almost halfway through

When I saw the doc this week he said I might need to stop swimming for awhile...... actually he said I would want to stop swimming for awhile. I had to press him to clarify, because I would keep swimming if I could, and pain would not stop me..... Aside from my knee jerk stubborn reaction (when they tell me "YOu won't be able to" I think "Oh yeah? Just watch me!") swimming's been real helpful for the post surgical troubles....... I've had just a slight bit of lymphadema (1 cm swelling in the top of my right arm, gone after PT) but I have roping under my arm -- like trolley lines! I think the swimming helps address it -- not to mention working out the biking kinks, helping my knee, and helping me sleep and relax......

ANyway when pressed the rad onc said that I might need to stop swimming for as much as a month, starting in a week. He said that I can swim if the skin is red, but if it breaks he wants me not to -- he's worried more about germs and infection than chlorine. (With all that chlorine, you'd think the germs wouldn't have a chance!) I am going to work on keeping my skin in good shape so I can swim -- or at least cut that month down to a week or two. And.... I hear tell there is something that can be put on the skin to protect it during swimming. If anyone knows what it is...... please share!