting your arms or legs, this may be as a result of the lymphatic system not developing properly or through damage or trauma It can also affect any part of the body but is most commonly seen in arms or legs, a recent study has estimated that at least 240,000 people in the UK may be affected by this condition.

If your reading this and thinking this is me get checked and don’t take ‘nothing can be done’.

Kerry x