Thursday, June 26, 2014

LIVING WITH LIPEDEMA

Today is June 26, and was the graduation day of a dear friend's daughter, one we have had the utmost pleasure to watch grow from a wee babe into a lovely young woman.  An end to her high school years and sitting at the cusp of her college ones.

As I sat in the stands cheering proudly and holding up a huge, larger than life, picture of her lovely face, that her crafty mother had created, I was caught between my own high school memories and the thought that my ten year old daughter sitting at my side would be up there on that stage, sooner than I could bare to admit to myself.

Today was a big deal in my lipedema life, too.  You see a few years ago I was at this same stage for a concert, Elvis Costello and The Police, and I could not fit in the seat.

The theater is an amphitheater (open-air) and has stadium style seating (with arms).  If you have lipedema and are later stages, with affected hips, you know of what I speak.  If not, chairs with arms are a nightmare for us.

I'm usually able to sit at the edge of a seat and manage for an hour or two, but the rows at the theater are so close together, that there was no place for my knees to go.

Today, I fit.  Not all the way, but enough so that I could be there for this most special of occasions.  I did not have to miss out on the event.

Now in most circumstances you could ask for accommodations and be seated somewhere more "fitting". But the embarrassment of asking always kept me from doing more.  Other lipedema suffers are far braver than I, and ask for and receive accommodations - and you know what?  Those folks who do so, educate those establishments, they make them aware of the need for modified seating.

Today, I say thank you to all those brave souls that do not let lipedema stop them from living.  Who fight to bring awareness, and are succeeding.  They make it better for those of us who do not have the bravery, but we are fighting every day to get there.

While I work on changing me, getting healthier and trying to "fit" into their world, these brave souls work on changing the world!  BRAVO!


June is lipedema awareness month, please take a moment to visit these other blogs that are taking part in the awareness blog hop...



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Thursday, June 19, 2014

DRESSING FOR SUMMER

Summer can be tough for lipedema ladies, wearing compression garments is not easy on a cool fall day, let alone one with temperatures upwards of 90 or even 100 degrees.

I have found the maxi dress to be perfect for summer.  It is long and flowing, to help keep you comfortable, even when rising temperatures might cause some swelling in our legs.


HERE ARE SOME RECENT PURCHASES I HAVE MADE...

Mitered Stripe Dress from Torrid


Lois from Swak Designs



Here I am at Easter, with my Lois Dress from Swak Designs.  It was cool that day, so I topped it with a Jean Jacket from Lane Bryant (a cute shrug or cardigan would work just as well)...
Me in my Swak Designs' Lois Dress


Another great find is this California Maxi skirt from Swak Designs, add a tank and cardigan, like they have in their Boho Babe look, and the options really are endless...

Boho Babe Look from Swak Designs

I recently found Torrid when a lippy sister posted a picture of herself on vacation, and I fell in love with their vibe.  Swak Designs, on the other hand, I have been a fan of for years.  Sign up for Swak emails and every Sunday you'll get a big discount notice on one or more items (typically 40% or more off).  Swak is short for "Sealed With A Kiss".

Maxi pants are another fun new look, see what you can find, and post your recommendations in the comments.


Other Tips for Keeping Cool this Summer:
  • Put your compression garments in the freezer
  • Pick up a great new misting water bottle, like this one from 02COOL, which can be purchased at Amazon or other locations for about $12:
02COOL


Don't forget to check out the other blogs on the Lipedema Awareness Blog Hop:
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Thursday, June 5, 2014

Welcome to Awareness

June is Lipedema Awareness month, and I'm working with other bloggers to spread the word as much as possible, so please take a moment after reading my post to check out their posts as well...


According to good old wikipedia, Awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects, or sensory patterns.  And while I would love for everyone to become aware of, and understand a little more about Lipedema, I am gearing this post to those currently with lipedema.

The biggest lesson I've learned since being diagnosed in 2004, is that I am my best resource.

In a nutshell, I changed my eating style (to Zone Diet in November 2011) and my activity level (to modified CrossFit in March 2012) and within a year and a half, I have dropped about 60lbs., and most importantly, I have lost about 30 inches off my legs.  That is not a typo - 30 INCHES OFF MY LEGS.

Of course to lose 30 inches, you must have a lot to start with, right?  Yes, and I still do.  I am not a size 6 or even a 16, but I have changed how I live, and you can, too.

I am not saying the Zone Diet and CrossFit are what will work for you.  It might, and it might not.  What I am saying, is to be your own resource.  Try new things, and document the changes you see in your body.  Changes can be measurements, recovery time, endurance, etc.

Recovery time was a big indicator for me.  As the amount of time it took me to catch my breath after walking a short distance grew less and less, I walked more and more.  Building up that distance until one day I walked my first 5K.

If something works, keep doing it.  If something doesn't work, doesn't feel right to you, then stop doing it.  Listen to yourself, nobody is a better judge at what is good for you than you.

1.Creative Life Enterprises2.Lipedema Fitness
3.Lipedema Simplified BLOG4.LIPESE Blog
5.LipLady Fab

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