Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/70907
Leaving Lymphedema Behind Sometimes, Carol Ann Zaleski thinks about what her life might be like if her podiatrist hadn’t informed her that lymphedema therapy existed. The 68-year-old wife, mother, and grandmother from Monroe was diagnosed with lymphedema in her right leg at age 40. Lymphedema is an uncomfortable swelling that occurs when damaged lymph nodes cause lymphatic fluid to accumulate in tissues of the limbs. Wearing compression stockings kept the condition manageable for more than 25 years. In January 2011, however, Carol Ann developed pericarditis, a condition caused by inflammation surrounding the heart. She also developed lymphedema in her left leg during this time, and her hands became swollen. Soon after, her legs contained so much fluid that she could no longer wear compression stockings. Her mobility and energy were limited as a result of pain and the extra weight she carried in her legs. She couldn’t even get in and out of the community pool. Something had to change. A Life-Changing Referral Earlier this year, Elliott A. Lehrer, DPM, podiatrist on the medical staff at CentraState Medical Center, suggested Carol Ann try something no physician had previously mentioned to her: lymphedema therapy. Dr. Lehrer referred Carol Ann to CentraState’s Rehabilitation Services in Monroe (located at the Medical Office on Applegarth Road) for treatment. CentraState also offers treatment at the medical center in Freehold, but the Monroe office was more convenient for Carol Ann. Treatment was completed by Amanda LaRaus, PT, and Joan Golden, PTA, both certified lymphedema therapists. “We implemented a three-times-per-week complete decongestive therapy program, which involved manually draining lymphatic fluid from Mrs. Zaleski’s legs and wrapping them in custom-fit, multilayer bandages for 24-hour compression,” LaRaus says. “This course of treatment eventually allowed her to wear compression stockings again.” Carol Ann noticed what she calls “an unbelievable difference” in her energy and mobility after only a few therapy sessions. Recently, the team at the Lymphedema Center also began treating her swollen hands. “I can’t say enough about the rehabilitation staff at the Medical Office at Monroe—they’re just fantastic,” Carol Ann says. “When my husband and I took our grandsons to the beach last summer, I could barely walk on the sand because of lymphedema. This summer, we’re taking them to see the historic sites in Philadelphia, and I’m looking forward to it because I know I’ll be able to enjoy it.” To learn more about the Lymphedema Program on the hospital campus in Freehold, call (866) CENTRA7 (866-236-8727) or for Monroe, call (609) 662-5210. You can also visit www.centrastate.com/lymphedema. HD “An individual with lymphedema needs a minimum of 45 minutes of one-on-one treatment during as many as 30 therapy sessions. At the Lymphedema Center at CentraState Medical Center, it’s not unusual for therapists to spend one to two hours with patients. Our staff is devoted to helping these people reclaim their lives from painful, swollen limbs.”—Brian Mason, DPT, clinical director, Rehabilitation Services, CentraState