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Aurora Medical Center

Lymphedema program a "lifesaver" for area patient

It had been many years since Helen Katzfey of Richfield was able to see her feet from a standing position. And if she could've, she would've seen them in shoes that were two sizes larger than she now wears. Helen, soon to be 84 years old, was suffering from the worst case of lymphedema that Aurora occupational therapist Amie Sutheimer had ever seen.

“Helen's legs were so big and swollen, she had to walk with them really, really far apart to be able to move,” says Amie, a specialist in the lymphedema therapy program at the Aurora Health Center in Hartford. “Her gait was more of a shuffle; she couldn't pick up her feet because they were so heavy.“

“I felt like I was dragging a tree,” says Helen. “I didn't know how much longer I could manage on my own. I was considering the possibility of a nursing home.”

What is lymphedema?

Lymphedema is the swelling of a body part, most often an arm or leg, resulting from the accumulation of fluid when lymph nodes and vessels are blocked, removed or damaged. The condition is triggered by the removal or radiation of lymph vessels or nodes and may occur following an injury, surgery or treatment for cancer. In Helen's case, Amie suspects that lymphedema was either the result of scar tissue from several abdominal surgeries in her past, or possibly a condition she was born with.

“I always had big legs,” notes Helen. “All the girls in my family did. But when my legs started getting really huge about 10 or 15 years ago, I thought it was because of arthritis,” she says. “My doctor at the time told me to elevate my legs and take water pills.”

This summer, a change in Helen's supplemental health insurance prompted her to change physicians. Her new doctor, Paul Bullis, MD, a family practitioner at the Aurora Health Center in Hartford, took one look at Helen's legs and knew there were resources within Aurora that could help Helen.

He referred her to Dr. Laith Alsayegh, a vascular specialist, to determine the source of her problem. Dr. Alsayegh confirmed that it was lymphedema and immediately referred her to the Aurora Rehabilitation Center's lymphedema program.

“When I first saw Helen, I was overwhelmed for her,” says Amie. “Both of her legs, from feet to mid-calf, were rock hard. Her skin was red, scaly and blistered. She had several wound issues... and she had been living like this for years. I knew we could help, but her condition was so advanced, I wasn't sure how far we could go.”

Amie and Michele Mandel, another occupational therapist, put their heads together to map out a plan with specialists at Aurora Medical Center's Wound Care Clinic. “Lymphedema is not curable, but it can be managed,” says Amie.

Patient goals far surpassed

“Helen's response to therapy was immediate and amazing,” says Amie. “Her initial goal was to lose one inch off each leg. She said if she could just do that, she'd be so happy.” Four weeks after starting the program, which included 90-minute therapy sessions three times a week and several visits to the Wound Care Clinic for treatment of the infected calluses on her feet, Amie measured Helen's legs to check her progress. In less than one month, Helen had lost over two feet around her legs! “

Helen decreased 53 centimeters – about 21 inches – on her right leg and 25 centimeters on her left leg,” says Amie. “She is walking much better and is far more comfortable in her home these days. Helen can now get up from a chair and roll out of bed with less difficulty. She can perform everyday chores like standing at her kitchen sink to wash dishes – something she wasn't able to do without pain before.”

“I wish I had known about this a long time ago,” says Helen. “To me, these girls and this program are lifesaving. I had pretty much given up hope; I didn't really want to live anymore,” she explains. “Now I feel I could go another 10 years, even longer... Actually, I feel like I'm 50 again,” she says with a hearty laugh. “You know, I may not have million dollar legs, but some days now, I feel like I do!”

At the Aurora Health Center in Hartford, a combination of several techniques is used by specially-trained therapists to get lymphedema under control. These include:

• Specialized massage, compression bandaging, wrapping and pumping to move excess fluid out of the swollen area
• Wearing a specially-fitted garment to help maintain the decrease in swelling
• Exercises to regain range of motion and strength and assist with normal flow of fluid
• Education to help patients self manage their condition and prevent future problems

For more information about Aurora Rehabilitation Center's lymphedema program, call the Aurora Health Center in Hartford at 262-670-4300 or the Aurora Health Center in Slinger at 262-644-2970.