Hello, PJ, I see this article was posted some time ago, so this will be of no help to the woman who asked about it, but perhaps it will help others. I had bilateral mastectomies, one with only a single node removed and one prophylactic, and developed lymphedema on both sides (arms and trunk), so I'm a firm believer in taking precautions against lymphedema after any breast cancer surgery. Being bilateral, that means blood draws and IVs in the foot, injections in the thigh or hip, and blood pressure taken on the thigh or lower leg. For blood tests, have your doctor write "Draw from foot only" on the lab order sheet. For IVs needed for tests, be sure to call ahead and request that someone be there who is capable of doing it. For IVs during surgery, request that the anesthisiologist do it -- they're good at it! For regular blood pressure checks on your leg, check with your local fire department as to whether the EMTs there can do it for you on a regular basis so you'll have a record -- blood pressure taken from the leg runs higher, so you will need to establish your own baseline in order to know if it's trending up or down. None of this is easy, but if it prevents or postpones lymphedema, it's well worth being proactive. Cassie