Reflections on Surgery to Manage Lymphedema

Lindsey Sosovec joined the extended Juzo family as one of our Champions in 2019. Her first blog post inspired us all with her mantra to adapt and overcome. She’s kept us motivated over the years with her positive attitude, adventurous travel and uplifting spirit. She’s also been advocating for surgery to help manage her lymphedema. After 64 insurance appeals, she received approval. She’s undergone one of her planned surgeries and shares with us the emotional and physical aspects of the procedures and recovery.

Catch us up on how your health has changed since 2019.
Whoa—2019 seems like eons ago. I haven’t changed how I manage lymphedema, but my lymphedema has changed. My management has always been compression. I use a LymphaPress pump, and I do the best I can to observe what affects my body positively and negatively—and try to stay on that path.

My condition of having lymphedema hasn’t changed, but the condition of my leg with lymphedema did change drastically. It got bigger. It got smaller. (I named my leg Feta.) I broke my leg. It healed. I skied again. I couldn’t walk. I was swollen. I quit skiing. I quit driving. I started driving again. I went skiing again. It’s incredible, and it’s terrible—and this is real.

Why did you consider surgery?
When I was diagnosed with lymphedema in 2017, I immediately saw myself as a candidate. I researched what was happening. Dr. Granzow was shaking things up, changing lives. I made an appointment. I changed my location to live in Long Beach, California, which is closer to Torrance, where Dr. Granzow’s office is. Julie, his head therapist, became my therapist (many years later).

It took from 2017 to 2024 for the surgery to happen. I fought for it. I asked for help. I assumed my final appeal would be denied. My friend’s nephew drove me to FedEx to send an 86-page report to an outside agency to fight Blue Cross Blue Shield for the 64th time. It almost didn’t happen—but it did.

Why did you select Dr. Granzow?
As a researcher, a scientist, a student, a human—and an afraid person Googling lymphedema and seeing a leg that scared not only me but my family—Dr. Granzow seemed to be the most brilliant person I’d ever met. Or he had the most energetic connection I’ve ever felt via the internet. Or had the science my brain was looking for. Or maybe I just got lucky. I did my research. I felt it in my heart. I followed through, and I continued the journey.

Tell us about the surgery.
I assume surgery is different for everyone, because we all have different starting points. I was just so glad to be on the schedule. I was ready. I knew I could handle it—because I had fought for it for so many years.

My initial treatment plan was a lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA) on my left leg and a lymphatic liposuction (formerly “lymphosuction”) on my right leg. Then, a year or so later, an LVA on my right leg.

My procedures required three 12-hour days under anesthesia. Not sure about the exact hospital stay. The Friday before surgery was amazing: at Dr. Granzow’s office, we did mapping of my lymphatic and vascular systems. This was probably the coolest part of everything. Dr. Granzow and his team mapped out my veins, valves, lymph system—everything. They made these incredible markings to guide them during surgery and maximize precision.

I have photos of it. It looks like a mountain map. A navigational map—like getting through the Tetons, where I used to live. It’s insane.

The compression requirements after surgery have been incredibly difficult. Initially, no problem—I understand recovery. I wore two medical compression socks: a Class 3 and a Class 2 on my right leg. I wore compression on my left leg briefly. It’s been almost a year, and I still wear double compression.

I’ve always worn compression (love my colorful Juzo compression garments)—but this is different. My leg keeps getting smaller, so compression changes every six months. Wearing one on top of the other creates slip. Parts of my body break down—like the front of my ankle and the back of my knee—even though I pad them. I’m really doing everything I can. And it’s worth it. It took me a while to realize that. But it is so worth it—especially now as I move into my 10th month.

What was your recovery like after surgery?
My recovery plan was laid out clearly by Dr. Granzow and his team. I was in almost no pain—but my pain tolerance is unique to me. I had to move slowly and carefully—just like they told me. They sent me all the information I needed. I planned ahead. I stayed at an Airbnb in Florida, then came home to Raleigh and followed the plan. I knew exactly what week, what day, what meds. Dr. Granzow’s team is on it.

Emotionally after surgery—I felt everything. Grateful. Terrified. I had fought so hard for something—and now that it happened, I felt like I suddenly had to be something. I felt like I had to have purpose or potential. But in truth, I just needed to recover. To be patient. People might have expected action, but my action was: heal.

How are you feeling today, a year after your first procedure?
It’s almost embarrassing to admit that—because my compression hurt my skin—I didn’t feel successful yet. I felt like I was trading one problem for another. I couldn’t get through a day, or even a morning, or a drive, because of the skin breakdown from compression.

But I’m also very active. I went skiing in Utah. Jumped off cliffs. My job requires driving. I couldn’t even be a passenger for an hour. The first time I drove from NC to Dr. Granzow’s office in FL, I had to stop six times to walk around. Now? I can drive there alone. With no pain.

Surgery changed my life. I’m also afraid to say that—afraid to promise it to anyone. Even to myself. I think the biggest limitation—before all of this, even before lymphedema—was believing I was alone.

My body will always have limits. They’ll come and go. I can break a thumb. I can have lymphedema. I can have cancer. These are diagnoses—not limitations. And, I’m not alone.

What’s next for your treatment?

Well, insurance just denied my second surgery, so I’ll start the appeal process … again.

What advice do you have for someone considering surgery?
Knowledge is power—but get your knowledge from the right places. Take care of yourself. Be healthy, whatever healthy means for you. Know the risks. Never lie to doctors. Follow the guidelines—but do better than that.