I hate to face the coming of summer every year! Everyone is out and about with cute little shorts, skirts and bathing suits on, and I feel totally self conscious because of how my legs and feet look! Everyone gets to wear cute summer sandals and flats, and I have to wear my sneakers all the time. Everyone is dressed for the hot weather, and I have to wear long pants and sneakers!! I've had to wear compression stockings for the last 20 years, and it doesn't seem to have helped one bit! Before I had my children, my legs and feet were smaller, but they were still the biggest thing on me and, now that I'm getting older (I'm 46), the swelling in my legs and feet NEVER seems to go down at all!
I have a wonderful boyfriend who does the best he can - he suggests maxi sundresses for the hot weather and has me try on men's sandals, which are more comfortable but not cute at all - but I still wish that I could just have ONE DAY where I could wear cute clothes that show my legs and cute shoes that fit me and not feel like a freak!!! Ever since I was diagnosed with lymph problems 20 years ago (and even before that), I've watched my diet and tried to take care of myself to no avail. My condition is familial (my mom has it too), and I don't think that there could have been any way for me to escape this happening to me. Now, I'm pre-hypothyroid and, on my dad's side of the family, there is a lot of diabetes, so I'm worried that that's where I'm headed. I had a bad leg infection about 5 years ago and I almost lost one of my legs, so I also worry that that might be in my future as well and it terrifies me.
I'm sorry for all this venting - I just needed to get this out there and see if anyone can relate!
Vent all you need. We're here to listen and understand what you are going through. There's nobody else quite like us, right?
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