Loving life with Lymphedema

You know you're getting old when you ask for lotion for Christmas.  In earlier years my Christmas wish list included handbags, jewelry and clothes.  Now those items have changed to vacuums, lotion and Spa days.  Who am I kidding, I still want the handbags, jewelry & clothes as well.  Also in earlier years when my husband would come home with flowers my heart would skip a beat.  Now I have that same reactions when he does the dishes, makes dinner or wakes up with our kids. So yes, this Christmas when my Mom asked what I wanted I knew exactly what to say,  Kiehl's Creme de Corps .  My skin has always been on the drier side, when winter starts it becomes increasingly worse.  This lotion is in a category of it's own, it has an almost velvet like feel on my skin and hydrates like no other.  Great for my lymphie limb Bertha !  The greatest part is I never feel that greasy or sticky feeling which makes it impossible to put on your compr...

Summer, I love it in the PNW!  We get to see the beauty that 9 months of rain brings and it brings green!  Hikes in the luscious gorge, laying in a hammock between two birch trees, a picnic under an oak tree that is older than my grandparents. The other magical thing summer brings is the Nordstrom Anniversary sale.  Ok horrible segue, but I'm rusty, it's been a while since my last blog post.  With starting a new trial treatment for my cancer and numerous infections in Bertha I haven't been on my A game and have been living in pajamas for the most part. Now that my infections are under control I can finally reveal my finds from the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. My favorite so far are the Faux Leather Spanx Leggings.  You can find them in Regular and Plus sizes.  They have them in the black, navy, bronze and wine.   Although they are not on sale, currently some colors have been price matched, so keep your eye out! I sized up and I'm glad ...

Stylish sandals, these exist for a foot like mine?  Now that I'm out of the baby stage with my kids I am coming up for air and trading in my sport clothes and shoes for more put together outfits.  Well I'm trying . . . succeeding not so much.  I've begun to try to be a smart shopper and when I see something I know will be useful and practical I buy it.  The other day it was a LBD (little black dress.)  The sleeves were a bit longer to hide my wobbly arms, the waist and hem length were ideal!  My husband urged me to buy it.  "Do you know how many times you've gone shopping for a dress like this?!"  It was staring me in the face and I hesitated, well no more!!  OR maybe it's my excuse to just shop 'til I drop?  If my husband is endorsing it though it has to be right . . . right?! The other day looking around for sandals I could dress up during spring and summer, I came across the  Lace-Up Gladiator Sandal  from  Lan...

Literally!!  This winter I shared with you one of my favorite nail polish brands that didn't smudge or chip off when it came to the compression stocking ritual.  If you've read my blog you know my favorite color is black. Well I ran out of my favorite polish in black and randomly found an inexpensive black polish in my cabinet.  I already had my compression stocking and skinny jeans on for the day, so I thought "what the heck" I just needed nice nails for the night. To my surprise they lasted beyond the night and continued to last for days!! It's Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear.   I was amazed and thankful! I could easily run to the drugstore for polish instead of waiting the 2 days it normally takes, yawn! Side note: I wish there was a sarcasm font. I ventured out from my black and bought Coral Reef pink! Hello who am I!?  I think I was harnessing my little girl's energy when picking out the pink polish.   I usually do two coats, but have g...

. . . Or standing in the rain cheering my kids on during their soccer games.  Whether you call them rain boots, wellies or galoshes, living this the Pacific Northwest we call them a must have!  From the kids soccer games to running errands in a monsoon (which we call November-May now) they are a must.  For the past few years I've braved this weather with my Uggs or sneakers.  This year we had 70 days where the sun didn't shine for an entire day!  It may of peaked out for a brisk moment, but has been followed by clouds, rain showers, hail, thunder & lightening, sometimes all within the same day.  You name it, we've had it. Since basically no store carries any practical women's shoes past size 10, I am prisoner to online shoe shopping, crossing my fingers hoping they'll work.  I've been down and out with my back, so I had more than enough time to search for rain boots.  Researching, reading reviews I finally chose a pair, sent up a hail Mary a...

So when I was 19 and had no clue what real life was.  My 3 guys friends and I (I should note I was a tomboy not a floozy) headed to the beach for a day of relaxing, because that's what every 19 years old needs, right?!  We walked by a Birkenstocks store and I said to one of them, "I remember those, I think I want to get a pair!"  The goof of our group, not hearing my previous comment pointed at the store. "Birkenstocks!  Hippy shoes!" For fear I would be excommunicated from our group-ok maybe that's too dramatic.  For fear of being made fun of, I quietly walked passed the store with only the longing of Birkenstocks in my heart, not on my feet.  Oh 19 year old me, if I only knew being made fun of for shoes would be the least of my worries in life.  One of those three guys in now my husband and was sure to remind me of that day when I purchased my Birks. But seriously, how awesome is it that Birkenstocks have some back into style!  Or maybe they n...

So Nikes are my new faves if you couldn't tell.  I had a previous post on my  Nike Frees , sadly they have seen better days and are off to Nike's Reuse-a-shoe operation.  So instead of the dumpster the shoes that have served me so well will live another life as a shoe, a turf field or kids playground.  How awesome is that?! I finally replace them and try another style my friend raves about, the Nike Flyknit (an awesome eco shoe Nike created.)  I searched the sale section and found them- a pink and purple haze of color.  Now don't get me wrong, I love my basic black, but since I wear such basic color clothing shoes are one thing I'll go crazy with color.  There is nothing like that perfect pair of fun red dress shoes . . . but that's for another post. I was skeptical about the color, even though my heart loves a bright shoe.  When I wear bold items (for me) I feel like I have a marque arrow sign pointing to Bertha .  But, who cares, life ...