Traveling Tales
SeaPuffers Visit Grand Canyon and More!
A group of oxygen users and their friends made it through the desert and over dirt roads to walk on the new Skywalk over the Grand Canyon. As they posed for a group picture with their portable oxygen concentrators and tanks, they noticed a man smiling who came 
over to say, “Way to go guys!” The man turned out to be a physician, a lung specialist, who was on vacation and wanted us to know we made him very proud!
It was not all play on this recent SeaPuffer trip. We were treated to a lecture on transtracheal oxygen by respiratory therapist extraordinaire, John Goodman, and Mark Mangus, himself was on hand to answer questions about living with chronic lung disease. Sean Gillespie from OxyView Glasses demonstrated how to hide your oxygen tubing from view and Lori Palermo brought her message of COPD awareness in honor of her father, Wayne A. Litzenberger. See sidebar below for more information.
Above: Hittin’ that Vegas Strip, B Right: Suzie Bulwan and family enjoy a photo op moment.
Learning about lung disease, while traveling with old and new friends, is an unbeatable combination. Respiratory Therapists will be helping travelers leaving from Fort Lauderdale, San Diego, Seattle and New Jersey in 2008. For information on upcoming SeaPuffers Cruises and Travel, call Pam at 1-877-473- 2726 or visit www.seapuffers.com.
Bob Zimmerman of Pitman, NJ, wants to advise those who will be renting a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) for travel use to try the unit a full day before leaving home in case something goes wrong and the unit needs to be exchanged. When driving, Bob brings a portable tank for emergency use. The new XPO2 POC from Invacare has been submitted to the FAA for approval for use on the airlines. For more information on oxygen use during airline travel, visit www.airlinecouncil.org or call the COPD information line at 1-866-316-2673.
Spread the Awareness of COPD!
Lori Palermo maintains a web site at www.loveyourlungs breatheforlife.com and has designed two lapel pins to raise public awareness of COPD. Each pin may be purchased for $3 which includes shipping and handling.
You can send for the pins by writing Lori at RR 1, Box 1220, Gouldsboro, PA 18424.