After the massage, the therapist will probably wrap your hand and arm in elastic ace-bandage-type wrappings. Sometimes, he or she may add compression padding, to force the fluid in certain directions. This is very bulky, and you’ll look like The Mummy; it also keeps your arm pretty stiff and straight, so don’t plan on playing tennis or going bowling! But don’t worry, this kind of wrapping doesn’t usually last for longer than a few days at a time.

Q. So, how long does this whole thing take?

A. Probably several weeks, at least. Plan on that, anyway; if it’s less, so much the better.

Oh, and one final piece of advice: start fighting with your insurance company right away. For the most part, insurance companies have been slow to recognize that lymphedema, though it’s treated through your hospital’s PT department, isn’t a simple sprained ankle or strained knee; it takes LOTS of therapy. If your insurance plan limits you to, say, $200/year of therapy, you’ll probably use that up on the first visit. In addition, insurance companies seem to hate paying for the elastic sleeve you may end up wearing, and it can cost $400 or more. Get your doctor to write a letter to the insurance company about what lymphedema is, and its consequences if not treated. Then follow it up with a letter yourself; hopefully you’ll find a sympathetic ear somewhere. Good luck!