I was reading this great article, “Survivors Face a Major Gap in Post-Cancer Care”, on WBUR.org the other day and it brought up a good point, that most of the doctor’s never mention you should go to physical therapy after breast cancer surgeries and or radiation. As a cancer survivor I have to said it SHOULD be part of the regiment. It should be all of the “standard” treatments (like chemo, radiation and surgery)  and then when your all done- physical therapy. I remember being surprised that the nurse recommended that I go for a lymphedema sleeve by a physical therapist. For plane trips and “just in case” I develop lymphedema. I am glad I went- after a mastectomy and radiation, I had T-rex arms- I could barely raise my arms above my head. My chest was tight, so tight it was painful. So not only did I get a sleeve I returned for 8 sessions of physical therapy to get my mobility back. And I am so glad I did! I went to Katrina Brow, at Winchester Hospital who specializes in breast cancer patients and lymphedema.  And I did get my mobility back- thanks Katrina!

Physical therapist Jennifer Goyette provides manual lymphatic drainage therapy to cancer survivor Deborah Leonard. (Rachel Gotbaum for WBUR)