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I worked in the public health sector for over 13 years, close to 10 of which was in an outpatients oedema clinic covering areas of Lymphoedema & vascular management. In 2021, I proudly joined the Upper Limbs & Things team in Mackay, Qld. In a way, I’m the “& Things” aspect of the team. We are all Occupational Therapists, however my focus is in Lymphoedema, Lipoedema, Scar, Burns & Venous management, whereas my colleagues’ caseloads are comprised of Hand Therapy patients (Upper Limbs).
I completed my advanced Lymphoedema training at Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital in 2019 and am an Accredited Therapist of the ALA, so I am certified, trained and experienced to treat any area of the body. I have some very exciting professional development goals for service delivery to the Mackay region in 2022 – I have been accepted to do my yoga teacher training & Yoga for Lymphoedema & Lipoedema management, which I will be able to deliver to the Mackay region by the end of 2022.
Our training/education covers Lipoedema, but clinically it is not as common as lymphoedema. I can clearly remember my first encounter with a patient who was living with Lipoedema, who had initially been incorrectly diagnosed with Lymphoedema. This occurred close to 7 years ago. This lady holds a very special place in my heart & my learning. There was so much about the way she presented, what she was telling us by way of her daily activities: what she ate, her level of activity & movement, even down to her past that didn’t “add up” to the Lymphoedema picture. Measuring her for compression garments was initially complex, as we had to adjust “typical” anatomical landmarks for a good fit for her. In order to do so we enlisted assistance from a clinical advisor. It was through this consultation process that our patient was diagnosed with Lipoedema rather than a purely Lymphoedema diagnosis. Working with this lady to understand what was occurring medically, it was evident that Lipoedema was primarily the condition that this lady had been living with for the majority of her life.
My caseload is beautifully varied. I see pre & post operative cancer patients (most commonly breast or melanoma), patients for scar management post surgery, traumatic injury, radiation therapy or burns, lymphoedema, Lipoedema, venous insufficiency and those with chronic venous ulcers.
A large component of my caseload is also comprised of patients who have established lymphoedema, in varying locations, so I deliver a variety of therapeutic options specific to their presentation which includes manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) massage, suitable compression options (be that garments, wraps, night garments, or all of the above), lymphatic taping, Sequential Intermittent Pump compression prescription, exercise & movement recommendation, skin care recommendations and bandaging schedules for volume reduction. Many of these management/treatment techniques overlap into the Lipoedema clinical sphere also.
I’m inspired by the creativity that can be achieved with compression therapy so I enjoy seeing people who come to me with “achy, swollen legs” or varicose veins, venous insufficiency or venous ulcers. Being able to make a difference with compression in these instances is so professionally and personally satisfying
More recently I’ve had patients referred to me with “lymphoedema” & or even present to me with self diagnosed “fat legs” which in fact have been Lipoedema presentations. These presentations have been of varying stages & have had varying goals for management: conservative, right through to wanting a surgical solution.
The take home message is it’s not a recipe – the condition presents differently for everyone and individually as each needs to be treated with unique care & attention to reach their therapeutic goals. This includes on-line or zoom consultations if required.
Upper Limbs and Things offer all areas of Complex Lymphatic Therapy treatment, including education, assessment, skin care management, development of unique patient directed management plans, compression management, appointments for Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Sequential pneumatic pump use and bandaging for volume reduction.
Self referrals or referrals from any medical professional to the service are accepted. Call (07) 49427576 or book online.
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