Three years ago, Natalie Eubanks’ foot pain became so bad that a six-hour work shift became almost unbearable.
Dr. Richard Aronoff, a podiatrist, referred Natalie to Jenna Migliore, an occupational therapist at the Northside Rehabilitation Gwinnett Outpatient Center.
Dr. Aronoff worked with Natalie on plantar fasciitis and recommended lymphedema treatment. It was just the latest step in a long journey for Natalie, a Stone Mountain resident.
“I actually had been asking many doctors since my early 20s about the swelling in my feet and ankles,” she said. “They just told me that I was overweight and that if I would just lose weight, it would go away.
“It had gotten to the point that it was very difficult for me to find shoes that were wide enough to fit my feet. I was having to purchase shoes that were too long in order to get the width I needed. My feet ached all the time.”
Natalie was embarrassed about the swelling and stopped wearing shorts or anything that revealed her ankles.
“So when Dr. Aronoff listened and suggested that I get treatment, honestly I was relieved! I couldn’t believe that it had taken 20 years to get a doctor to listen.”
Natalie now works with Catherine “Katie” Doss, a certified lymphedema therapist at the Gwinnett Outpatient Center. Doss has worked out a treatment plan that has made a difference in Natalie’s life.
“Katie has been so wonderful about working with me so that I can do my treatment and work at the same plan,” Natalie said. “I will also have custom compression garments — knee-highs and capri pants — that I will wear every day probably for the rest of my life.
“I am also working on getting a lymphedema pump to hopefully help with ongoing treatment and maintenance.”
Natalie said Doss has taught her a lot about how to work with her condition — the proper way to wrap herself, the right garments to wear and more. “I can already tell a difference in the way that I walk, the way my clothes fit and how long I can be on my feet,” Natalie said.
Natalie used the services of A Wellness Place at Northside Hospital Forsyth to get fitted for compression garments, and she said her family has helped her use them.
Natalie said the first round of therapy in 2022 — focused on her feet, ankles and calves — started her journey to the more detailed plan she follows now. She’s also gotten physical therapy on her foot, allowing her to stand longer and do more walking and exercise.
“This is something that will not go away,” Natalie said. “It is something that I will have to be on top of for the rest of my life. But I will say that over the last two years from where I started, I can work two or three days in a row now without fear that when I get up in the morning, my first steps will be painful.
“It is sometimes frustrating that I can’t wear off-the-shelf garments and getting garments that are the right measurements can be a challenge, but in the end the fight that I have to go through to get the right things has made my life so much easier.”
Learn more about rehabilitation services at Northside.
*The health story shared here is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Patients should consult with their own physician before making medical decisions.
