looking for lymphedema therapist Chicago area?

ratface
ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi everyone. Posting on the outside chance that someone in the Chicagoland area has used a lymphedema massage therapist in the greater chicagoland area with good results and could provide a recommendation. I got a script from the oncoman for it but my hospital dosen't have one. Perhaps someone knows a hospital that does or even someone in private practice. I called one hospital to inquire and as soon as I said the word massage they said we don't do that. Thought I was some kind of a pervert or something. My turkey neck is beginning to get bothersome and I was hoping to learn the massage techniques from a professional.

Comments

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
    Therapist
    Chicago is too cool for a Louisiana boy to live in to know anything about what is there. Good luck on finding a qualify therapist, but if you do let me know maybe when the Sun comes out in the summertime I will make a trip. I am having some problems too with the neck, I went to my Chiropractor but he will not touch it. I believe he is afraid of the affects the radiation did to the bones and possible Law suite if anything brakes.

    Take care my Friend and hope you find a good therapist to help you.
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #3
    Hondo said:

    Therapist
    Chicago is too cool for a Louisiana boy to live in to know anything about what is there. Good luck on finding a qualify therapist, but if you do let me know maybe when the Sun comes out in the summertime I will make a trip. I am having some problems too with the neck, I went to my Chiropractor but he will not touch it. I believe he is afraid of the affects the radiation did to the bones and possible Law suite if anything brakes.

    Take care my Friend and hope you find a good therapist to help you.

    made it to New Orleans once?
    Hi Hondo

    Did make it to New Orleans once. Rather be in Louisiana than Chicago. It's cold here and we got several inches of snow last couple days. Theres bound to be a good therapist somewhere nearby. As much as I hate living in a large metro area the one good thing is you can usually find anything you need. Problem is just getting around, wrong time of the day and it can take several hours to travel 10 miles. I'm wanting to go for a couple of seesions and learn the techniques to get the swelling down. Your neck looks pretty good in that picture.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    ratface said:

    made it to New Orleans once?
    Hi Hondo

    Did make it to New Orleans once. Rather be in Louisiana than Chicago. It's cold here and we got several inches of snow last couple days. Theres bound to be a good therapist somewhere nearby. As much as I hate living in a large metro area the one good thing is you can usually find anything you need. Problem is just getting around, wrong time of the day and it can take several hours to travel 10 miles. I'm wanting to go for a couple of seesions and learn the techniques to get the swelling down. Your neck looks pretty good in that picture.

    Old Picture
    Yep that is one of my pretty pictures, I am not going to put an ugly one up, my manhood would be devastated. I been to the out side of Chicago twice and from what I have seen I am glad I never got stuck in the traffic or I would still be there.
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #5
    Chicago
    Hey, ratface, I've never lived outside of Illinois my entire life. Worked in Elgin for just under 7 years, 86-93. Lotta relatives in Batavia/Naperville area. Quad Cities for the past 15+ years- left Chicagoland because of the cost of living. Bad car accident when I was 13, and living outside of Freeport, resulted in 18 Ops. in Rush-Presbyterian-St.Luke's, on the Ike 2 blocks west of Ashland, over 2 years from 68-70. Dr. Stanton A. Friedberg, ENT, was my Doc/mentor, and the very best of friends I've ever had. That's why part of my heart will always be in the 5 Jones East ward of St.Luke's, ratface, which only the oldtimers, there, would even remember existed. Try to get up there once/year to honor the memories that happened there. Had too much trouble making ends meet in the early-90s, so I got out when the factory I worked at shut-down.

    As big as your area is (8 million people?), there's gotta be the massage therapist you're looking for somewhere near you in the suburbs. Lotta massage therapists in the QCA of Illinois and Iowa, and they seem legit, so I assume there is in your greater area, too. First place to look might be places that teach it in Chicagoland- they might know of who you're looking for.

    kcass

    Hondo- driving home to the farthest northwest of the suburbs after an afternoon Cub game= a two-hour drive to go 30 miles. That's IF you know the right roads to take. Ah, those were the days...
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #6
    Kent Cass said:

    Chicago
    Hey, ratface, I've never lived outside of Illinois my entire life. Worked in Elgin for just under 7 years, 86-93. Lotta relatives in Batavia/Naperville area. Quad Cities for the past 15+ years- left Chicagoland because of the cost of living. Bad car accident when I was 13, and living outside of Freeport, resulted in 18 Ops. in Rush-Presbyterian-St.Luke's, on the Ike 2 blocks west of Ashland, over 2 years from 68-70. Dr. Stanton A. Friedberg, ENT, was my Doc/mentor, and the very best of friends I've ever had. That's why part of my heart will always be in the 5 Jones East ward of St.Luke's, ratface, which only the oldtimers, there, would even remember existed. Try to get up there once/year to honor the memories that happened there. Had too much trouble making ends meet in the early-90s, so I got out when the factory I worked at shut-down.

    As big as your area is (8 million people?), there's gotta be the massage therapist you're looking for somewhere near you in the suburbs. Lotta massage therapists in the QCA of Illinois and Iowa, and they seem legit, so I assume there is in your greater area, too. First place to look might be places that teach it in Chicagoland- they might know of who you're looking for.

    kcass

    Hondo- driving home to the farthest northwest of the suburbs after an afternoon Cub game= a two-hour drive to go 30 miles. That's IF you know the right roads to take. Ah, those were the days...

    What 8 million people
    The next time I get stuck in traffic here in Lafayette city of 250 thousand I believe I will look up and say thanks you Lord that I don’t live in Chicago.

    Two hours to go 30 miles. If there were any hair left on my head after chemo I would have pulled it out.

    Take care guys 2010 is just a round the corner now.
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #7
    lymphedema
    RF

    Much is being done in the area of treatment of lymphedema. This is documented in ACS' magazine, called CURE. CURE has an online site at curetoday.com.

    They do a great job of explaining lymphedema, but more importantly in your case also talk about possible solutions, including massage and exercises.

    It seems that there is some work being done in this regard (I recall specifically that some doctor is working on the problem at Yale, a breast cancer survivor herself, if I remember correctly). Check out the site, as I think it also provides links to resources that may be of use to you.

    Best wishes.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #8
    soccerfreaks said:

    lymphedema
    RF

    Much is being done in the area of treatment of lymphedema. This is documented in ACS' magazine, called CURE. CURE has an online site at curetoday.com.

    They do a great job of explaining lymphedema, but more importantly in your case also talk about possible solutions, including massage and exercises.

    It seems that there is some work being done in this regard (I recall specifically that some doctor is working on the problem at Yale, a breast cancer survivor herself, if I remember correctly). Check out the site, as I think it also provides links to resources that may be of use to you.

    Best wishes.

    Take care,

    Joe

    found one today
    Thanks guys, I was able to find one ten minuetes from the house at a local hospital which I've been a patient at before. Will update on the effectiveness when I start next week.

    Hondo, My picture is prior to DX also although I've lost 40 pounds and actually look better other than my face. Lost a lot of the fat and still lift light weights daily allowing me to keep some muscle tone. I also spend 30 min . on the treadmill daily.

    That picture on the fence is actually a barnyard near Savana Il. which is actually near Freeport as well as the Quad cities. I make it to Moline once in a while.
  • CajunEagle
    CajunEagle Member Posts: 408
    #9
    ratface said:

    found one today
    Thanks guys, I was able to find one ten minuetes from the house at a local hospital which I've been a patient at before. Will update on the effectiveness when I start next week.

    Hondo, My picture is prior to DX also although I've lost 40 pounds and actually look better other than my face. Lost a lot of the fat and still lift light weights daily allowing me to keep some muscle tone. I also spend 30 min . on the treadmill daily.

    That picture on the fence is actually a barnyard near Savana Il. which is actually near Freeport as well as the Quad cities. I make it to Moline once in a while.

    Glad you found one
    I went to an Occupational Therapist who was employed at a Physical Therapist clinic. After 15 minutes, she pretty much had the "Turkey Beard" gone. Her technique is to take both hands on the beard with palms facing outward. Slowly move the fingers of each hand up to the top of your ears, then slowly back down behind your ears to your neck area. As your doing it, your gonna say "Man, this is stupid."....but it does work. I then put on a Face Caddy....(www.facecaddy.com) for about 20-25 minutes and it keeps the fluid down. I'm not sure if the cold/cool weather has something to do with it, but I'm having to work on my Turkey Neck alot more in the recent weeks. What a weird life we lead, now !!

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