The therapy consists of massaging certain lymph nodes or glands as some call them to wake them up then make trenches through the skin to push with full hand contact up gently but steadily to get the lymph moving. It is known as buckets and trenches. Sometimes it moves clean into my forehead. It starts with the chest and sides then to the left leg, then the back, then right leg. If I am exceptionally swollen she will pull up a chair and work extra. The mottling of the skin and dark red color belie the lymph unable to make it’s way up in normal fashion. It is a daily regimen and can take up to an hour. It seems to be a personal challenge for Inger to conquer it and leave me with both legs close to the same diameter overall. As the lymph moves it may collect on pockets which become targets for some serious work to get it all moving. Sometimes it takes both of us to make it all happen to her satisfaction.
The pain is different, high in the back, last night on the right side. Last night was the third rough night unable to get horizontal with the back. I took three pain pills over the course of the night and it finally abated around 4 am. It comes on each evening around 8 PM. I will continue to study and pray it quits. I fear it is related to eating. One thing for sure it is causing me to eat less, about one half the normal over the past few days. Since I am tubby I can certainly handle the reduced intake. Dinner on Tuesday consisting of a sautéed chicken breast, potato salad and beans was delicious. I ate modestly and immediately cramped up after dinner. I fought the discomfort through the night. Better than the night before, I got by with two pain pills in the night and caught 3 hours worth of sleep or so.
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