Inspire Life Breathe Free Womens Luncheon 10/03

Good afternoon to everyone! No update to report on the current lung situation I am scheduled to have an Echo Cardiagram done this Tuesday 10/7 with an x-ray of my lungs with special views seems they are still looking at some sort of underlying tissue disease involving the heart and lungs.... time will tell.

I attended my 2nd. annual womens luncheon hosted by the American Lung Association of Florida

and by the way I was asked to speak on living with a lung disease. I shared my little tid bits that help living with COPD/Emphysema....drying with a terry cloth robe instead of using all our energy and breath by using a regular towel, eating slowly, pursed lip breathing, etc. I was very honored to have been invited and to have met some wonderful folks. A young lady spoke of her Mom's battle with Lung Cancer was an emotional story she told. I will add some photos for you to see.

Well today I took my car to the garage to have the battery replaced I was talking with the gal at the desk while paying for the work and a mechanic came in to reception area with a CIGARETTE I panicked...NO go back out I cant breathe that smoke! These are the little things in life that make our life so much more challenging other folks who dont have a lung disease have no clue !

Of course I did not have my mask with me didnt think I needed it I was only going a few miles from the house, next time I go out I will surely have it with me.

The work are of the garage is connected to the office area, it is a family owned business.

The photo I added is of myself, Len Jennings our local Channel 7 New Anchor and of course none other than Carrie D'Angelo, Development coordinator of the Amerian Lung Association of Florida. This gal is awesome in what she does for the ALA she too is living with a lung disease and her zest for life is truly amazing.

I wish you all a good breathing day ! Drop me a line ask me any questions you have, any comments. I promise I will answer.

Until we meet again my friends remember,

Inhale ~~~123

Exhale ~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

It's been a while since my last post

Hello to all my COPD friends and just friends. I know it's been a while since my last post so here is the scoop for the delay.
As you all know I have been battling this pneumonia thingy for a while well, now it seems that there is something more serious going on with in this complex body of mine.

I have been tested for an auto immune disease know as "Lupus" I had blod work done and the Dr. tells me my auto immune levels are elevated so yesterday I had more blood work done I think this test is to confirm the diagnosis and if so, so be it. Just another hill to climb in the up hill battle that has been laid before me and as with all prior battles this to shall pass and I will overcome ! To be continued.

Well, now the flu season is upon us I sure do plan on getting a flu shot and a pneumonia especaillay with all that is going on. Also, PLEASE, PLEASE be so certain to wash your hands as often as possible that is where the germs settle, then you touch your face, etc...yuk We should all consider the Flu and Pneumonia shots some of us can not get the flu and pneumonis shots some of us can....

I always carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer with me especially for when I walk into a supermarket and grab a grocery cart, the stores usually have a sanitizer near by, but in case they don't be sure to carry your own, oh, one more thing, I was at the grocery store the other day and attempted to use my debit card...and "WOW" the area was so dirty I told the clerk I need to clean off this screen before I can use it, so I took out my wipes and wiped down the screen and also the little black pen they have handy, it may sound really odd, but in my mind it is not we all have to be so careful of so many germs.

Until we meet again my friends remember, as a dear friend of mine told me she uses this technique all the time:

Inhale ~~~123
Exhale ~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

S. O. B.

Hello all my COPD friends!...well this post this evening is about Shortness of Breath! (S.O.B)

Living in Florida and all the humidity that comes with it does make some days more difficult to breathe...sooooooo I use (P.L.B.) Pursed Lip Breathing WOW is sure does make a difference, it gets rid of all that stale air stuck in our lungs ! For those of you who are not aware what PLB is....pretend you are blowing out candles on a cake...follow this: Inhale at the count of 123....then Exhale at the count of 1234! Go ahead give it a try you will feel better and notice the difference.

I sure have been using it..especially STILL dealing with this pneumonia thingy going on, and it does make a differnce.

Hope this little tid bit of information does help someone.

Until we meet again my friends remember,

Inhale~~123

Exhale~~~1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

The Switch Is On !

Hope everyone is doing fine on this second Saturday in August, can you believe it just a few months away for the Holidays to roll around again .

I picked up my prescriptions yesterday and on the bag was the following: If you have Asthma or COPD....THE SWITCH IS ON !
CFC albuterol inhalers: BANNED effective 12/31/08


I did some research and here is what I found, hope it helps to understand how we need to use the new inhalers.

What bothers me is that no mention from the Dr's. about the inhalers being discontinued, I was just at the Pulmonologist this week for a checkup on the pneumonia which by the way is still lingering, he told me it is like a big ship making a big turn around it will take a long time for me to heal...at least I am up and about as I always say, it could be worse.


Critical Facts Patients Need to Know
FAIRFAX, Va., May 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Millions of asthma
patients and their healthcare providers do not know that at the end of this
year, their life-saving medications will be gone. Today, FDA urged patients
still using chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) albuterol metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) to
switch to alternate hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) inhalers (albuterol and
levalbuterol) before CFCs are completely off the market. As of December 31,
2008, no CFC albuterol inhalers will be manufactured or sold in this country.
CFC is used to propel medication from asthma inhalers into patients'
airways. But it also depletes the earth's ozone layer, so it's being phased
out of medications like inhaled albuterol, one of the top 10 prescriptions
written in the United States. Patients with asthma, COPD and other
respiratory conditions use albuterol at the first sign of symptoms, before
exercise and when experiencing breathing exacerbation's. Alternate inhalers
using HFA as a propellant are replacing CFC albuterol.
"We applaud FDA's efforts to educate patients and medical professionals
about the new HFA inhalers," states Nancy Sander, president and founder of
Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA). "There are critical
differences between CFC and HFA inhalers that patients need to know in order
to use these medications properly."
-- HFA MDIs have a softer spray. Some patients comment that force of the
HFA propellant is not strong enough to "push open" their airways during
an attack. But it is the correct inhalation technique, not the force of
the propellant, that determines how well the medication works. Neither
type of inhaler can push or force airways open.
-- HFA MDIs have different cleaning requirements. HFA MDIs need to be
cleaned more frequently than CFC MDIs. HFAs tend to clog more quickly
than CFCs, preventing medication from reaching patients' airways.
-- HFA MDIs have different priming requirements. Priming (spraying
multiple doses into the air) loads the correct dose of medication
inside the inhaler. Each HFA inhaler has different priming
instructions, which can be quite different from CFC priming.
-- HFA MDIs offer more treatment options. In the past, all brand and
generic albuterol CFC MDIs were virtually identical. Now there are
three uniquely different formulations of albuterol HFA inhalers plus a
levalbuterol HFA inhaler -- each distinctly different from the others.
Some people may find that one HFA inhaler works better for them than
another.
-- HFA MDIs cost more than generic CFC albuterol MDIs. HFA MDIs are not
simply copies of CFC MDIs with new propellants. The inhaler transition
required a complete overhaul of the MDI manufacturing process. No
generic HFA MDIs are currently available. This translates to higher
out-of-pocket expenses for many patients, even those with prescription
drug coverage. Pharmaceutical companies are providing financial
assistance to patients in the form of rebates, discounts and coupons
and patient assistance programs.
"These are lifesaving medications," says Sander. "Patients and medical
professionals need to know that inhalers are changing and have the opportunity
to make the switch in a medically responsible way. Our advice to patients:
Get the facts. Know your options. Make informed choices."
Visit AANMA's MDI Transition Web page at
www.breatherville.org/MDITransition for more information.
Founded in 1985, Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics is the
leading national nonprofit family organization dedicated to eliminating
suffering and death due to asthma, allergies and related conditions. AANMA's
core areas of expertise are education, advocacy and outreach. Call
800.878.4403 or visit www.breatherville.org.
SOURCE Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics
Nancy Sander, +1-703-955-6807, or Sandra Fusco-Walker, +1-201-400-8163, both
for Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics

© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
addImpression("3098091_Share Links");

Until we meet again my friends remember,
Inhale ~~~123
Exhale ~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

GERD/COPD

Possible association between GERD and COPD?

Thought I would share this article, my Dr. tells me my recent case with Pleuritic Pneumonia had something to do with the acid coming up into my throat and overspilling into my lungs ! Not that I am saying this could happen to everyone, I am sharing my thoughts and experiences with all of you. It would be best to speak to your physician, remember we are all individuals and situations are all different. As far as the infection on my tongue it is still there and will be there for quite some time, so it's soups, pasta and mashed taters for me for a while.

Tuesday October 10, 2006
A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Florida, Jacksonville, purports that there is an association between acid reflux and a worsening of COPD. The study was small, involving 86 patients. The researchers reported that the 37 percent of patients reporting GERD symptoms were twice as likely to experience COPD exacerbation's, compared with those without GERD symptoms. This study appears in the October issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.
Other sources, including the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) state while the association between GERD and respiratory symptoms is well recognized in the setting of asthma, the association of GERD and COPD is even less clear. A review of the limited data on GERD and swallowing abnormalities in patients with COPD indicate that prevalence of GERD and esophageal disorders in patients with COPD is higher than in the normal population. However, its contribution to respiratory symptoms, bronchodilator use and pulmonary function in patients with COPD remains unknown.
A possible link between GERD and COPD may be proved or disproved through further study. If you suffer from GERD and COPD, and you have any concerns, you should contact your physician for more information.
Related Resource:
GERD and Asthma
Additional information from other About Health Guides:
COPD - From About's Guide to Lung Diseases
Asthma - From About's Guide to Asthma

Until we meet again my friends, Remember,

Inhale ~~~123
Exhale ~~~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Viral Infection of the tongue

Good Evening my friends, well it's been a while since my last post. I am still recovering from the "Pleuritic Pneumonia" today is day 12 of my Prednisone treatment. Before I was hospitalized with the pneumonia I had been complaining about my tongue hurting so much and blistering, I was put on a mouth rinse called "Ny Statin" in sort of helped some but did not clear up the suspected "Thrush". Due to the hospitalization everything else was on hold. I thought by now it would have cleared up it has not. I saw my Pulmonologist on July 2nd. he suggested I see an Ear,Nose & Throat Specialist" I called July 3rd.got an appt for today.



The Dr. looked at my tongue and could not believe how awful it looked ! He wanted to check my throat so he used a spray of lido cane thru my nose and down my throat (to numb it) after 5min. he came back and took this really skinny tubing and put it thru my nose and down my throat to see what was going on, well to my surprise he asked if I had "Acid Reflux" I said yes, but it is not a problem with the med. I am on.

After the exam he explained what was going on, he said well you have a really serious case of what we call "Glossitis" layman's terms A Viral Infection of your tongue ! Geez ! what to do now...well he prescribed a 10 day course of Diflucan, stay on a bland diet, no citruc, no acids, and also increased my acid reflux meds to twice daily. He said the acid was in my throat and was not helping my tongue, amazing isn't it.

Hopefully this med. will work altho he did say it will take a long time for it to heal completely. I have an appt. with the Dr. on the 28th of this month for a follow up.

That is about all for now...until we meet again my friends remember,



Inhale ~~~123

Exhale~~~~1234



Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Pleuritic Pneumonia

Good Evening my friends, well, here I am out of the hospital with an in hospital diagnosis of "Pleuritic Pneumonia" for those of you who do not know what that means is this....Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura characterized by difficult painful breathing and often accompanied by the exudation of liquid into the chest cavity. "Pleura" is the thin serous membrane that covers a lung and lines the chest cavity.
Now, after a week in the hospital..I am not refreshed! I was waken it seemed every other hour for blood work, o2 levels, breathing treatments, iv changes, etc...SO I am glad to be home to rest!. The only good thing about being in the hospital is that I was able to receive the antibiotics via inter venous as well as the steroids which did help a lot.
Now...before I was discharged on Sat. the nurse disconnected my o2 which by the way I was on all the time I was in the hospital. I had to do a walk down the hall way...(slow steps) so in my opinion it really did not make a difference. Since I have been home any effort to walk and talk is a chore, I see my pulmononologist next week and I am sure he will do a different test to measure my 02 levels. When I was admitted to the hospital my 02 level was at 88% upon discharge 92% today I bet it is at about 88/89 upon exertion. One more thing, while in the hospital the nurse came in and said here you go take these meds...hmmmmm wrong ones! Be so careful of the dosage and times of your meds !

So until me meet again my friends...
Remember,
Inhale, 123
Exhale, 1234
Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Colds/Infections/Meds.

Good Evening to all my friends, well here we are again into the "sick season" Germs, flu, etc...I myself have come down with a nasty cold and I mean nasty from my visit to Washington D.C.
Hopefully my message was heard and that my friends is worth the price of a dang cold. It has been a couple of weeks and the cold is not getting better , I had taken my on hand supply of antibiotics but that did not work for t his strain so I finally decided to call my Pulmo. Dr. and he immediately called in two scripts for me one for a 7 day supply of Azithromycin and (Antibiotic) and a "Dosepak" of MethyiPredniSolone tablets for 7 days....Time will tell in a positive manner.

Until we meet again my friends, remember
Inhale ~ 123
Exhale ~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sand

Sandy goes to Washington, D C

Good Evening my friends trust you all are well and breathing easy these days. Myself I got a little run down from the big Washington D.C. trip but let me tell you it sure was worth it. It was the first United For Lung Health Advocasy Day 2008. There were 18 various organizations that joined us as well as about 70 participants, patients, caregivers, etc. All the delegates for the states were teamed up and of course I was team Florida. My team consisted of Bob Campbell who is an Alpha 1 patient and John Walsh who is the President & CEO, co - founder Alpha 1 Foundation what an awesome team. Our goal was to meet with various Senators, Congressman/women, Representatives, to spread the message about funding needed for Lung health research, HR 552 Pulmanry and Cardiac Rehab. Act., HR 3904 Family Asthma Act, Environment/Radon increased funding for HR6 The Diesel Emission Reduction Act.

I was asked how COPD/Emphysema has changed my life, well we all know that answer except for the lay person. I heard someone say is Asthma catchy ! The first day I met with Congresswomen Illiana Ros Leichtin was an awesome lady, I know she will help us she was so concerned about learning what she could about emphysema etc., we then met with her staff member Jay O'Callaghan (hope I spelled this correctly) just let me know Jay..lol He to was very concerned and I told him how I live day to day, antibiotics in one hand and a rescue inhaler in the other because I never know when I may have to use on or the other, in fact today I started the antibiotics as I came down with a cold from mingling with so many different follks and being on the airplane and in the airports..

The following day we met with Senator Nelsons staff and then on to Senator Martinez's staff. I feel that we did make an impression.

I was so happy to speak on behalf of those of you who could not make the trip or did not know about the trip, in the future I will be sure to post about anything that you all might be interesed in participating in.

One other bill we did lobby for was HR1282 which expands open enrollment of Medigap to cover disabled Medicare Benificiaries.

That about wraps it up for tonite my friends, Rember till we meet again,

~Inhale 123

~Exhale 1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Washington DC/ C- Pap ID Tags

Hello my friends..I was doing some surfing about Sleep Apnea which you all know I have as well as many others and found a site that offers ID tags for our sleep apnea carry bag..which by the way is not considered a "carry on" as it is considered a Life Support System...day is not wasted I learned something..lol The tag is about 10/5 one side is bold lettered Medical Equipment Identification Tag and the other side: Medical Alert , Respiratory Equipment and gives you the option to note cpap/bipap/vpap/autopap and then list the owners name.

I was happy I found this site especially for my upcoming trip to Washing DC for the first Federal Advocacy Day for Lung Health

This weekend I will be getting everything together lots of info not to much clothing to pack only going to be a few days..but I know the anxiety and stress will be high..I will but my breathing techniques in high gear and think of all of you who could not make it and just hope I make a difference for all of us. Until we meet again my friends remember,

~~~Inhale 123

~~~Exhale 1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Satisfaction Guaranteed !

Good afternoon my friends hope all is well and it is a good breathing day ! The reason I am writing today is that I received a reply about the "Spiriva" capsules it is as follows:" What happens to the little particles when we puncture the capsule" hmmmm good question, I e/mailed spiriva and asked that same question....within minutes the phone rings..yup it was the folks from Boehringer Ingelheim replying to my query.

Here is their reply: Once the capsule is punctured the minuscule particles are usually caught in the "screen" of the Handihaler and if for some reason the screen does not catch them they are ingested..causing no harm as they are a hard gelatin and not plastic...I read the "Patent's Instructions for use" it does indicate that "Spiriva" is a light green, hard gelatin capsule.

I asked about the empty capsules she asked if I had them, I was glad I did keep them, I mentioned to the gal that I had contacted her company before and the reply was that they could not do anything about them..she said I apologize for that, do you have the capsules if you do I will send out an envelope to you to send them back to me. to be tested.now here is the best part I also saved the blister package which had the lot # on it....She asked what pharmacy I had the prescription at I told her, she said I will call them and call you right back, which she did within the next 5-7 days there will be a "Courtesy Replacement" for me...Wow!

I have to tell you, the gals I spoke with were very nice and understanding

I am glad I saved the empty capsules. If anyone has the same problem save the empty capsules, contact the Company...Oh one more thing always check the chamber to make sure nothing is blocking it..

I made a point also about the "Thrush" she appreciated me bringing that up and will look into it.. I hesitate to use it cause how bad my mouth gets, and if I don't use it I have a difficult time breathing !...I choose to live with the "Thrush"...The best thing to do is be sure to rinse your mouth it is soooo important. Also she asked how I use the "Spiriva" I told her I inhale the capsule, then exhale, without using the "inhaler "

I then inhale and exhale again..that is the proper way to use the "Inhaler"

So, until we meet again my friends remember;

~~~Inhale 123

~~~Exhale 1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

"Asthma Walk" April 26,2008

Good Afternoon to my friends ! More exciting news to share with all of you ! Today I participated in the annual "Blow the whistle on Asthma" walk held in Ft. Myers, Florida it was nice to see all those folks participating. Last year it was difficult for me to walk a mile but thru out the year I have been exercising (light) walking, stretching and using breathing techniques(PLB) it sure has made a difference, in fact I had put on my "Pedometer" it measures steps, calories and mile (s) walked low and behold I walked 2miles, yup 2 miles ! Exercises are so vital to all of us. The gentleman in the picture is Mr. Kurt Goerke, Regional Director

for the American Lung Association of Florida, Inc.

Next month I am going to Washington DC to participate in The first Federal Health Advocacy Day, meet with the senators from all over get to share our personal stories, hopefully t enlighten them on how important

it is to get funding for Lung Research for folks like you and I!

Until we meet again my friends remember,

~Inhale 123

~Exhale 1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Relay For Life

Hello my friends hope you all are breathing easy this evening, the temps here in florida are awesome upper 60's low 80's light humidity I would love these temps. all year long..lol I have been walking more each day , exercise is good for us with Lung Disease only to be done as tolerated and also check with your Dr. For the first time I participated in a "Relay for Life" this past weekend, let me tell you it was wonderful

The photo above shows a group of Cancer Survivors and their affiliation "New Voice Club" of Fort Myers all these folks has had their voice box removed due to cancer each and every one of them are an inspiration to all of us. The meaning of relay for life starts at dusk and ends at the next day's morning. The light and darkness of day and night parallel the physical effects, emotions and mental state of a cancer patient while undergoing treatment. Everyone thru out the nite walked the track for a half hour and each time handed off their baton to the next walker, I walked from 5:30 Sat. am till 6:00am what an honor for me. As a participant, you feel the brightness of the morning and know the end of Relay is close at hand. I sure was beat then then I think of what the patients are going thru and they know we are there beside them.

I am blessed each and every day to greet the morning sun !

Until we meet again my friends remember,

~inhale 123

~ Exhale 1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Wrong Dosage

Hello my friends, well here we are again with another dilemma! As you all know from my previous posts that I have been having problems with "Atrial Fibrillation's" and my Cardiologist suggested I try a drug called "Digoxin" to help control a normal heart rhythm..that was on or about 3/15/08, SO on 4/15/08 I go to the pharmacy to have the med. refilled guess what! the Pharmacist asked me how the med was working I told her really not well I still had atrial fibulations and was planning on going into the hospital for three days to monitor for a new med to see how I reacted ! Come to find out the pharmacy gave me the wrong med. dosage! Oh my God ! they gave me 0.125 mg instead of.25 mg...half the dosage! All the pharmacist could say was " I am sorry" well dang it , you are dealing with my heart here, if my heart does not work right neither will my lungs ! So, my friends be real careful when you get our meds, check out the prescription and count your pills, make sure what you are taking is what you should be taking, oh, one more thing when you go to your Dr. ask for a copy of the prescription so you will know what you should be taking for your own safety...I learnred the hard way! Needless to say I will be transferring my prescription to an other pharmacy.
Because of the mix up, when i picked up my script the pharmacy did not charge me and they gave me a $25.00 gift card for the store...do you think they are worried need not be they have lost my business s for sure.
Until we meet again my friends remember,

Breathe Easy,
Sandy
Inhale~~~123
Exhale ~~~~1234

Laughter Is The Best Medicine

Learning the History of April Fools Day In sixteenth-century France, the start of the new year was observed on April first. It was celebrated in much the same way as it is today with parties and dancing into the late hours of the night. Then in 1562, Pope Gregory introduced a new calendar for the Christian world, and the new year fell on January first. There were some people, however, who hadn't heard or didn't believe the change in the date, so they continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April first. Others played tricks on them and called them "April fools." They sent them on a "fool's errand" or tried to make them believe that something false was true. In France today, April first is called "Poisson d'Avril." French children fool their friends by taping a paper fish to their friends' backs. When the "young fool" discovers this trick, the prankster yells "Poisson d’Avril!" (April Fish!)
Today Americans play small tricks on friends and strangers alike on the first of April. One common trick on April Fool's Day, or All Fool's Day, is pointing down to a friend's shoe and saying, "Your shoelace is untied." Teachers in the nineteenth century used to say to pupils, "Look! A flock of geese!" and point up. School children might tell a classmate that school has been canceled. Whatever the trick, if the innocent victim falls for the joke the prankster yells, "April Fool! "
The "fools' errands" we play on people are practical jokes. Putting salt in the sugar bowl for the next person is not a nice trick to play on a stranger. College students set their clocks an hour behind, so their roommates show up to the wrong class - or not at all. Some practical jokes are kept up the whole day before the victim realizes what day it is. Most April Fool jokes are in good fun and not meant to harm anyone. The most clever April Fool joke is the one where everyone laughs, especially the person upon whom the joke is played.
"The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year." - American humorist Mark Twain

We all need some humor in our lives, especially those who are living with a chronic disease, they say humor is the best medicine !

Today was not a good day for me for some reason the osteoporosis in my back is in an awful "flair up" I am trying to move about, have taken Tylenol 1000 mg. twice today perhaps it would be better if I just lie down for a while. Anyway watch out for Tuesday,"April Fools Day!" Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Remember, till we meet again my friends,

~Inhale 123

~Exhale 1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Happy Easter

Happy Easter Everyone ! What a beautiful day it is here in sunny Florida, I know a lot of folks up North are having a bad time with the bad weather and flooding, let's hope they will be alright.
Well, to update everyone on what is going on, I saw my Cardiologist on 3/18 as I have been experiencing severe arrithimas, after talking with him it was agreed on to have me take digoxin which basically should slow down the heart rate. I have two weeks to see if it works if it does not, then I will have to be admitted to the hospital for 3 days so I can be monitored while taking a different medicine. My breathing has been labored due to the arrithimas and also spring time allergies..geez...altho, it could be worse.
Many Easter traditions originated long before the beginning of the Christian era. Like Christmas, which is related to pre-Christian winter festivals, Easter is connected in many ways with early pagan rituals that accompanied the arrival of spring. Easter is also associated with the Jewish festival of Passover. Holy Saturday Christian:On Holy Saturday, the body of Jesus rested in the tomb in which it had been sealed. Jesus had said that after three days he would be resurrected. Consequently, according to Saint Matthew, the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, ordered the posting of guards at the tomb to prevent Jesus’ followers from removing the body and claiming that he had arisen from the dead.Easter Sunday Early on Easter morning, several women who were among Jesus’ followers came to his tomb to anoint his body. They found that the great stone that sealed the entrance had been rolled away and that the tomb was empty. At that moment, according to Saint Luke, two angels appeared, saying “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!” This momentous event, which was taken as proof of Christ’s divinity and signaled his triumph over death, sin, and evil, is celebrated on Easter Sunday.Easter Eggs The Easter egg is associated with beliefs of particularly ancient origin. The egg was an important symbol in the mythologies of many early civilizations, including those of India and Egypt. It was commonly believed that the universe developed from a great egg and that the halves of its shell corresponded to Heaven and Earth. The egg was also connected with the springtime fertility rituals of many pre-Christian and Indo-European peoples, and both the Egyptians and the Persians made a practice of coloring eggs in the spring. In Christianity the egg is a symbol of resurrection, representing the emergence of Christ from his tomb to everlasting life.Over the centuries the symbolic associations of the egg have been more or less forgotten, and modern Easter eggs are valued primarily for their colorful appearance. Eggs of chocolate or other kinds of candy are also favorites of the season.Games involving Easter eggs have long been popular in many Christian countries. In France, Germany, and Austria, egg picking is a favorite game. It is played by two people, each of whom holds a hard-boiled egg in his hand. The players knock or roll their eggs together, and the one whose egg shows the fewest cracks may claim both eggs. A well-known Easter event in the United States is the annual egg rolling contest on the White House lawn.Have a great day everyone !Breathe Easy,Sandy

allergies " A Chooooo"

Hello to my friends...hope you are all well, tis the season for allergies..and dang it I have them ! sneezing, coughing, sniffles, watery eyes as well as half the population of the state of Florida ! lol So what do we do ?...hmmmm well, I researched a few items with regards to air purifiers and I found one.. A Sears Kenmore Hepa Air cleaner...oh my God what a difference it has made ! It has four operation channels, Turbo for the initial operation, then Hi for Maximum Operation, then Med for Daytime Operation and lastly Lo for Nightime operation... the filter system is awesome ! The Pre-Filter System should be changed every three month or sooner depending on the level of the room's air contaminenants and the frequency of use.

The HEPA filter is usually 1-3 years again, depending on the use of the filter.
I sure have noticed a difference since I have used the air cleaner, I changed the filter or cleaned the filter after one week and of my goodness! all the cat hair and particles it filtered amazed me! I sure do recommend that everyone get one of these machines it sure is worth the price to be able to sleep well at nite...

Until we meet again my friends, Remember,
Inhale~~~123
Exhale ~~~1234
Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Sleep Apnea Study Results

Good Afternoon everyone!...Hope you all are doing well...

I saw my Doctor this past week for the results of the "Sleep Apnea Study" they had tested me at a "10" pressure level, from what I have been told that is normal up to a "14". pressure and I can assure you this..I am in no hurry to reach that point..

Apparently during the night my heart was beating pretty irregular hmmmm...I know I have "Atrial Fibrillation's" and they sure have been getting worse for whatever reason, my Doctor had me wear a "Halter Monitor" for 24 hours I should have the results next week I will also make an appt. to see my Cardiologist hopefully next week. It sure is interesting how all of this works together, just like an engine, if you don't keep all the parts working up to where they should be...it wont run properly.

Another issue of concern is the "Thrush" again...gee ! I just assumed and probably should not have...we all know what that means..lol anyway..I blamed it on the "Spiriva" Pulmo. Dr. tells me that the "Asmanax" that I take at night is the culprit Wow ! not to say that the "Spriva" is blameless Now I have a choice, stop the "Asmanax" or the "Spiriva"....Yupper, I stopped the "Asmanax" I found by not using the "Spiriva" I had a rough time breathing and had to use the "Rescue" Before I saw the Pulmo. Dr. I went to the drug store to find something to ease the discomfort in my mouth...this is what I found "Prevention Mouth Rinse"...fights Thrush!...whooppppeee...I bought it and it worked! Dr. told me he would give me a script for something I assured him I was doing ok with the "Prevention Mouth Rinse"...

Each day is gift from God and I relish every one of them! No matter what the day brings, there is always someone else out there who is worse of than I am. Until we meet again my friends....Remember,

Inhale~~~123

Exhale ~~~1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Sleep Apnea Study

Good Evening to everyone! Hope you all enjoyed your weekend where ever you are.I had a nice weekend,went out to dinner at a very nice restaurant, wonderful food, great service and most of all I relaxed! Because I had been having trouble sleeping as I have OSA, Obsturcted Sleep Apnea and have not been tested since 2001 my Dr. thought it best to be retesed so.... This past Thursday evening I had another Sleep Appnea Study done at the Dr.'s Office, there was a nice big room, queen size bed, huge bathroom, nice big shower, awesome closet space, and television what more could one expect...lol I got all hooked up to all the wires and electordes, ekg wires etc, I looked like "Mork from Ork" some of use will remember that show ! lol...so not being in my own bed, I was a bit anxious about going to sleep took me a while and finally I dozed off...then the nurse comes in and wakes me to tell me my mask is leaking air...geeez, this is suppose to be a sleep study...she adjustms my mask and off to sleep I go, only to be awakened once again...lol some study huh..lol Anyway, she decided that I need a "Chin Strap" because I am not breathing correctly! See picture above, actually it did make a difference in how I slept the rest of the night. I cant say I awoke rested because I sure did not get a full nites sleep or rest...she had to do her job...and I am happy for that. I have to wait to hear from my Pulmonologist as to the results of the study,hopefully it went well...so until then my friends until we meet again...Remember...

Inhale~~~123
Exhale ~~~~1234
Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Prescription Safety

How is everyone today ? I am doing well up till the time I went to pick up my prescription at the pharmacy. I was waiting in line and watched the Pharmacist take the pills from the tray/counter put them into the palm of his hand~ then put them back onto the counter, dispensed them into the bottle, labeled them and gave them to the customer, obviously she did not see this . Once he rang her up, I asked me why he did that, he replied, I was in a hurry!!!...No excuse, I know I should not have done that but I did....I asked if he filled my prescripttion, cause if he did i did not want it, he assured me he had not ! What concerns me is that the Pharmacist never washed his hands at all !...We need to be so careful, I think hereafter I will go directly to the pharmacy and watch them as they refull my prescriptions....

Until we meet again my friends remember,

~~~Inhale 123
~~~Exhale 1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy