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<\/p>\nhere\u2019s no one equally terrifying and hilarious as Kathy Bates, who clinched awards for her roles in comedies, dramas, and thrillers.<\/p>\n
Her ongoing role as a two-times survivor living with lymphedema \u2013 her toughest to date \u2013 may not deliver a Hollywood award but as an inspiration, she\u2019s earned global recognition.<\/p>\n
The 75-year-old actor, who after having her uterus, breasts, and lymph nodes removed was diagnosed with an incurable lymphatic disease, said she\u2019s \u201cblessed\u201d to use her \u201ccelebrity to do something that can maybe help people.\u201d Keep reading to learn about this incredible actor\u2019s health journey!<\/p>\n
Tennessee-born Kathy Bates is a stage and screen performer, best known for her award-winning appearances in Misery, Primary Colors, Clint Eastwood\u2019s Richard Jewell and American Horror Story: Coven.<\/p>\n
The actor, who\u2019s earned several nominations since she started her career in the early 1970s, is recognized for her terrifying, dramatic, and comedic roles.<\/p>\n
In 2003, only one year after shocking audiences when she appeared all nude in her starring role opposite Jack Nicholson in About Schmidt, Bates learned she had ovarian disease.<\/p>\n
Then, in 2012, she was diagnosed with breast disease, that resulted in a double mastectomy.<\/p>\n
Bates\u2019 bad luck with her health wasn\u2019t going to improve.<\/p>\n
\u2018I went berserk\u2019
\n\u201cThen I got something called lymphedema,\u201d she told Kelly Clarkson when she appeared on her show in 2019. \u201cI don\u2019t know if you\u2019ve heard of it, but for this disease, they remove lymph nodes. I don\u2019t care anywhere in your body. If your lymph system is damaged, oftentimes the fluid will back up in the affected limb.\u201d<\/p>\n
In treating diseases, lymph nodes are often removed because the invasive disease often travels through the lymphatic system. Once the nodes are gone, extra lymph fluid can build up in tissues and cause swelling, usually in the arm and hand.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Speaking with SurvivorNet, the Dolores Claiborne star shares the hardest part of her health journey wasn\u2019t cancer, but the lymphedema, a side effect of her surgery.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went berserk,\u201d she said. \u201cI left the examining room and ran out of the building. I still had my drains in, I was holding a pillow to my t*ts, and I thought, \u2018What am I doing? It\u2019s July, I\u2019m standing out here, it\u2019s hot, I\u2019m still healing, I don\u2019t want to hurt anything.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The Fried Green Tomatoes star added: \u201cI was bitter, I was depressed. I thought my career was over, I thought, \u2018There\u2019s no way, I\u2019m done, everything is done.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Though the condition is incurable and progressive, The National Health Service (NHS) reports that lymphedema\u2019s major symptoms are treatable by using measures that limit fluid accumulation.<\/p>\n
\u2018Light inside\u2019
\nBut then she found a lymphedema expert who helped her cope.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went to her, still angry, told her all of my tales. And she said, \u2018Well, that\u2019s all in the past, and now you\u2019re going to begin the rest of your life.\u2019\u201d Speaking of her doctor, Bates continued: \u201cSome people just have light inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to her treatments and compression sleeves to manage the pain and swelling in both of her arms, the Blind Side star also found healing in helping others.<\/p>\n
Now an advocate for lymphedema, Bates \u2013 acting as the national spokesperson for Lymphatic Education and Research Network (LE&RN) \u2013 uses her profile to bring awareness to the condition. \u201cIt\u2019s estimated that 10 million people in this country suffer with it,\u201d she told Clarkson. \u201cThat\u2019s more than ALS, muscular dystrophy, MS, Parkinson\u2019s and AIDS combined.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Bates also shared with Clarkson that it\u2019s crucial for patients to push for a concrete diagnosis if they\u2019re not feeling well. Mostly because lymphedema can go unnoticed by doctors. \u201cNobody knows about it and especially if we\u2019re big girls and we go to a doctor and say, \u2018I don\u2019t feel right, my legs are swelling\u2019 they say, \u2018Oh, just go have a salad,\u2019\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, the star of Are You There God? It\u2019s Me, Margaret found a support system to help her manage and she hasn\u2019t let her health slow her down.<\/p>\n
Bates, who most recently appeared in 2023\u2019s The Miracle Club, added: \u201cI didn\u2019t want to have cancer\u2026and I really don\u2019t want to have lymphedema\u2026I feel blessed [to have the condition] because if I didn\u2019t, I wouldn\u2019t be in a position to use my celebrity to do something that can maybe help people.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
here\u2019s no one equally terrifying and hilarious as Kathy Bates, who clinched awards for her roles in comedies, dramas, and thrillers. Her ongoing role as a two-times… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n