Lymphoedema Awareness Day 2025

~ admin

In 2025 many people are suffering with lymphoedema and face many challenges in daily life and lack of hope. This short video highlights some of the global challenges that are delaying the development of effective lymphoedema care worldwide. Lymphoedema affects the poorest populations and even many high income countries do not have a centre of excellence available to them. The International Lymphoedema Framework is a registered charity working with its national partners to improve care as well as joining with other international societies that have a similar aim.

Lymphoedema Awareness Day 2025. © ILF 2025

Manhood

~ admin

It is no wonder that there is confusion over what men are – and as this post were posted elsewhere would likely to be taken down soon, take note. Coco shall not attribute the quote, for if he do then his behaviour shall not be any better than that which he is about to criticise. In a recent interview a businessman said that he thought companies needed more masculine energy. Whether they do, or they do not, is not the discussion for today. The interesting part of what was said is the definition of masculinity that followed. We have to be careful however as the business man was canny enough to place a glottal stop, a chasm, between the first statement and the definition, which he could also argue is not a definition. Indeed it is true, it was not framed as a definition, but rather as a pencil illustration, a cartoon if you like. His comments may then be charged with being non sequitur. So be it, you may make your own conclusion.

Continue reading →

α και ω

~ admin

Amethyst, beryl, candles and gold
These were the things that were found in the hold
Of the great ship that sailed on the wave
‘til that great day when it went to its grave

The fields adorned with lilies are fair
The hills crowned with fir provide a good lair
The kite and the eagle soar above
While the sheep in the valley speak of love

The shepherd watched o’er his flock at night
For the ghouls clothed in fur that give a fright
Ready with rod and staff in his hand
He watched and waited in that wearied land

Ships on the sea continued their trade
Men gave their houses another upgrade
The plans were laid in ink’s blue design
Yet none of them asked when they crossed the line

Amethyst, beryl, candles and gold
These are the things that the ground still does hold
But on it they build caring no more
For all the nations that had gone before

Alpha and beta come and they go
This is the way of it, all of us know
Will we be ready on the great day
Alpha and Omega returns to stay

Peppermint © Tahnee Denholm

Lipedema – the debate

~ admin

There is a debate in the world of Lipedema which Coco now spells not as Lipoedema in order to avoid the suggestion that oedema (water based fluid) is present in the dsytrophy which is called lipedema1. Coco has referenced the debate in other articles – here and here. The video referenced below produced by Colin Mockery (is that a pen name like Coco?) is quite long but an excellent literature review for anyone who has either the smallest interest in lipedema or who is looking for an example of how to review literature and present the results of such a review. The reader must understand that in saying this Coco is not condoning the conclusions of this particular review. Coco is merely saying it is a good example of a review. For an assessment of the conclusions of the review the reader must look elsewhere, in particular any reply that may have been prepared by any of those who were subjects of the review.

Continue reading →

This time of year

~ admin

It cannot have escaped your attention that that ‘It is the most wonderful time of the year’ is a message that you will have heard many times in recent, and perhaps not so recent, days. If Coco have understood that message it involves families and more specifically the love that there is within families despite the hurt that we can and do inflict upon each other from time to time: as it is said – love bears all things.

Continue reading →

Lipedema

~ admin ~ 1 Comment

Sometimes it is hard to obtain a list of the things that can go wrong after or during surgery, though best practice dictates that patients should be provided with full information in order that they may give informed consent to the intervention – it occurs to Coco that perhaps the insurance standard of the utmost good faith should be applied to the contract – but at the ITALF 2024 conference held in the auditorium at the Atheneum Pontificium Regina Apostolorum in Rome we were presented with such a list,

Continue reading →