Last week we left off talking about how it is so hard as a CLT or caregiver NOT to love our patients and have a deep connection with them. Emotional burdens, compassion fatigue, stress, and anxiety that comes from work is SO hard to separate from our personal life, and vice versa.

In part 2 you will finally hear my emotional breakdown that happened in the middle of a different (&sponsored) podcast interview a few weeks. It took me a few days to shake the feelings that 1: I just cried in an interview for a product that the company paid for a professional episode, 2: why did seeing that date cause such an immediate flow of emotions and tears, 3: why did I still feel like I needed to cry every time I thought it?

We don’t dive into each of those points in the podcast but I do know there are others who are out there feeling the same way. You might be a parent of a child with Lymphedema, a new CLT facing a situation no textbook ever prepared you for, a seasoned CLT who is self-taught to handle tough situations because you never had a mentor, or you might even be the spouse or friend of someone with Lymphedema and you too carry an emotional weight.

If you need to speak with a professional or attend virtual groupings on various topics BetterHelp is a great option. Schedule a time that works for you, select the therapist you meet with, and know that you are taking steps toward improving your mental and emotional health. Get 1 week free when you use this link to sign up for virtual therapy through BetterHelp.

I began creating content for Lymphedema Podcast in the summer of 2018. It started with a “business plan” outlining 52 episodes to cover for a one year podcast with weekly releases in 2019. I launched the first four episodes on January 7, 2019, and although content was not always released weekly I have not stopped to take a break since. At times I wore this as a badge of honor and others as a burden.

Today as I type these words, my heart is telling me to stop whining and to keep up the work because someone may need to next episode RIGHT NOW! While at the same time my heart is saying I need a moment to be with my family, work on projects that have been neglected, and to create BETTER content with a fresh set of eyes in a few months.

It is fitting that I felt the need to share my little break down with all of you, for a few reasons. 1: I would like you to know that I am a human with feelings, big feelings, and a heart that is often bigger than my brain. 2: Care takers need to take care of themselves. 3: You are not alone in your unique-to-you-struggle. We are all processing feelings, emotions, trauma, and grief in our own way.

Adie was so kind to agree to jump on a zoom call to chat with me about emotional wellness. Her years of experience outweigh mine and the depth of her wisdom is welcomed! Part 2 will be released next week as the final episode of the year. New content will resume in March of 2022 as Lymphedema Awareness Month launches. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in this journey to share information on Lymphedema with the world. This year, downloads have grown to over 50k worldwide, and the podcast is listened to in over 90 countries. Thanks again for joining me, I hope you’re ready to learn something new today.

This weeks episode bring my most frequent and fun guest back to the podcast, Caroline from Juzo! We are talking all things compression wraps. What features Juzo compression wraps offer, the benefits to wearing them day and night, and the indications for using them when looking at the big picture. Meaning, do you live alone, are wounds present, is mobility a concern…these are all covered in our conversation.

Please be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast. Leave a review so it helps others find the show! As always, I hope you’re ready to learn something new today.

The future is now, and the Dayspring active therapy treatment device is proof! Exercise, active movement, manual lymph drainage, and compression all play a vital role in complete decongestive therapy…but not often are they able to be combined or applied simultaneously. Until NOW! listen to this in depth conversation with the Andy Doraiswamy the Founder & President/CEO of Koya Medical and Julia Rodrick a Therapist Advisor to Koya Medical. With Andys’ background in med tech and Julias’ extensive knowledge of the lymphatic system/lymphedema, Dayspring therapy is truly a revolutionary treatment device.

Last week was a highlight of my career. In 2019, I presented at the NLN conference for the first time. It was both exhilarating and intimidating to present to a large audience. BUT THIS YEAR it was different. The groups were smaller, the schedule was similar to a marathon, and the audience was 100% my peers. That was much more intimidating and exhilarating.

This episode has a few highlights from the conference. It was overall a valuable educational experience with a rockstar lineup of expert faculty.

Dr. Jenna Wishnew

Introducing Lymphedema Podcasts resident wound expert, Dr. Jenna Wishnew! I am excited to have Dr. Wishnew with Lam Vascular as a podcast sponsor. She will feature quarterly episodes on wounds. If you have specific questions for Dr. Wishnew please email them to me at [email protected] or visit her website to make an appointment with her in the North Texas area.

Dr. Wishnew is a board certified general surgeon and she specializes in wound care/vascular care in Dallas Texas. Visit her website to learn more

Brylan’s Feat Foundation is proud to sponsor this weeks feature episode of Lymphedema Podcast! LymphaPress is a premier sponsor of Brylan’s Feat Foundation. I am in the same Lymphedema social media groups as you and I see many posts with questions about pumps. In this episode Eric Ansart, answers 5 questions I pulled straight from these groups. I hope you enjoy his interview and learn more about LymphaPress pumps.

To learn more about how to obtain a pump visit this website

To watch the Patient Roundtables Eric and I mention, visit this link

Deborah Peniuk, Lymphedema Thriver

The guest host for this week shares her story of breast cancer diagnosis and eventual Lymphedema diagnosis. Deborah’s story may sound similar to your personal journey, but what she did AFTER her diagnosis is what is helping so many today thrive and find community. Conversationly Thriving with Lymphedema was launched in early 2020 by Bisa and Deborah with the intention “to help every individual living with Lymphedema and/or any related conditions, access the tools, resources and information they need to manage their symptoms well and improve their overall quality of life.”

It didn’t take me long to realize that Dominiques’ story is about more than his process2progress initiative. This quote from our interview is still ringing in my mind “The first person I met with Lymphedema was my mom” give me chills every time! Many people go years alone on their lymphedema journey, and Dominique did too, but what is so amazing is how he was able to walk is mom through her diagnosis following breast cancer. He is a Juzo champion with a heart of gold and a powerful message. Listen to the full episode to learn more about this inspiring Lymphedema champion!

Gerry Makoid, CEO of AIROS Medical, joins me this week to talk about their pneumatic compression devices for patients with Lymphedema and Vascular conditions. Later this week, I will release an Unboxing video for you! This is my first time using this device, and it is obvious a few times (: As a CLT I am always looking at new products with patients in mind. How easy is it to actually use? What is the customer service like? How does the product feel when on? I answer all of those and more.

Be sure to like and subscribe to Lymphedema Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Check out my YouTube channel and IGTV for the unboxing video later this week!