T-Rex Arms That Can’t Hold You
“T-Rex arms.” What the what?!!? When was anyone at my doctors’ offices going to tell me about this? Thank goodness for the “patron pink sister saints” of YouTube who informed me about T-Rex arms.
What on earth am I talking about?
Take both of your arms and place them by your sides. Now, bend your elbows until they’re parallel to the ground with your palms facing the ground. Clench your fists. Keep your elbows locked at your sides. Move your right fist toward the right side of your body keeping it parallel to the ground. Now return it back to your side. Repeat on the left side.
Now you, too, have T-Rex arms! And that’s about as far as you’re allowed to stretch them for about 4 to 6 weeks after a double mastectomy. Having T-Rex arms is a well-known reality for mastectomy patients, especially among those in the online support groups I have joined.
No, you can’t reach for that plate or coffee mug on the low shelf in the kitchen. No, you can’t lift anything over 5 pounds. Don’t fill up your water pitcher in the refrigerator; it might be too heavy when you attempt to pour a glass because you’re so thirsty from the antibiotics regimen post-op!
Shortly before my first surgery, I found out about “T-Rex arms.” I learned that I would just barely be able to reach far and high enough to brush my teeth but I would not be able to do my own hair, put on a shirt over my head or pull on a pair of yoga tights.
Wait, wait, wait a second. I can’t put on a pair of tights and pull them from my ankles up to my waist because I won’t be able to reach my arms that far?
Wait. I can’t reach my arms high enough to do my hair. My Don King-esque, Chia Pet-like curly hair out-to-there? So, breast cancer, you’d like these 4c curls to become a tangled heap. (Again? Like the time I breastfed my son for 15 months. I once went days without showering or detangling my hair. My husband had to cut a huge chunk of curls off for me because it was so knotted up. Nothing could be done to save the bird’s nest atop my noggin.)
No, breast cancer, no. Knot today. Not today. No. As if having body parts amputated weren’t enough. But then there’s the whole “thankful to be alive” part of this journey.
So what’s a curly-haired, Ch-ch-ch Chia-pet woman to do?
I sent a “bat signal” SOS to Edris Nicholls, my longtime hair goddess/guru/maven. She flat-out (pun intended) is the doyenne of blowouts.
I’ll just let these pictures of her amazingness and expertise speak for themselves! She’s an incredible human being whom I love and adore. I am so thankful for her time and her talent.
Video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/bCouEEQKA6pjTVQC8
Join me on Instagram (@janmariapercival) to continue the conversation.
