November Is National COPD Awareness Month Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute tells us the disease kills more than 120,000 Americans each year–that’s one death every four minutes–and causes serious, long term disability. The number of people…
Internet Sources for Information about COPD For those of you who use a computer, RT magazine recently listed these internet sites as sources for people with chronic lung disease to learn about their disease. www.goldcopd.com (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) The GOLD guidelines outline the recommended diag- nosis, classification and treatments for…
Seasonal Thoughts Years ago, the late Jim Phillips was part of a group called the Wheezenpuffs, who wrote and performed songs and poems for people with COPD. During the holiday season, we like to look back and smile at his work, sent to us by Kathleen Sullivan of the ALA of San Diego,…
Respiratory News The American College of Chest Physicians recently held their annual meeting in San Diego. They have an excellent web site for COPD information in plain language at http://copd.acponline.org. Some of the studies that were presented at the convention include: A retrospective study showed anemia (low hemoglobin levels) is a significant comorbidity…
Product Corner Gerry Chagnon, Director of Pulmonary, Vascular & Diagnostics at Orange Park Medical Center in Florida, recently told us of a new system his hospital is using to diagnose lung cancer as quickly as possible. The technology, called the inReach™ System, by super Dimension, provides navigation and guidance to distant regions of…
Traveling Tales Jeri Free Styles on a Jet Ski Jeri Mondloch, wearing oxygen on her back and using OxyView™ glasses, was walking down the beach in Bermuda and found a handsome young man on a jet ski. She hopped on the back and hung on while going 30 miles per hour over the water.…
Sharing the Health Holly from Florida read that researchers at Harvard University’s School of Public Health have found that optimism cuts the chances of developing heart disease and lowers the rate of lung decline as we age. For a daily dose of optimism, join the Good News Network for positive news stories from…
Ask Mark Rosemarie wonders if you can give someone the flu after you receive your vaccination and asks if we should be wearing masks for protection. Mark answers, “You won’t ‘give someone’ the flu simply from getting the vaccine in the dead virus form! Only those who get the nose spray get a live…
Music Doth Soothe the Savage Beast! Really! Three years ago, Mary Jane Gormley, a lady with COPD, and Larry Vesely, a respiratory therapist, developed a program they call “Harmonicas for Health” for their Bloomington, Indiana hospital. They have now published their program, which they presented at an international conference of the Society for…
Calling Dr. Bauer I would like to thank all of our Pulmonary Paper readers for their support and kindness. I admire you each and every day of the year. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2010! Dr. Bauer Many of my patients with severe lung disease, especially COPD, are clearly aware that…