The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To Nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul. ~Alfred AustinI believe every Massage Therapist has been lectured or is aware that they should take better care of themselves and their hands. Many of us still struggle with this. So this post is for all people that need to take care of their hands. Massage Therapists, Musicians and yes, Breast Cancer patients/survivors.
I wish every Breast Cancer patient/survivor could say the same. I know that the timing always sucks. It seems like there is never a good time to tell you everything and expect you to remember it. After all Cancer can be a revolving door of drama, seems like you are constantly scheduling and going to appointments, being diagnosed, prepped for surgery, recovering, in treatment and have so many other things to worry about. So this will not be the long list. This will be the list that is specifically about gardening.
With the Spring and Summer we all want to put our hands in the dirt. We want our yards or even a few pots of green and color about. We need to be more careful to prevent injuries though. For people that work with their hands it could limit their work or cause them to have to bandage and just not feel like they are working their best.
Gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade. ~Rudyard Kipling
For Breast Cancer patients/survivors it is even more serious. Yes, we are talking about Lymphadema that can be triggered by the silliest little things in a flash of a second. Anyone who has had a simple mastectomy, lumpectomy or modified radical mastectomy combination with axillary node dissection and, often, radiation therapy is at risk. Lymphedema can occur immediately postoperatively, within a few months, a couple of years, or 20 years or more after cancer therapy. With proper education and care, lymphedema can be avoided or, if it develops, kept well under control. You are supposed to avoid any type of trauma (bruising, cuts, sunburn or other burns, sports injuries, insect bites, cat scratches). This covers a lot of ground so, here is the list;
1. Take Care…..often we just get an idea and grab the spade or dive into weeding when the moment hits us.
2. Plan….make a plan, get your supplies and things ready first.
3. Ya Gotta Have Gloves…..they may not be pretty, they need to be sturdy and protect your hands from sticky, picky, needles that spring from plants to impale you. You are not allowed to have injections, IVs or a blood drawing in the affected arm(s) so yes, a thorn could have the same effect.
4. How about a hat? I know I hate to wear one too. Shade though and protection from the sun and unlike the gloves it can be pretty!
5. Loosen up…give your hands and arms a shake now and then and please don’t wear gloves or clothing that is too tight.
6. Sunburns are bad for everyone. They can trigger lymphadema or just add to skin cancer risks so, please use sunscreen.
7. Insect bites are also considered a risk so get the insect repellant on too.
8. If you still get bitten by a noseeum or mosquito the scratching can be as dangerouse as the bite. Washing with an antiseptic will often relieve initial pain from an insect bite. Afterwards look for an ointment containing a combination of an antihistamine, analgesic and corticosteroid, as this can relieve both pain and itching.
9. Give yourself breaks….vigorous, repetitive movements against resistance with the affected arm (raking, trimming, pulling weeds) will fatigue you.
10. If you are supposed to be wearing a compression sleeve because you have lymphedema please, just do it. I know the day is nice and you want to feel the air on your skin. You can take the sleeve off and enjoy the the air a moment before you go inside and take your shower.
11. Stay hydrated…..that is another thing those breaks are for. Water, just water is great!
12. Don’t try to do everything…..Leave something for the bees and butterflies to enjoy. They really like weeds and it is a great rationalization.
Enjoy your time in the garden. We did today and are looking forward to volunteering with Unite for Her at Phoenixville Hospital tomorrow. Hope we see some of you there!
And if you overdo it…give us a call at 
610-906-2322 to schedule an appointment with Christopher or I. being gardeners ourselves we know how amazing Massage Therapy is for recovering from yard work.