Hospital: PAM Health Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital of San Antonio
Diagnosis: Lymphedema
Sharon Rowe is a breast cancer survivor, having undergone a lumpectomy procedure and radiation to her left arm to treat her cancer in 2007. She did not start experiencing lymphedema symptoms tied to her cancer treatment until recent years. She has since been diagnosed with Stage II lymphedema.
Initially, Ms. Rowe noticed swelling in the right upper quadrant of her body, which she had somewhat managed with a compression arm sleeve. In 2020, she contracted COVID-19, and she started noticing swelling in her left foot following her illness. Additionally, Ms. Rowe sustained 2nd-degree burns on her right leg in July 2023, which exacerbated her lymphedema symptoms.
Ms. Rowe’s vascular doctor recommended PAM Health Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital of San Antonio for outpatient therapy to help her manage her lymphedema symptoms. While she was nervous at first, having had negative and frustrating experiences with other providers, Ms. Rowe said she would “not be where she is today without” PAM Health. During her two visits with our lymphedema therapist Shalene, Ms. Rowe learned manual lymphatic self-massage techniques, which she does daily, and has received specialized compression garments. Both of these healing modalities have been crucial to the lasting improvements Ms. Rowe has seen with her swelling. After her first lymphatic massage with Shalene, Ms. Rowe said her swelling was almost nonexistent. “Shalene just works magic!” Ms. Rowe said, adding that the massage was gentle, not like a deep tissue massage that can feel overly rigorous sometimes.
Some of the goals that Ms. Rowe accomplished during her stay are:
- Maintain independence and mobility
- Achieve lasting reduction in swelling
- Reduce infection risk
Thanks to the tools she received at PAM Health, Ms. Rowe feels equipped to manage her lymphedema symptoms on her own and knows she can always come back to us for future therapy. She enjoys being active now that she worries less about exacerbating her swelling by being on her feet.
We are honored to be part of Ms. Rowe’s journey and commend her strength and commitment to her health!
