I told my physical therapist about how sometimes only the pinky and ring finger get numb and tingly on my left hand. Apparently those two fingers are related to the ulnar nerve. She gave me a new nerve glide exercise to do, but I should only do it if I continue to feel numb and tingly in just those two fingers. She said exercising the nerves too much can actually irritate the nerve and make symptoms worse.
I mentioned my theory about why I suddenly have these symptoms, and she said it's very typical for cancer patients - especially women with kids - to jump too quickly back into old routines, causing set-backs. I said I was mentally prepared for all the side effect during chemo, but didn't expect to feel so poorly even after chemo ended. She said chemo can actually advance the aging process, and regular exercise is the best way to help combat that possibility.
She worked on my cording, and again, it helped a lot! This is what it looks like now. (It's quite a bit more extensive than at first.)
The "cord" runs in a straight line from my armpit through the inside of my elbow up to my inner wrist (the same side as my thumb). I can sometimes feel a "pull" along the cord, usually near my wrist, even though that's where it's least visible. It's most palpable in the armpit, where it feels like a taut wire under the skin. Actually, in the armpit, it has kind of a webbed look, which I guess is why cording is also called axillary web syndrome.
I'm so sorry to hear of this new hand tingling numbness thing coming up! maybe you're right about the timing of it coming when you went back 'full swing' after the holidays, and maybe you need to cut back a bit, on chores and stuff. don't push yourself too hard!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm asking Ken and the kids to do more again, almost as much as they were doing when I was in chemo. I'm really anxious for all the hand problems to go away!
Delete