Dear editor,

Lymphedema and Lipedema are so important to me, for I am a catastrophic patient of it! I am praying for some help from our Congressmen, Republicans, and Senators to pass the bill we have formed in the LTA.

I have become a constituent for LTA so that I may be able to tell my story and help get this information out to doctors, nurses, families, friends and America period!

This disease is not a game, it is so serious. It may not kill like cancer but just as deserving to be studied like cancer. It does have it’s high rate for infection, bacteria, MRSA, cellulites, and connotations which is where the death stems from and over swelling.

Most places, if you don’t say you had or have cancer or they can’t find any cancer they won’t fool with you. This disease is gotten by many ways and through some other illnesses. This disease can be very painful, disfiguring, lots of pressure on the body, mind and soul. Tends to make one suicidal and keeps you in dark places of your life in dreary thoughts.

I’m told there are more than 10 million people suffering from this disease of some form and knowledge is not greatly known by many. And doctors are so disheartened about it. Many tend to give out wrong information, because they are to lazy to seek the truth or learn the truth. Just tell the patient they don’t know if they don’t! Nor know the freaking truth behind in what they see, “it’s fine.” And many try to talk down to the patient. Sad to hear, but I know from my own experience it happens.

But I speak up. Many women or men don’t speak up to the doctor. I’d rather be told the truth, they didn’t know and will check with their “counter parts” etc. in discussion to try and figure it out. One thing I have come full knowledge of, doctors ARE NOT God! Now many work through Him…hallelujah. Speaking truthfully is far better than giving false feedback.

We, The Lymphatics community need help badly. We need the bill passed. We need more doctors and nurses to get more serious.

Barbara Ajimasjasan-McCord

Piedmont, SC