Our Gardens
Comments
-
Hi ladies! First time poster here 👋🏻
I am 35 years old and I was diagnosed with with hormone positive IDC on the 19th of May this year.
I am 9 days out from a single mastectomy and axillary clearance. Prior to my diagnosis and surgery I was a very keen gardener. I’ve been worried that I won’t be as capable of performing these kind of tasks anymore due to the risk of infection and lymphedema in my affected arm (which happens to be my dominant arm, d’oh!).
This thread gives me hope that my gardening days aren’t in fact, over 🙂 I know that gloves are more important than ever now (I got away without using them in the past!) is there anything else I should be wary of? Has your BC diagnosis changed the way you garden?
I have pulled out a few weeds here and there using my unaffected arm but haven’t been game enough to use the affected arm yet! Before my diagnosis I had intended to pursue a career in horticulture, I hope this is still a possibility for me 🤞🏼
Thanks 🌷🌹🌺🌸🌼🌻3 -
Hi @Sophilina welcome to the club no-one wants to join. I would suggest you do the exercises they tell you to do. I didn't always do them after my mastectomy and I have a little bit to go for strength and stretch.
Fatigue after chemo and radiation slowed me down a lot but now 12 months on I am gardening again. I can't do it for as long as I used to but for me the letrolze medication I now take daily for 10 years means I can't stay down on my knees for a long time but age and weight add to this.
I am sure you will be able to continue a career in horticulture.
4 -
@Sophilina, sometimes these things appear to be worse than they are. Good hygiene is the answer. Yes, wear gardening gloves but still wash wash wash afterwards.
You can do anything you want to do in the future, just think about what you are doing and how you are doing it. Be cautious but not scared.
My dominant arm is my mastectomy side but nothing stops me in the garden except my arthritis which prevents me bending properly - and I have to admit it is not always gloved gardening but I do wash well after - I am 6 years on ....
All the best. Look forward to news of your new career !4 -
Hi @Sophilina
After a mastectomy and axillary clearance, I did unfortunately get lymphoedema but it affects very little and I can still work in the garden (I am not a good gardener but sort of enjoy it!) so don’t be put off doing what you like. Gloves by all means (I invariably forget!) and watch out for rose thorns. Most of all, any scratches, stop, wash, disinfect straight away. Lymphoedema can be very manageable, just very unpredictable as to getting it. You may find it useful to talk with a good, qualified lymphoedema therapist for advice on protection/early detection. Best wishes.2 -
Welcome Fellow Gardener. My garden is very important to me (along with Patchwork and Quilting- well anything to do with sewing machines and a piece of fabric).I garden in 5 acres of tropical paradise. Cuts and scratches in our hot humid area rapidly become inflected. I find a strong pair of cotton gardening gloves and a long sleeve cotton shirt buttoning at my wrists gives adequate protection (not to mention provides a barrier to those annoying mozzies and sandflies!)I despaired of ever being able to garden or sew again. Hah, time proved me wrong. That or my damn stubbon nature of refusing to give in.You will find a way.Annie🌴🌺
6 -
2
-
Thank you for the warm welcome and encouragement, ladies!
I have been doing the recommended daily exercises 3 times per day. They are helping a lot even though I’m not sure if I’m doing all of them 100% correctly (I was just given a sheet of exercises to follow - I’m assuming this is the norm?). I have been hearing a lot about the benefits of lymphatic drainage massage post surgery but unsure when is the best time to start?I am still awaiting my post op report, chemo has been indicated as highly likely. I am hoping that I will be well enough throughout this phase of treatment to still potter around in the garden as it has been a huge benefit to my mental well-being throughout my life and no doubt will continue to be.
Thank you for sharing your experiences (and your gardens) with me 💚 I am so comforted by your optimism and support!1 -
You may find this BCNA program of benefit as you find your strength to continue treatment and your everyday life
Take care and Best wishes
Strengthen your recovery (bcna.org.au)
1 -
Awesome! Thanks so much @iserbrown 🙂1
-
Hi @Sophilina,
I'm about 10 weeks out from a mastectomy with immediate implant reconstruction and 2 nodes biopsied all on my right (dominant) side. The reconstruction part of my surgery would be more complex than yours, but it was over-muscle, so not too bad. However my lymph biopsy is a smaller surgery than your clearance. So maybe that balances out?
Anyhow, I'm 45 and got my full range of movement back within 2 weeks. Could drive within 4. Like you I just got the sheet of exercises (I was too drugged out and in pain when the physio saw me the day after surgery to try them with her or even take in what she was saying.
Now at 10, apart from twinge-pains and tenderness/ouchy if pushed/bumped on the underarm region, I'd say I'm functioning pretty normally. I'm still avoiding really heavy lifting (but can let my 26kg 8 year old monkey climb on me again). Normal lifting like grocery bags etc is fine. My breastcare nurse said to make sure to do the stretches when I spend time on the computer or anything where my arms are quite still, and to take breaks regularly.
I saw my plastic surgeon last week and got the go ahead to return to archery and yoga (I don't think I could downward-dog yet as I'm no featherweight!). I've started doing theraband stretches that are akin to drawing a bow and they are fine. Hoping the weather is good to get on the course in a week or 2.
I paint and decided to give non-dominant hand painting a go. It was a great experience and, like gardening can be, great for keeping me sane through all this! I don't know what I would have done if I was someone without a home based hobby.
So I just wanted to reassure you that, while you may need to modify the way you do things for a while, gardening should be good to go soon!5 -
Sounds like you’re making great progress @StrongCoffee! Archery and yoga, wow! 😱I am nearly 3 weeks out from surgery and feeling more positive. Not babying my affected arm nearly as much but I am waiting for my snazzy new gardening gloves to arrive in the post before I really get stuck into things!1
-
I hope your recovery goes smoothly @Sophilina and you're out in the garden in spring. Weeks 2 and 3 I felt noticeably better each day. Then I plateaued for a week or so (I think because I started doing a bit more) but after that it was steady improvement again (just not as noticeable as those rapid first weeks).1
-
Just picked these lovely camillas to bring me some joy.
9
