Manitoba is where my lymphedema journey began. A diagnosis of cervical cancer in early 2006 was followed by a radical hysterectomy and five weeks of daily radiation, all within six months of my first meeting with an oncologist. Life changed. Quickly. 

Yet in all the flurry of appointments, assessments, pamphlets and the inevitable Dr Google visits, I don’t remember seeing or hearing anything about lymphedema. So when my left ankle seemed swollen in the summer of 2009, I chalked it up to hot weather and the joys of being a red-head with limited tolerance for anything above room temperature. Long story short, a few months later my RMT suggested it might be lymphedema and referred me to another RMT who specialized in MLD and CDT. Once again, life changed. Quickly. 

I learned the hard (and expensive) way that a good compression garment fitter is a very different thing than a place that sells compression garments. I learned that the medical system knew very little about lymphedema and that a good therapist is worth their weight in gold. I learned, ironically, that resources were slim for a fat leg and that I was extremely lucky to have a job with medical benefits that covered compression garments and massage. I learned that managing this condition was a non-negotiable daily commitment of time and energy. And I learned the hard way that cellulitis is a mean and unforgiving beast when it comes waltzing into a lymphedema limb. 

Fast forward to the summer of 2022. My husband and I relocated to Vancouver Island from Winnipeg. A new chapter for us both. We’d left friends and family behind. And I’d left my lymphedema support network – an excellent therapist and a fabulous garment fitter. I knew those were holes that were going to be hard to fill. My research to find a new network began with the BCLA website, where I was very excited to see that there was a clinic at UBC/VGH that provided assessment and possibly even surgery. I was determined to make a connection with the clinic and find out more. 

On a grey morning in late October 2025, my husband and I took the ferry to Vancouver with nervous anticipation of my SAPL surgery scheduled for the following day. It had been almost a year since I had met with the surgeon who would do the procedure. I’d worked closely with my wonderful therapist, Carol Armstrong, to prepare as much as possible, bandaging overnight with a regular Class 3 thigh high compression garment, and Class 2 toe cap.  We planned to approach post-surgery using Dr Brorson’s protocols so I had, waiting at home, a new Class 3 compression garment informed by the measurements of my non-lymphedema leg along with enough new short-stretch bandages to ensure I wasn’t washing them daily. 

Recovery from surgery was not swift. They removed 3 litres from my leg, 2.6 of which was adipose. My leg had been bandaged in a way that any MLD therapist would roll their eyes – basic tensor bandages that provided minimal compression. The sensation on much of my leg that would continue for a number of weeks was akin to the feeling one has when local freezing / anesthetic has partially dissipated – thick and slightly numb. There was no question my nervous system was re-calibrating as random sharp pains surfaced throughout my leg, again for a number of weeks. The most disconcerting post-surgery symptom was the copious amount of fluid seeping from one of the canula incisions at my hip area. It was two weeks before the seepage abated. 

I began bandaging over the post-surgery bandages about 36 hours after surgery and maintained 24-hour bandaging until my first therapy appointment about 10 days post-surgery. I never thought I would be happy to hear someone say, “It’s wonderful – I can see wrinkles in your skin!” At the conclusion of that session, I donned my “new” stocking for the first time. And it fit! At that point my leg measurements were down significantly from pre-surgery – as much as 5.7 cm at mid-thigh (11% decrease) and 3.9 cm at the top of my Achilles (12% decrease). From this point on I have worn two compression garments on my leg – one flat knit Class 3 and one circular knit Class 3 – as well as a Class 2 toe cap and, if my leg garment isn’t a full panty garment, I wear a Class 2 flat knit bike short. I saw my therapist weekly for four weeks at that point and have continued with monthly visits since then. I bandage at night over top of an old Tribute night garment which provides texture to work on any remaining fibrosis. My last measurements show continued decrease: that mid-thigh is down 8 cm now (15%), the Achilles is down 4.6 cm (14%) and my ankle is down 4 cm (15%). 

I started back to yoga classes a month after surgery and now maintain a weekly routine of 3 yoga and 2 fitness classes, semi-regular pool visits, and daily walks with the dog. What can I do now that I couldn’t before surgery? My range of movement has increased, and I think my gait is evener. I am looking to find a physiotherapist to assess this and to ensure I am building strength and muscle in this new and improved leg.

Written by: Sharon Jones Ryan