A month ago my coach asked me to come up to the gym to talk with a woman that she thought had Lymphedema. I thought I would share that experience here on the blog.
According to my coach, she met with her new client and noticed that she was initially struggling to walk the distance of the length of the gym. When she asked her what was wrong, the woman lifted the hems of her exercise pants and showed her legs. It was severe leg and foot swelling.
Now as I stated in previous blogs, my coach worked with me while I did Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT). I was in wraps for 6 weeks. Obviously she saw the transformation in my legs during that period up until the present. Little did I know that she was quietly observing.
I went to meet them there and sure enough, it looked like textbook bilateral lower extremity Lymphedema. She was wearing flip-flop sandals. I showed her my transformation pictures and gave her local contacts for treatment. We spoke at length about her struggle to find a doctor and the appropriate care without finding any answers. I assured her that help was less than 5 miles away. At the very least, it was an opportunity to get evaluated and diagnosed correctly after obtaining a referral.
After we finished talking she turns to me and says “I have been on this earth for 70 years and never met another person who had what I had and understood the pain I am in. God sent me an angel and finally answered my prayers of where to get help.” Then she hugged me very tightly.
Regardless of how alone you think you are, somebody somewhere is probably paying attention to how you are fighting your LE battle and learning from it like my coach did. In one glance, she understood what it might be and contacted me for information.
Just think, someone in your life might be able to help someone else too someday. Maybe the very person you least expect. Keep spreading Lymphedema awareness in your community.
–Veronica