Seattle fun

Where should I start? The trip was everything and more we had hoped it would be. Our flights were smooth and uneventful. Mark was able to book us actual seats on those legs that appeared to be stand-by, so there were no worries. We walked all around areas of Seattle near our hotel and wedding venue Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday morning before catching the overnight flight back to Orlando this morning. Whew! It was exhausting, but so much fun.

I have posted five pictures, which seems to be all I'm allowed to ever put up at a time.
1. My friend Denise, the mother of the bride, and me;
2. View of Mt. Rainier from the 17th floor of the Norton Building, the wedding venue;
3. Ally and Brian, at the end of the wedding;
4. Me at the memorial to fallen firefighters;
5. the entrance to the Seattle Art Museum.

We had a lovely walking tour Saturday of things in Pioneer Square that we didn't do in '07 when we came up for an Alaskan cruise. We stayed at the same hotel because we enjoyed it so much back then. It was also only four or five blocks to walk to the wedding from there. I guess all the walking kept me from gaining weight because we sure ate well! We also noted many things we could do on any future visits to the area.

My wrappings caused no particular problem with the TSA. They didn't even want to see the note from the doctor. At both places they rubbed something around the top, bottom and along the middle of the bandages and placed that something in a machine. They were looking for explosives, but I provided none. LOL In Seattle they also swabbed my shoes for explosives. It wasn't too bad and didn't take too long.

I took off the bandages Saturday morning and wore only the compression sleeve to the wedding. I rewrapped myself Sunday morning for the return flights. I think I did pretty well. My therapist did not seem too upset with me when I saw her today! I only have two more visits with her and then I'm completely on my own.

Usually my big bandages engender questions about what happened. When I say lymphedema, I can see both a lack of comprehension and lack of interest. Most people just have no idea what it is. At breakfast in Seattle Saturday morning, I had the opposite happen. A lady came to me, put her arm on my shoulder, and said, "I see you have lymphedema." Wow! What a conversation starter. We talked for half an hour. She had had BC 20 years ago, which a few years after spread to her brain. She beat it. She also developed lymphedema, tried the therapy that I am doing, and opted to let it go. Sadly, her left arm is about five times bigger than the other one. I also noticed she barely used it. She never lifted it up to pick up anything at the buffet. She was with a girl friend who was in active treatment for BC. She had recently had a double mastectomy, completed her chemo, was in the process of having tissue expanders for her plastic surgery, and is facing 36 radiation treatments when she gets back from her Alaskan cruise. I hope it all goes well for her.

The lady with lymphedema mentioned that she had recently heard about lymph node transplants. Apparently they have moved someone's lymph nodes from one part of the body to the place where they had been removed in order to get the lymph system flowing normally again. Wow, that sounds interesting.

So much to do in the next few days, and then Lowell and Emily are arriving Thursday night. Can't wait!!