{"id":28280,"date":"2019-12-19T12:30:31","date_gmt":"2019-12-19T19:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=28280"},"modified":"2022-12-12T16:13:03","modified_gmt":"2022-12-12T23:13:03","slug":"lymphedema-after-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/lymphedema-after-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Flexing her power: How a Colorado woman is fighting lymphedema after cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><figure id=\"attachment_28287\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28287\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28287 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092705\/Angela-head-shot-tiny-e1578074227895.webp\" alt=\"Angela Marquez poses at her gym. She's an advocate who fights for awareness about lymphedema after cancer\" width=\"640\" height=\"470\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092705\/Angela-head-shot-tiny-e1578074227895.webp 640w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092705\/Angela-head-shot-tiny-e1578074227895-300x220.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092705\/Angela-head-shot-tiny-e1578074227895-150x110.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092705\/Angela-head-shot-tiny-e1578074227895-200x147.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28287\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">First, Angela Marquez survived cervical cancer. Then, 10 years later, she had to take on a new foe: lymphedema. Few people know that removal of lymph nodes during cancer treatments can later cause lymphedema. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Coping with cervical cancer was tough enough.<\/p>\n<p>Then, nearly 10 years after Angela Marquez finished her cancer treatments and was enjoying life, her left leg inexplicably began swelling and aching.<\/p>\n<p>She learned she had a chronic, incurable disease called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/diseases-conditions\/lymphedema\/\">lymphedema<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI survived cancer. I beat cancer. And now this,\u201d Angela said.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"I Did | UCHealth\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PdI5BXFsHdo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Lymphedema after cancer<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Her lymphedema is a direct result of the surgeries and radiation treatment she needed for cancer. Doctors had to remove lymph nodes to test for cancer cells and, years later, her body\u2019s lymphatic or drainage system stopped working properly.<\/p>\n<p>At first, Angela cried a lot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt hits you hard because it\u2019s a reminder of the cancer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Then, after grieving for a little while, the petite 57-year-old rose up, got mad and went public about a disease that is relatively common, but often hidden.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI did a ton of research, which led me to get fired up. I said, \u2018You know what. This is not going to define me. This is not going to keep me from living my life and I want to be an advocate for people who don\u2019t have a voice.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany people who have this disease don\u2019t even tell family members or friends because it can feel disfiguring,\u201d Angela said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28290\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28290\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28290 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092722\/Lifting-barbell-tiny-e1578074243553.webp\" alt=\"Fighting lymphedema after cancer. Angela lifts a barbell at her gym. Inspirational sayings appear on a wall behind her.\" width=\"640\" height=\"456\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092722\/Lifting-barbell-tiny-e1578074243553.webp 640w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092722\/Lifting-barbell-tiny-e1578074243553-300x213.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092722\/Lifting-barbell-tiny-e1578074243553-150x107.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092722\/Lifting-barbell-tiny-e1578074243553-200x142.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28290\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Angela Marquz is petite, but fierce. After getting lymphedema after cancer, she taps her power to stay healthy and to fight for awareness, research and a cure. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Still, about 10 million people in the U.S. suffer from lymphedema. That\u2019s more than those who have Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, ALS, Parkinson\u2019s and AIDS combined. But most people have never heard of lymphedema.<\/p>\n<p>Angela said both the disease and the limb that lymphedema affects can feel extremely heavy and swell. It is often misdiagnosed as fat or water weight.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28442\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28442\" style=\"width: 355px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28442 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121538\/tiny-Lymphedema2.webp\" alt=\"women running up stairs with leg wrap that helps her with her lymphedema after cancer\" width=\"355\" height=\"640\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121538\/tiny-Lymphedema2.webp 355w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121538\/tiny-Lymphedema2-166x300.webp 166w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121538\/tiny-Lymphedema2-83x150.webp 83w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121538\/tiny-Lymphedema2-200x361.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 355px) 100vw, 355px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28442\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of Angela Marquez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That\u2019s why Angela started sharing a lighter, more positive view of her disease on Instagram through her popular account: @funky_lymphedema.<\/p>\n<p>She shows off photos of her legs, on both good days and bad. She volunteers as the Colorado co-chair for the international non-profit, the <a href=\"https:\/\/lymphaticnetwork.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lymphatic Education and Research Network<\/a>. The organization \u2013 and leaders like Angela \u2013 fight lymphatic diseases and lymphedema through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/uchealth-looks-to-expand-treatment-understanding-of-lymphedema\/\">education, research and advocacy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Angela is 5\u20195,\u201d but her strength is larger than life: both physically and mentally. She can lift up to 205 pounds on hip thrusts. And she proudly flexes her bicep muscles, which she jokingly calls her \u201cSpanish Peanuts.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Inspiration from immigrant parents<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Angela draws her strength from her parents.<\/p>\n<p>Her dad, Alejandro, came to the U.S. from Mexico decades ago and worked tough, blue-collar jobs all his life for the railroad in Kansas. There, he had met his wife, Eva, who was born in Kansas, but also had family in Mexico.<\/p>\n<p>Together, they raised four children and taught them to work hard and never give up. Her dad was always a tower of strength.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven when he had colon cancer in his 80s, he would say, \u2018I\u2019m going to beat this,\u2019\u201d Angela said, beaming as she thought of her dad.<\/p>\n<p>He rebounded from\u00a0colon cancer, then got stomach cancer, and was doing well. At 90, he seemed liked he\u2019d live forever. On the day he died, he was supposed to be leaving hospice. All of his family had gathered to bring him home.<\/p>\n<p>Then unexpectedly, he spoke his last word and took his last breath. Just before peacefully passing away in 2012, Alejandro said his daughter\u2019s name: \u201cAngela.\u201d He pronounced it, as he always did, with a hushed \u201ch\u201d sound in the middle: \u201cAn-hela.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In that moment, Angela was her father\u2019s angel. Now, she\u2019s certain, as she copes with her health challenges, that her dad is her angel, watching over her and giving her boosts when she needs them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was this innately strong guy,\u201d Angela said. \u201cHe would have been proud of how I\u2019ve handled all of this and how I\u2019ve taken on the challenge of being a voice and an advocate to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"I Did - Director&#039;s Cut | UCHealth\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_ud9KmwXHNc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>\u2018Your mind is a powerful tool\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Angela was diagnosed with cervical cancer back in 2006. She was living in Missouri at the time and had to have a radical hysterectomy in early 2007, along with chemotherapy and radiation. Since there was danger of the cancer spreading, her surgeons also removed 36 lymph nodes for dissection. Little did she know years ago that patients who must have lymph nodes removed during surgeries for female cancers can later be at greater risk for getting lymphedema.<\/p>\n<p>Angela\u2019s cancer treatments were challenging. She had to do six weeks of chemo, then 35 rounds of external and internal radiation as an outpatient. Every weekday, she had to drive 45 minutes from her home to Springfield, where she was getting her care.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the hardships, Angela learned that she was resilient.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28291\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28291\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28291 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092727\/Lunges-tiny-e1578074265735.webp\" alt=\"Fighting lymphedema after cancer. Angela Marquez survived cancer, then got lymphedema. Here, she does lunges at her gym.\" width=\"640\" height=\"445\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092727\/Lunges-tiny-e1578074265735.webp 640w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092727\/Lunges-tiny-e1578074265735-300x209.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092727\/Lunges-tiny-e1578074265735-150x104.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092727\/Lunges-tiny-e1578074265735-200x139.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28291\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Angela Marquez has to wear compression garments on her left leg, but doesn&#8217;t let her lymphedema keep her from enjoying life. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cYour mind is a powerful tool,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>She simply chose to focus on the positive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t ever sit there and say, \u2018Why me?\u2019 I knew, \u2018I\u2019m going to survive. I\u2019m going to fight this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Angela is competitive by nature. And she simply viewed her cancer as a foe she planned to trounce.<\/p>\n<p>She\u2019s been a top sales representative for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.generalmills.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">General Mills<\/a> for 17 years and supports popular household brands like Cheerios, Yoplait and Betty Crocker.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28443\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28443\" style=\"width: 480px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28443 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121544\/tiny-Lymphedema3.webp\" alt=\"Angela with her husband in front of a hotel staircase.\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121544\/tiny-Lymphedema3.webp 480w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121544\/tiny-Lymphedema3-225x300.webp 225w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121544\/tiny-Lymphedema3-113x150.webp 113w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121544\/tiny-Lymphedema3-200x267.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28443\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of Angela Marquez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Her husband, Aaron Koenigseker, served in the military, so the couple moved together quite a bit.<\/p>\n<p>Later in 2007, following Angela\u2019s cancer treatments, Angela and Aaron moved to Colorado. She received follow-up cancer care from her UCHealth team and was thrilled when she made it to 5 years without a recurrence. She celebrated being cancer free in 2012, and assumed she could put health problems firmly in her past.<\/p>\n<p>Then, her ankle mysteriously started swelling in 2016.<\/p>\n<p>Lymphedema can be subtle at first and difficult to diagnose. Angela\u2019s primary care provider first wondered if she had a blood clot. He referred her to an interventional radiologist who found that Angela did not have a clot. But, she did have a rare condition called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3377287\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">May-Thurner syndrome<\/a>, which occurs when the right iliac artery compresses the left iliac vein, obstructing blood from draining the lower part of the body. This would require a stent placement.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, however, the swelling in Angela\u2019s ankle persisted and the fact that she had dealt with cervical cancer 10 years earlier proved to be an important clue that something else might be going on. The loss of lymph nodes and the radiation she had received years earlier like were causing her lymphedema.<\/p>\n<p>While there is no cure, Angela started receiving therapy that greatly helps reduces the swelling.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Intensive treatments \u2013 remarkable results<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Vicki Ralph is a UCHealth occupational therapist with a specialty in <a id=\"\" href=\"\/services\/rehabilitation\/occupational-therapy\/\">lymphedema therapy.<\/a>\u00a0She sees patients at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-university-of-colorado-hospital-uch\/\">UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a> on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-at-university-of-colorado-anschutz-medical-campus\/\">Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a> in Aurora. Ralph also teaches providers around the U.S and in Malaysia how to treat and support lymphedema patients.<\/p>\n<p>When Angela started seeing Ralph in 2017, her left leg was about 36% larger than her right leg.<\/p>\n<p>Ralph does intensive massages and wraps her patients\u2019 limbs to help reduce the swelling. \u00a0The procedure is known as complete decongestive therapy or CDT.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s intensive. Patients come in four to five times a week and I do a massage technique called manual lymph drainage. We push the fluid away from the swollen limb. Angela has swelling in the left leg. All the fluid has to go up.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7163\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7163\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7163\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/01\/28144452\/EXT_121516_Ralph-Bandage-Photoshop-1-e1578074288780.webp\" alt=\"Vicki Ralph is an occupational therapist who treats patients with lymphedema, swelling often caused by cancer treatments.\" width=\"400\" height=\"323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/01\/28144452\/EXT_121516_Ralph-Bandage-Photoshop-1-e1578074288780.webp 400w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/01\/28144452\/EXT_121516_Ralph-Bandage-Photoshop-1-e1578074288780-300x242.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/01\/28144452\/EXT_121516_Ralph-Bandage-Photoshop-1-e1578074288780-150x121.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/01\/28144452\/EXT_121516_Ralph-Bandage-Photoshop-1-e1578074288780-200x162.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7163\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vicki Ralph is an occupational therapist who specializes in treating lymphedema. She uses elastic bandages to wrap lymphedema patients&#8217; limbs to control their swelling. Photo by UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cFirst you work the shoulders, then the belly, then the upper leg, then the middle thigh, and lastly the foot,\u201d Ralph said.<\/p>\n<p>Angela also wears compression garments around the clock to further reduce her swelling. After intensive treatments and additional work at home, Angela\u2019s leg shrunk to 12% larger than her right leg.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s a very significant improvement,\u201d Ralph said.<\/p>\n<p>Initially, Angela came in for treatments three times a week. Later, she was able to decrease those visits to one a month.<\/p>\n<p>Angela is incredibly dedicated to taking care of herself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t ever want my leg to go back to the size it was,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to physical relief, Angela said Ralph gave her confidence and hope that she could take control of her lymphedema and keep her symptoms in check.<\/p>\n<p>Angela\u2019s dedication to caring for herself and doing intense weight lifting sessions and other workouts every day have made her a model patient, Ralph said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe\u2019s truly remarkable. I\u2019ve never had a patient grasp and embrace this treatment like Angela has. She followed it to a T. She didn\u2019t fight or reject it and every day, we would see improvement. We would take the bandages off and her leg was smaller each day,\u201d Ralph said.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>A little-known disease<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Considering how many people cope with lymphedema, Ralph said few people know about it, including medical providers.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28441\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28441\" style=\"width: 480px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-28441\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121531\/tiny-Lymphedema1.webp\" alt=\"Angela with her husband in front of a mural on a brick wall.\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121531\/tiny-Lymphedema1.webp 480w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121531\/tiny-Lymphedema1-225x300.webp 225w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121531\/tiny-Lymphedema1-113x150.webp 113w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/01121531\/tiny-Lymphedema1-200x267.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28441\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of Angela Marquez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cOn average, in medical school, students spend about 15 minutes on the lymphatic system. I teach a lymphedema course and ours is 135 hours long,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Ralph said a small percentage of people are born with problems in their lymphatic systems. But most, like Angela, get lymphedema after cancer, which makes it a doubly tough burden.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhether it\u2019s breast or ovarian or uterine or bladder cancer, most of my patients say, \u2018The cancer is gone. And now I\u2019m stuck with this disfigurement.\u2019 It\u2019s disappointing and many feel uncomfortable wearing compression garments,\u201d Ralph said.<\/p>\n<p>She says most suffer far too long without getting help. Her advice?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGet treatment fast and get in early. If you notice that you have abnormal swelling and one limb is different than the other, get in. The sooner you get the treatment, the better it will work,\u201d Ralph said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve had patients who have had lymphedema for 20 years without any treatment. The leg will just keep getting bigger and bigger. There\u2019s a huge psychosocial impact. You feel that people are looking at you. You can\u2019t wear normal, pretty shoos because one foot is bigger than the other. You don\u2019t feel comfortable on the beach. It really has quite an impact,\u201d Ralph said.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, Ralph said there\u2019s no cure in sight.<\/p>\n<p>But doctors and researchers are working on new treatments. Two years ago, Angela opted to undergo a procedure at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Known as a vascular lymph node transfer, the surgery is gaining interest and consistently being fine-tuned.<\/p>\n<p>Angela\u2019s doctor took healthy lymph nodes from a little-known organ surrounding the liver called the omentum. He then connected the healthy lymph nodes to blood vessels in Angela\u2019s left calf and upper thigh.<\/p>\n<p>While the surgery is not a cure, it can help with the treatment and management of lymphedema. Angela has less tingling and heaviness in her leg. She also regularly uses a compression pump that fits around her leg like a sleeve to move fluids out of her leg. After the lymph node transfer surgery, Angela found that she only needs the pump three or four times a week instead of every day. And, she can go a couple of hours without wearing her compression garments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost importantly, I feel good and continue to do all the things I love. That\u2019s a win,\u201d Angela said.<\/p>\n<p>She also participated in a <a href=\"https:\/\/clinicaltrials.gov\/ct2\/show\/NCT03248310\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">clinical trial that compared patients who have opted for the lymph node transfer surgery to those who have not<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Ralph said Angela\u2019s ability to stay positive and provide <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/managing-lymphedema\/\">hope for lymphedema patients<\/a> around Colorado, the U.S. and the world sets her apart.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe reaches out to people around the globe and has a great impact. She has grit and she brings a sense of humor. Even in the worst of times, when she\u2019s had terrible infections, she posts cartoons of fire on her legs. You have to have humor,\u201d said Ralph.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28288\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28288\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28288 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092710\/Arm-up-barbell-tiny-e1578074317135.webp\" alt=\"Lymphedema advocate Angela Marquez\" width=\"1000\" height=\"686\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092710\/Arm-up-barbell-tiny-e1578074317135.webp 1000w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092710\/Arm-up-barbell-tiny-e1578074317135-300x206.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092710\/Arm-up-barbell-tiny-e1578074317135-768x527.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092710\/Arm-up-barbell-tiny-e1578074317135-150x103.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092710\/Arm-up-barbell-tiny-e1578074317135-200x137.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28288\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Angela Marquez keeps herself strong physically and mentally through regular workouts and care to reduce swelling in her left leg tied to the removal of lymph nodes for cancer treatments years ago. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>\u2018I want a cure\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Along with spending time with her husband and friends, Angela loves her workout family. She trains with her friend, Carla Sanchez, at Carla\u2019s Lone Tree gym, Performance Ready Fitness Studio.<\/p>\n<p>Angela does strength-training classes several times a week and also works with Carla one on one.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe trains me just as hard as any of the other clients,\u201d Angela said.<\/p>\n<p>Adds Carla: \u201cShe\u2019s the strongest, most powerful woman.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Angela always has loved working out. She thinks her dedication to physical activity is more important now than ever.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to inspire people not to let lymphedema limit them. I\u2019m mindful of my leg, but I don\u2019t let it keep me from doing the things I love.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28289\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28289\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28289 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092716\/Flexing-with-her-trainer-tiny-e1578074334971.webp\" alt=\"Lymphedema advocate Angela Maruez poses with her trainer, Carla Sanchez. Both are flexing their muscles.\" width=\"640\" height=\"423\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092716\/Flexing-with-her-trainer-tiny-e1578074334971.webp 640w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092716\/Flexing-with-her-trainer-tiny-e1578074334971-300x198.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092716\/Flexing-with-her-trainer-tiny-e1578074334971-150x99.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/19092716\/Flexing-with-her-trainer-tiny-e1578074334971-200x132.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28289\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Angela Marquez, right, poses with her trainer, Carla Sanchez. Angela uses intense workouts to stay healthy and fight lymphedema. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On the wall of the studio, a message inspires all the clients: \u201cMirror, mirror on the wall, I\u2019ll always get up after I fall. And whether I run, walk or have to crawl, I\u2019ll set my goals and achieve them all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Along with enjoying life, working hard and staying fit, Angela has a crystal-clear goal related to lymphedema: \u201cI want a cure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She also wants to dramatically boost awareness about possible side effects from cancer treatments.<\/p>\n<p>Angela speaks as often as possible to motivate others. She was the patient speaker at the 2019 Lymphedema Awareness Days event in Colorado and her advocacy work also recently earned her the General Mills \u201cActs of Good\u201d award.<\/p>\n<p>\u201dI have always been impressed by\u00a0Angela,\u201d said Shannon Taylor, retail sales manager for General Mills. \u201cNot only is she a great employee. (We are lucky to have her work for us and not a competitor.) She also understands the value of giving back and being a leader to champion her cause.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Angela feels lucky that she was diagnosed and treated relatively quickly. She wants to be sure that medical providers and others at risk of lymphedema are much better educated about the disease so they can be proactive and get help fast.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPatients need to be aware that this is a potential risk from cancer surgery,\u201d Angela said. \u201cWe need research and we need advocacy. And that\u2019s why I\u2019ll continue speaking out. If my story can help one person, then I\u2019ve made a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Coping with cervical cancer was tough enough. Then, nearly 10 years after Angela Marquez finished her cancer treatments and was enjoying life, her left leg inexplicably began swelling and aching. She learned she had a chronic, incurable disease called lymphedema. \u201cI survived cancer. I beat cancer. And now this,\u201d Angela said. Lymphedema after cancer Her [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":28287,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[28,638,372,745],"class_list":["post-28280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-cancer-care-oncology","tag-lymphedema","tag-occupational-therapy","tag-rehabilitation-therapy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Lymphedema after cancer: A Colorado woman&#039;s fight - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Few people know that cancer treatments can later cause lymphedema. 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