Until my 15-year-old daughter had unexplained swelling and hardening of her ankle last year, I hadn’t thought of or studied lymphedema since medical school. As a pediatrician I had not observed a case in my 16 years of practice/residency. Lymphedema was, in my mind, almost exclusively a disease of adults and often a complication of […]

My story with Lymphedema began in 2006 with some slight swelling in my legs. By 2008 I could no longer wear normal clothing or shoes, could barely walk and suffered from constant intense constant pain. In August of 2009 I was hospitalized with pneumonia. One of the ER residents told me about Lymphedema and how it should […]

I was a healthy 50 year old when I was diagnosed with a sarcoma tumor in my right thigh three years ago. Before and after having my quad muscle removed along with the cancer, I underwent an arduous regimen of 37 powerful radiation treatments and 6 rounds of in-patient chemotherapy. I have had doctors tell […]

I celebrated three years of breast cancer survival last September. I had radiation treatment, which went well, but no one warned me that a side effect of radiation or chemo could be lymphedema. I’ve had three rounds of mastitis, each time worse and more resistant to antibiotics. Lots of pain and sleepless nights later, I […]

I became familiar with lymphedema initially in my career as an orthopedic physical therapist. For the past 5 years, I have practiced as a certified lymphedema therappist, exclusively treating lymphedema patients. I have been humbled by the daily perserverence that is required by these patients to keep their lymphedema under control, and frustrated by the […]

In December of 2011 I tore a muscle in my left calf, all I was doing was walking across the parking lot of my sons school picking him up and I heard a pop and then extreme pain. I had to hop on one leg back to my car and wave my son over. I […]

I wanted everyone to know the roadblocks Tricare is creating for our family. My husband served his country for 30 years in the NAVY, risking his life for freedom as a SEAL. The thanks he is getting today is roadblocks for our son’s healthcare for his congenital lymphedema. Does a 6-year-old boy want to wear […]

September is Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month. I didn’t know that until I was diagnosed with Uterine Cancer. I was diagnosed exactly 10 months after my younger cousins death of Uterine Cancer. I was lucky, I was diagnosed early and was given a good prognosis. SEPTEMBER was going to be the month I would remember and […]

I am 43 years old. About 6 years ago I was diagnosed with M.S. This was a very difficult thing to deal with, especially as I am a divorced mother of 2. As treatment for the M.S. I was having to give myself shots 3 times a week to help alleviate the flair ups. Well, […]