Confession on Compression!

THIS IS WHAT YOU BRITS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!  ANOTHER SCORCHER OF A DAY WITH HIGHS REACHING 30 DEGREES INLAND.  MUGGY AND CLOSE AROUND MANY LOCATIONS WITH BOILING SUNSHINE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

Thanks Daybreak.

It's official.

After wearing my compression vests 24/7 (and I would like to emphasise that 24/7 does mean exactly that.  They are removed only for showering.  I exercise and sleep in them too.)  I was near breaking point anyway.  But when breaking point merged to boiling point  I lasted one day in 30 degree sunshine.  As the temperature soared I had to relent and take them off.  I was so uncomfortable, itchy and sore.  I actually felt ill from the heat  and was really, really angry.  Anything my man said to me received a snappy answer.  

So off they came!!!

Firstly I went through the guilt.  Ten months is a long time but it pales in significance compared to the two years plus I am prescribed to wear these evil garments.  I really don't want to undo all my good work in a matter of days.  I had already prepared to take them off for 2 weeks on my holiday to Turkey and only wear them in the air-conditioned room when sleeping.  I comforted myself by acknowledging that if I still wore them for 12 hours overnight I would be uncompressed for only 1 week!  

Not wearing the vests in this weather really is amazing.  It is a feeling I can't really describe to the uninjured.  When I first went out without one on the air actually made my skin tingle.  I hadn't had fresh air on my bare skin for ten whole months.  I wasn't prepared for my clothes to chafe though.  Where my skin was so baby new and desensitised to touch I could feel the material against me.  Luckily that sensation vanished very quickly!

Another plus is the final stitch from my recent operation (which had gone quite nasty) finally worked it's way out in the fresh air.  I don't know how my body did it as there was a knot at the end of it!  No wonder it hurt when I pulled at it...!

I have to wear 50 SPF on my face, ear, neck and any exposed chest as I burn just from looking at the sun but this is a small price to pay for the freedom from compression vests!  I will keep them off until the weather cools down and then back on they will go.  The vests have made such a difference to my scarring so I won't be without them for long.  

I would advise against taking compression garments off unless it is necessary to your well-being.  Even then, it should only be a short period of time (i.e. a holiday)  I am not the little devil on your shoulder whispering in your ear!  The garments are vital to get the best results from scarring and operations and should be worn in accordance with medical advice.  However, for me, it was time to negotiate with myself in order to improve my quality of life and enjoy the sunshine!    

It's days like this I really appreciate my view!!!