› Forums › General Melanoma Community › armpit slnb delicate q
- This topic has 15 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 4 months ago by
KatyWI.
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- January 17, 2012 at 1:09 pm
about to have an slnb in armpit with wide area excision on my arm with hand that i use for cleaning up after going to toiler
after slnb will i be able to go to toilet normally and clearn up with hands on predominant arm? if not, what options to prepare for
tia for your advice
about to have an slnb in armpit with wide area excision on my arm with hand that i use for cleaning up after going to toiler
after slnb will i be able to go to toilet normally and clearn up with hands on predominant arm? if not, what options to prepare for
tia for your advice
- Replies
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- January 17, 2012 at 3:58 pm
it's not clear from your post where the WLE will be. Poster above seemed to assume it was on your hand. I'm assuming it's somewhere other than your hand, and that your question pertains to mobility. You will not be able to raise your arm at first, but you will be able to use your arm for bathroom and you will be able to wash your hands.
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- January 17, 2012 at 3:58 pm
it's not clear from your post where the WLE will be. Poster above seemed to assume it was on your hand. I'm assuming it's somewhere other than your hand, and that your question pertains to mobility. You will not be able to raise your arm at first, but you will be able to use your arm for bathroom and you will be able to wash your hands.
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- January 17, 2012 at 3:58 pm
it's not clear from your post where the WLE will be. Poster above seemed to assume it was on your hand. I'm assuming it's somewhere other than your hand, and that your question pertains to mobility. You will not be able to raise your arm at first, but you will be able to use your arm for bathroom and you will be able to wash your hands.
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- January 17, 2012 at 6:36 pm
Purchase some premoistened cleasing cloths (yes, like those used for infants, children—they have them for adults) for additional hygiene care and assistance to try with your other hand that you are not accustomed to using. You will become inventive to your needs. (Practice now!) A home-made "bidet" would be the soft, squirt bottles with warm water. I don't know the extent of the excision on your arm, or location—your doctor will surely give specific direction on how much you can extend or use that arm in recovery. I can assure you from my own experience, that you will modify your habits successfully, with the assistance of some of these tools.
You should be able to shower sooner with the aid of a flexible shower hose and spray. We installed one as a pre-emptive strike before I even had my surgery (a mastectomy from melanoma and large skin graft). I would suggest button down shirts and elastic bottom wear (that's where pulling up with one arm becomes an artform–but you can and will succeed at this!!) My recovery was long, so I also just went to an inexpensive chain hair salon for shampoo and styling of my hair, that's why I was able to just maintain with the hand-held shower. I experienced two rounds of limited arm usage: the mastectomy and previous to that a total lymph node dissection.
Good luck and thank you for your honesty to ask a question that so many of us have had to figure out. I've never seen it addressed here before.
CarolA
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- January 17, 2012 at 6:36 pm
Purchase some premoistened cleasing cloths (yes, like those used for infants, children—they have them for adults) for additional hygiene care and assistance to try with your other hand that you are not accustomed to using. You will become inventive to your needs. (Practice now!) A home-made "bidet" would be the soft, squirt bottles with warm water. I don't know the extent of the excision on your arm, or location—your doctor will surely give specific direction on how much you can extend or use that arm in recovery. I can assure you from my own experience, that you will modify your habits successfully, with the assistance of some of these tools.
You should be able to shower sooner with the aid of a flexible shower hose and spray. We installed one as a pre-emptive strike before I even had my surgery (a mastectomy from melanoma and large skin graft). I would suggest button down shirts and elastic bottom wear (that's where pulling up with one arm becomes an artform–but you can and will succeed at this!!) My recovery was long, so I also just went to an inexpensive chain hair salon for shampoo and styling of my hair, that's why I was able to just maintain with the hand-held shower. I experienced two rounds of limited arm usage: the mastectomy and previous to that a total lymph node dissection.
Good luck and thank you for your honesty to ask a question that so many of us have had to figure out. I've never seen it addressed here before.
CarolA
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- January 17, 2012 at 6:36 pm
Purchase some premoistened cleasing cloths (yes, like those used for infants, children—they have them for adults) for additional hygiene care and assistance to try with your other hand that you are not accustomed to using. You will become inventive to your needs. (Practice now!) A home-made "bidet" would be the soft, squirt bottles with warm water. I don't know the extent of the excision on your arm, or location—your doctor will surely give specific direction on how much you can extend or use that arm in recovery. I can assure you from my own experience, that you will modify your habits successfully, with the assistance of some of these tools.
You should be able to shower sooner with the aid of a flexible shower hose and spray. We installed one as a pre-emptive strike before I even had my surgery (a mastectomy from melanoma and large skin graft). I would suggest button down shirts and elastic bottom wear (that's where pulling up with one arm becomes an artform–but you can and will succeed at this!!) My recovery was long, so I also just went to an inexpensive chain hair salon for shampoo and styling of my hair, that's why I was able to just maintain with the hand-held shower. I experienced two rounds of limited arm usage: the mastectomy and previous to that a total lymph node dissection.
Good luck and thank you for your honesty to ask a question that so many of us have had to figure out. I've never seen it addressed here before.
CarolA
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- January 17, 2012 at 8:42 pm
Hello-What is snlb? My brother has arm/armpit mel -and will possible lose arm or massive removal of tumor. Thanks for the information. Great question and love and prayers. Stay strong.
Mrs Marilyn
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- January 17, 2012 at 8:42 pm
Hello-What is snlb? My brother has arm/armpit mel -and will possible lose arm or massive removal of tumor. Thanks for the information. Great question and love and prayers. Stay strong.
Mrs Marilyn
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- January 17, 2012 at 8:42 pm
Hello-What is snlb? My brother has arm/armpit mel -and will possible lose arm or massive removal of tumor. Thanks for the information. Great question and love and prayers. Stay strong.
Mrs Marilyn
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