In the US, Kathy Bates is a well-known and recognisable name. The actress, who has had success both on stage and in movies, made her name with the intense psychological thriller Misery, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. But away from the spotlight, the celebrity has a troubled medical past.
The actress, who has already taken home two Primetime Emmys and two Golden Globes, is most known for her appearances in the ninth season of Two and a Half Men and the NBC comedy Harry’s Law. Bates, on the other hand, had an ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2003.
She underwent a hysterectomy (the surgical removal of the womb) and nine rounds of chemotherapy as a result of her battle with the disease. Two years after she had recovered from the illness, Bates received a breast cancer diagnosis.
The actress made the decision to undergo a double mastectomy, which involved removing both breasts, due to a significant family history of breast cancer and the discovery that her mother and aunt also had the disease.
I exclaimed, “Make mine a double,” when the doctor told me I had a tumour in my left breast. Remove them both. She previously told Practical Pain Management, “I wasn’t taking any chances.
“Breast cancer is a river that flows through my family. It caused the deaths of my aunt, mother, and niece.
Despite having a BRCA breast cancer gene test that came back negative, the actress boldly underwent surgical surgery to lower her risk of recurrence. She handled her condition with grace.
The American Horror Story actress battled two different types of cancer and as a result lost her uterus and breasts, but her struggles weren’t done because she also acquired lymphedema.
Lymphedema is a condition that causes swelling in the hand and arm, primarily as a result of an overabundance of excess lymph fluid. According to SurvivorNet, this transparent liquid moves through the lymphatic system and supports the body’s fight against disease and infection.
On The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2019, Bates stated, “Then I had something called lymphedema.”
“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but lymph nodes are removed to treat cancer. When your lymphatic system is compromised, fluid commonly builds up in the limb that is affected.
Bates said that she was displeased to learn that she developed lymphedema while still recuperating from breast surgery.
She told SurvivorNet, “As soon as I woke up, I had a peculiar sensation, almost like a tingling, in my left arm.
“I lost my mind. I hurried out the door and out of the examination room. What am I doing exactly? I pondered, still sporting my drains, while I held a pillow close to my chest. In the middle of July, I’m outside. I don’t want to damage anyone, plus it’s hot and I’m still recovering.
Beyond belief, I was furious. I think it was the result of having fought cancer twice and realising that I would always have this disease.
“I experienced anger and depression. I believed that everything was finished and that my professional career was over.
The NHS advises that lymphoedema should be treated right away to stop it from getting worse.
According to estimates, 10 million Americans are impacted, which is more than ALS, MS, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, and AIDS combined.
Nobody knows about it, she said, and if we huge ladies visit the doctor with swollen legs, they advise us to “just go eat a salad.”
It advances, gets worse, and is terminal. There are 50,000 or so people who have had congenital infections their entire lives; they can put you in the hospital.
The NHS is still emphasising the fact that the primary symptoms of lymphoedema can be managed by using strategies that limit fluid accumulation.
