~Josephine Angelini
I'd like to thank Mary Lee Hahn for sharing "Remember That Time When" with us today.
Remember That Time When
Remember that time when
I had breast cancer?
I do. Every day.
I am the one
in "one in five"
of breast cancer survivors
who had lymph nodes
removed from their armpit
and now have lymphedema:
"chronic painless swelling
in the arm." Chronic? Yes.
Painless? Not so much.
Please consider the pain
of the compression sleeve
all day, and then
the other compression "garment"
all night. And yet,
because of this expensive
(and I mean expensive)
"lingerie," I am constantly
reminded: I am alive.
I am still alive
twenty-two arm-swollen
years later. Alive, and
grateful.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2020
************
Visit breastcancer.org for more information about lymphedema:
Lymph is a thin, clear fluid that circulates throughout the body to remove wastes, bacteria, and other substances from tissues. Edema is the buildup of excess fluid. So lymphedema occurs when too much lymph collects in any area of the body...
Surgery and radiation can cut off or damage some of the nodes and vessels that lymph moves through. Over time, the flow of lymph can overwhelm the remaining pathways, resulting in a backup of fluid into the body’s tissues.
10 comments:
I just came from reading Mary Lee's Sunday poem, giving gifts to us in her poetry. Now sharing what it really means to be a breast cancer survivor, a wonderful thing, but not without the pain. Thanks for sharing about you, Mary Lee, and for sharing other's stories, Tabatha. Have a good Sunday!
Dear Tabatha,
This speak-out from Mary Lee is brave & bold.
And appreciated so much, by me.
love
Jan
I've known too many people with breast cancer. Some survived. Some did not. I do understand how you think about it every day. I did not know about the compression sleeves. God bless you, Mary Lee. You are a survivor!
Thank you Mary Lee, for sharing this poem. I knew you were a breast cancer survivor, but didn't (and still don't) know all that entails. I'm grateful for knowing more today than I knew yesterday. Thanks, also, to Tabatha for the warm, supportive environment she has set up here to share these poems.
Thank you for sharing Mary Lee's poem. Her poem is so powerful, it brought tears to my eyes. Stay well.
Thank you, Tabatha, for this important project. I didn't think at first that I had anything to offer. But then I realized what a gift it would be to educate the world about lymphedema. I know there are more powerful insights to come throughout the month.
Thank you, Poetry Friends, for your kind words.
Thank you again Tabatha for this series. Thank you Mary Lee for sharing more of your story and of you. I so appreciate knowing a little bit more of your and others' experience.
Thank you, Tabatha and Mary Lee. This is such an important, brave and insightful post! I have learned from it and my emotions are touched. What stories we have...
I know about the lymphedema, because it is a constant fear for my mum. (Totally different cancer.) But I hadn't realised the compression garments were used in the treatment - or that they are worn so permanently. Thank-you for sharing your story and poetry, Mary Lee. And thank-you for this post, this series, Tabatha.
Thank you for this, Mary Lee! I'm so glad you're still alive!
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