Trusting you all had a wonderful Christmas.                          Jan.1, 2013
I am wishing you a Healthy and Happy New Year.


Today is the first day of 2013 WOW where did the days go...I had a request to expound a little more in the Iron Infusion. All I can say is that when I had my first treatment due to anemia I had a reaction and did not know it, I told the nurse when I went back next week and she advised me then that I should have returned to the treatment area asap, well no one told me there may be a reaction ! I asked her what she would have done to help me, she said she would have given me Benadryl.

Thankfully this time I did not have any type of reaction but the Nurse did make me wait an additional half hour just to be safe and sure.

I had a Pulmonary Function Test done on December 27th. I will get those results on the 11th. of this month when I see my Pulmonologist, I found that test to be very taxing on my lungs well let's face it they are not getting better. Just have to make the best of what I am dealing with.

So, until next time my friends,

Remember,

Inhale~~~123

Exhale~~~1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Iron Infusion

Can you believe this I am posting again within only a few days ! I wanted to share the experience I had today with the Iron Infusion. I had to go to the Caner Center to have the procedure done. First they take blood then you go to the treatment room and sit till the nurses get your blood results. Then they take your vitals before the treatment begins which by the way takes about 30 min., everyone is different some can last for up to 2 hrs. Well, the nurse came to me, started the IV and came back in a half hour, checked my vitals again, reason being is that some folks can have a reaction to the Iron again after another 15 minutes the nurse checked my vitals and and one more time I was checked and was done for the treatment.

Now, one of the side effects is shortness of breath and of course I am a cancer 2yrs. surviver and currently having a really tough time with my COPD exacerbation's and SOB. I have one more treatment for next wk. once I get to the Cancer Center I will talk to the nurse about my reactions

I had to have the nurse put me in a wheel chair to take me to my car. Once I got home the burning in my chest was awful along with the SOB, so I did two Nebulizer Treatments and took another stomach pill for the burning in my chest and it worked ! Took a nap for about 45min. I feel better now.

As I said earlier everyone is different if you have any medical questions best to talk them over with your Dr. If you have any questions for me, I will be happy to reply.

Until we meet again my friends remember,

Breathe Easy,

Inhale ~~~123

Exhale~~~1234

Sandy

COPD EXACERBATION AGAIN

Hello to everyone !   Trust you all are doing well as can be expected. I have a lot of space to cover today let's start with the COPD Exacerbation's again of which I have had several attacks of which have landed me in the hospital several times this year. So now I am involved with Home Hospice Care which means a Hospice Nurse comes in to see me each week, does the usual vitals, listens to my lungs and makes recommendations to me if she hears something suspicious in my lungs, then calls the Dr. at the Hospice House who may call in a script for an antibiotic. What's good about that is it kept me out of the hospital since I got involved with Hospice in June of this year, prior to that I had been hospitalized each and every month prior to June of this year.  Now, the latest I had another sleep study done and WOW ! can't imagine how I went this long without a new Sleep Apnea machine the setting is on 10, prior to that it was on 6....what a difference it has made I tried the full face mask didn't work I felt like I was smothering so I continue to use my other one which is working out just fine.

I saw my Pulmonary Dr today and he advised me on what steps to take should I have another exacerbation, let's hope it doesn't happen it scared the heck out of me.

Slow and easy are the words I have to live by or not live ! Any exertion puts such labor on my breathing so I have to walk really slow and not do anything that would cause any kind of exertion.

Sometimes I think I would like to go back to N.H. because it is so hot and humid here  but then I think of the cold, ice and snow and say to myself...OK stay right here in Florida and deal with the weather...LOL

I trust and hope this post will enlighten some folks if not all. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. I will be happy to respond.

Until we meet again my friends,

Inhale~~~123

Exhale~~~1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Hospice Care is not what you think...

Good Evening to all !..I know it has been a very, very, long time since my last post. Reason being is that I have been so sick for the past year or so and had so many things going on, now I think I have a handle on it all... Where do i start hmmmmm, well as of my last post i was doing ok hanging in there if you will, take the good with the bad and hope for the best.

This year has not been a good year health3wise for me, From December of 2012 to current I have been in the hospital for an Upper Respiratory infections, bladder infections, stomach viruses..you name it i got it !

so now the plan of action to keep me out of the hospital is joining up with hospice care, it's not the typical hospice where we (i) thought was the end of life care cause i was so sick, what hospice care does is to keep you out of the hospital and try to  keep you at home and treat any health concerns, or  problems you may have, and if they cannot treat your health issues at home they will admit you to one of their facilities for further observation and medical treatment.they have drs. on staff and nurses as well, i, however am not in any hurry to try them out...

recently i was treated for an upper respiratory infection, i was put on a 7 day antibiotic treatment for the URI. The only problem i have had is that i have lost my appetite and weight...which i could afford to lose, the weight, that is lol ! it was a side effect from the antibiotics which is not uncommon.

I called hospice  and asked to speak to a nurse this was last Sunday and within an hour a nurse came to my house and brought me medicine to settle the nausea in my stomach and hopefully the little solids i ate today will stay down, so far so good ! I have been sleeping a lot which is part is due to copd exasperation's which have been a problem for me, and as the nurse explained it,look for the warning signs: low grade fever, increase use of rescue meds. change in color or thickness of sputum, fatigue that last more than a day new or increased swelling....that should be enuf for you to be aware of.

now that i can sit up and take nourishment,Gatorade and jello...lol

so until we meet again my Friends,

breathe easy,

inhale ~~~123

exhale~~~1234

sandy

Good Afternoon Everyone !
Wow ! what a year it has been for me with the ups and downs of this Lung Cancer stuff, being on prednisone so often has dropped my immune system into the bottom of the ocean..lol

I just got out of the hospital with double pneumonia, I went to the Dr cause I did not feel well he looked at me and said, you are going into the hospital You do not look good..no kidding.. so off to the hospital I go, got admitted and all settled in and then comes the nurse with all the good stuff to hang off the intravenous they pumped me with a very strong Antibiotic as well as more steroids 60mg every 6 hrs. yup I look like the moon with the nice round face gotta have a good laugh every once in a while. Then they woke me every other hr it seemed to give me more meds or breathing treatment (nebulizer) you can never rest in the hospital.

When I came home I had two prescriptions one for Prednisone to start 40mg, then ween off to none. The other was for an antibiotic can you believe with my health ins. it would have cost me $400.00 !!!!!! needles to say I called the Dr and he called in another prescription for me which by the way was free at our local Publix supermarket, I lucked out on that one.

When I go out now I make sure I wear a mask over my oxygen just in case someone sneezes or coughs and I always use the sanitary wipes they have for the shopping carts.

I am still pretty tired but this too shall pass with plenty of rest.

I guess that's all for now, any questions or commentss for me feel free to reply to this post.

Until we meet again my friends,

Inhale...123

Exhale....1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Radiation & Chemo Treatments Continue

Good Evening to everyone here "At Welcome To My Little Corner of The World"
Another day dawns and more treatments continue, as of today Thurs, 11-18- I have 17 more Radiation treatments and not quite sure of the amount left on the Chemo I should find that out when I see the Chemo Dr. on Tues. The chemo continues with a 6hr treatment to include Chemo for one hr, steroids for 20 min and another drug used to treat nausea. Now remember everyone is different and how they handle their treatments I have found out that receiving chemo for 5 days with Steroids is doing a job on my sleep pattern also in some cases it's called "Chemo Rage" and is not uncommon, so the next step get something to bring down the anxiety level..jeez always something to keep the ball rolling ! Soon the cure will be in sight.


I had to have a ct done this am then saw the Radiation Oncologist who suggested I get a chest x-ray cause my right lung (with the tumor) was congested well, thank God nothing showed I was allowed to go home, possible wheezing from the Pulmonary Fibrosis which we knew may happen.

So that's about all for today I will try to do better and keep you all posted.

Until we meet again my friends remember,

Inhale~~~123

Exhale ~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

More Tests

Good Morning to all here at "Welcome To My Little Corner Of The World" !

I know it's been a reallly long time since my last post, reason being is that I have been sick and in and out of the hospital, having tests after tests. First test a Bronchoscopy not a comforting test either altho, I was in la la land during the test however, the first part when they numb your nose and throat.made me gag a little yuk!
Anyway test was done and part of my lung was biopsied, results were inconclusive, so the Dr. could not make a positive diagnosis. More x rays to follow it's a wonder I don't light up at night from all of the radiation !

The next step a fine needle aspiration of my right lung and the Dr. went thru my right side to obtain the tissue needed for the lab. So now it's the waiting game again.

The following week I saw the Pulmo. Dr. for the results which came back positive for Large Cell Carcinoma. So now I need to see a Medical Oncologist for evaluation of the situation and then onto see a Cancer Specialist for treatment.

Here we are again faced with yet another challenge and by God I will take this challenge head on and keep you all apprised of the progress and treatments.

Now remember, everyone is different in their own ways with regards to their health, my situation is unique to me and may not be the same for anyone else.

Until we meet again my friends remember,

Inhale~~~123

Exhale~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Recliner/Back Pain

Good Day to all here at "Welcome To My Little Corner Of The World"

Trust everyone is well and breathing easy these days.

Do you remember my last post on COPD Exacerbation and my last words were, that I didn't end up in the hospital..hmmm well the following month I bought a new plushy recliner and after a few days my back was hurting so bad I thought it was the recliner ! being that I was sitting in a reclining position as opposed to a straight back chair.....I had an appointment with my Pulmo. Doc the following week and guess what...yupper Pneumonia again ! My back hurt so bad I couldn't even take a deep breath without excruciating pain !

That same day I was immediately admitted to the hospital IV antibiotic, steroids, fluids, morphine for the pain. I had a C/T done again with contrast I guess the contrast part of it shows more than just one without.

It picked up another "nodule" behind my rib cage we'll keep a watch on that one. "It could be worse" is my motto and keep a positive attitude.

I also had a biopsy done and the "outside of the nodule" is negative for any cancer cells..."Great"
Sometime with in the next 3 months I will have another C/T done and take it from there.

You may remember a while back I posted on knowing your meds while in the hospital..it happened again the night nurse was emphatic that I did not have any night time meds and I assured her she needed to go check my chart again and low and behold she came back and said "Oh" you do have evening meds give me a minute and I will get them for you.

Now, imagine someone else who is not as outspoken as I am and would have gone without the nighttime meds. It is so important to keep a list of your meds with you at all times and show it again and again if needed to the Nurses and or Dr's.

Lastly, the day of discharge my regular Pulmo. had someone cover his shift and this "Dr." prescribed a med./antibiotic for me to take while at home. I had someone go to the pharmacy for me to fill the script. the pharmacist said that this med. will interfere with my heart medicine !
Wow, I sure was glad the pharmacist was on top of things, the pharmacist called the Dr. and his reply was well she will have to wait to see her regular Pulmo. I will make sure in the future that I will not let that Dr. near me.
I told my Pulmo. Dr. of the situation, nothing more need be said on that the situation as it will be addressed.

I hope this post will be of good information and watch the warning signs altho everyone is different as I mentioned I thought my back pain was from the new chair.

I should have called the Pulmo. right away "live and learn" We all have different ways of handiling different situations my best advice don't wait, it's better to be safe than sorry and spend a week in the hospital.

Until we meet again my friends,
Remember,

Inhale~~~123
Exhale~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Acute Exacerbation with COPD

Greeting to all here at "Welcome To My Little Corner of The World" Where do the days go..Imagine yesterday was the first day of spring ! For some it is not so springy especially with the flooding and snow.

As usual I write my blog based on my own health sometimes it could be a while in between posts, that could be a good thing. Anyway last week I went to see my Pulmo for a check up he could hear wheezing and noticed shortness of breath..well after a few questions from him he determined it was an "Acute Exacerbation" with COPD. He put me on an Inhaler Xopenex HFA, Avelox 400 mg which is an antibiotic, continue with my regular inhalers and if necessary use the Nebulizer, and start of with 40mg of Prednisone and taper off till I am done with it. Also, continue with my o2 as prescribed 24/7.


Today I do feel better I am going to share some info I read on the Internet with regards to COPD Exacerbation I found it quite interesting.

In it's simplest terms, an exacerbation is a worsening of symptoms. In more in-depth terms, a COPD exacerbation can be defined as "an event in the natural course of the disease characterized by a change in the pt's baseline dyspnea,cough, and or sputum that is beyond normal day-to -day variations, is acute in onset and may warrant a change in medication in a patient with underlying COPD", according to the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)

The main sympton-of an acute exacerbation of COPD is increased breathlessness which is often accompanied by the following: increased cough and sputum production, wheezing,fever, chest tightness. Treatment is the same as I had listed above. I was lucky this time I did not end up in the hospital..it could happen. Let me know if you have any comments.

Until we meet again my friends,

Remember....

Inhale~~~123

Exhale~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Power Outage/Oxygen Concentrator

Good Afternoon to all my friends here at "Welcome To My Little Corner of The World "

I know it's been a month since my last post and I have a few interesting tid bits I have to share with you.

Living in Florida can be a challenge with the crazy weather we have been having, ie: freezing temps., heat and humidity, more rain and more rain but the sun will soon shine.


Anyway what I found out is this...when we had the cold snap and the temps dropped into the low 30 our power went out! Imagine that lol we had no phone, no cable, no heat. So I called the power company on my cell and told them we had no power and of course I need the power to run my O2 Concentrator this is what they said I should do in case of future outages

...They will send me a letter to bring to my Dr. to sign stating that I am on 02 24/7 and do need the power. Once the Dr. signs the form and sends it back to the power Co. they will flag my account to be one of the first to be repaired.

I also do have two back up tanks from my O2 supplier that I can use if necessary.

The reason for this post is that a lot of folks probably are not aware of this service, the same applies for the Telephone Company I would suggest you do this before there is an outage just in case you do not have a cell phone.

Hope this information is helpful to all...

Until we meet again my friends remember,

Inhale~~~123

Exhale ~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Thank You to all of you for your comments

"Welcome to My Little Corner of The World"
It has been a long road from 2009 to 2010 and optimistically 2010 will be a better year !
I wanted to take this time to "Thank" everyone who responded with kind words to my posts, it means and has meant a lot to me to know that you are reading and responding.

I have written personally from my heart and from my own experiences and some from other sources in hopes to help others understand this disease. Living with a lung disease can be devastating we all know that but we have to make the best of it and I hope by my posts I can help you do just that.

Let me share this with you, I have sleep apnea and my o2 is hooked up to the apnea machine well, this morning about 2am I woke with shortness of breath...what the heck it seems that the 02 somehow became detached from the apnea machine ! I took my levels using my pulse oximeter and sure enough they were at 84 Wow, so not to panic I put on my 02 nasal cannula, sat down and relaxed using plb Pursed Lip Breathing and after a few minutes my levels were up to 96 whew ! Panic is not the way stay~~ calm please stay calm even if you have to call 911 stay calm, getting anxious or scared will make it worse...remember breathe easy...~Inhale 123~ Exhale ~1234

Until we meet again my friends as stated above,
Inhale ~123
Exhale ~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Tylenol Recall & Year End 2009

Hello to everyone here at "Welcome To My Little Corner Of The World"

Here we are another year has just about ended and hopefully 2010 will be a healthy and happy new year for us all.

I know this time of the year can cause depression and sadness for some of us who have no family near by but we cope we have to especially with our lung disease we really can not afford to get down cause it will bring us down.As I have said before others out there are worse of than I am I keep that thought and it does help.

Because of the cold and flu and germs all around I changed my plans to visit family up North till the spring. Now here's an interesting tid bit...do you realize that Airplanes do NOT clean the cabins between flights ! All they do is empty the trash, now think about this...the germs all over the tray tables, the seat handles even the a/c and light fixture above you is not ever sanitized nor are the bathroom stall door handles...what I will do on my flight north is bring a box of hand wipes and wipe everything down. Now I received the following Health Alert from the FDA.
Until we meet again my friends remember,
Inhale ~123
Exhale ~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Happy New Year to everyone !

NewsEmergency.com FDA Posts Expanded Tylenol Recall - All
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McNeil Consumer Healthcare and FDA notified consumers that it is expanding a voluntary recall to include all available product lots of TYLENOL Arthritis Pain Caplet 100 count bottles, with the distinctive red EZ-OPEN CAP.
Consumers who purchased TYLENOL Arthritis Pain Caplet 100 count bottles with the distinctive red EZ-OPEN CAP from the lots (all) included in this recall should stop using the product and contact McNeil for instructions on a refund or replacement.
In November 2009, 5 lots of this product were recalled due to consumer reports of an unusual moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor that was associated with nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea. The odor is caused by the presence of a chemical 2,4,6-tribromoanisole, believed to be the breakdown of a chemical used to treat wooden pallets that transport and store packaging materials. The health effects of this compound have not been well studied, and to date all of the observed events reported to McNeil were temporary and non-serious.

Lung Disorders/Using Inhalers properly

Good Afternoon to everyone here at "Welcome To My Little Corner Of The World"



Hopefully everyone had a wonderful "Thanksgiving" I sure did ! Saturday Dec.12th. some of us will be celebrating "Hanukkah", and on Dec.25th some of us will be celebrating "Christmas" ! and then we have "Kwanzaa on Dec. 26th. "Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Everyone !



See below for great information I received today from "John Hopkins University" regards to using Inhalers properly.




(800) 829-0422http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/?ET=johnshopkins_blog:e34617:437099a:&st=email Johns Hopkins Health Bookstore Email this to a friend
COPD Patients: Take a Deep Breath
Proper technique is the key to benefiting from dry powder inhalers (DPIs) that treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. But data presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians suggest that many patients with COPD can't or don't know how to use their inhalers properly.
Compared with aerosol metered dose inhalers, DPIs are considered "user-friendly." They don't require coordination between breathing in and squeezing the inhaler to release medication, and DPIs rely on your breath rather than chemical propellants to get the COPD medicine into your lungs.
But using DPIs requires a measured, forceful inhalation to ensure that the powdered COPD medication gets from the inhaler to deep in your lungs. If you inhale too quickly, the powder ends up at the back of your throat; if you breathe too slowly or too gently, it doesn't go anywhere; and if you accidentally exhale, the powder might get blown away.
Aerosol metered dose inhalers, such as albuterol and ipratropium, give fast relief during acute respiratory attacks, but most DPIs are prescribed to control COPD symptoms. If you are not using your DPI properly, your COPD can progress, or you may frequently experience acute COPD episodes that require hospitalization.
Researchers from Offenburg Hospital in Germany reported that 32% of 224 patients made mistakes using their DPIs that prevented them from getting the right dose of medication. Errors were most common in patients who were over 60 and in people with severe lung obstruction.
Each of the various DPIs works differently. Diskus models contain several weeks' worth of individual doses. Other DPIs look more like traditional tube inhalers and might contain individual doses or need to be loaded with a medication capsule before each use.
If you're prescribed a DPI for your COPD, ask your doctor both to show you how to use it and then to watch as you use the DPI yourself. Bring your inhaler to each doctor's visit to double-check your technique. If you are having trouble, your doctor can prescribe a traditional metered dose inhaler. Combining this type of pressurized inhaler with a spacer -- a device that attaches to the inhaler and holds the medication for a few seconds before releasing it into your airways -- can reduce problems with hand-breath coordination.

Johns Hopkins Publications

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HINI Great Info

Good Afternoon to all my friends here at "Welcome To My Little Corner of The World"

I apologize for the delay in keeping you all in touch on what's been going on with me, especially since we moved from the "Smokey Apartment" we are now settled in with a lovely fresh apartment what a delight! Altho it was stressful we got thru it with determination and lots of friends to help move.

Because of the news about the H1N1 and Flu going on this time of year I have included the following article which is of great interest which was sent to me from a dear friend, Thanks Pat

Difference between Cold and Swine Flu Symptoms
Symptom
Cold
Swine Flu
Fever
Fever is rare with a cold.
Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.
Coughing
A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.
A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).
Aches
Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.
Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.
Stuffy Nose
Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.
Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.
Chills
Chills are uncommon with a cold.
60% of people who have the flu experience chills.
Tiredness
Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.
Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.
Sneezing
Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.
Sneezing is not common with the flu.
Sudden Symptoms
Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.
The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.
Headache
A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.
A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.
Sore Throat
Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.
Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.
Chest Discomfort
Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.
Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

Until we meet again my friends
Remember,

Inhale ~~~123
Exhale ~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,

Sandy

Stale Cigarette Smoke !

Good day to all my friends here at "Welcome To My Little Corner of The World".
I have had quite a busy month since my last blog. I used to live in Lehigh Acres and now currently live again in Fort Myers, Fl. the reason I moved from Leghigh is the drive to work was 45 minutes with the construction starting on the roads I was traveling it would have taken me much longer to commute. I now live 10 min. from my job. Now let me share this with all of you.

When we first interviewed for this apt. the agent showed us a model and then we took a "virtual tour" via the internet, based on what we saw we signed the lease and of course the necessary credit cks were done without a problem. A week later we moved in, I noticed some kind of "smell" I was assured it was the new carpet, padding and painting they had done. A week goes by the same stronger "smell" is still lingering, but now I know it is "Stale Cigarette Smoke" !

It was that from the start only masked by the new carpet and paint job!
Management had called a contracter in to treat the walls and ceilings with a chemical to eliminate the odor, that worked for about a week. I called the office again they had someone else come out with an "Ionizer Machine" which was left on for 6 hours, we had to leave here with our cats and returned 7 hours later. This machine was guaranteed to eliminate the smoke odor , guess what it did for another week and yes the odor is back ! not as bad though. Apparantly the person who lived here before us was a heavy smoker, there's a surprise !

Well now we will have to move again!!!!! Come Nov. 1st. another apt in another building will be available, we will do a walk thru before the folks move out, we are guaranteed that these folks are non smokers !

The agent that leased this apt to us never told us there were smokers on the side of us, upstairs and across the hall ! I had told her in front of her Manager had we known this we Never would have rented here.

Yes, she knew I have a lung disease and am on oxygen I think she was just intent on renting this place and didn't even think about anything else. From what I have learned she is knew to this property I am sure she has learned her lesson, as it is costing the company big bucks to treat this place.

The moral of this story is be realy sure if you are going to rent an apt, house, office that it is or has been smoke free !

Until we meet again my friends remember,

Inhale~~~123
Exhale~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Coumadin Do's & Dont's

Hello again it's me !...I thought of something very important with regards to "Coumadin" it is Very, Very Important to be careful of the foods you consume. Vitamin K absorbs a lot of the properties of Coumadin. therefore that would change the amount the Dr. will recommend you to take......sooooo be real careful of what you consume.

You may want to check out Google and search for Vitamin K and Coumadin I am sure you will find a wealth of information. Some examples I have are Margarine is M, Mayonnaise is on the H side. etc....Collard Greens in on teh high side for Vit. K. Any greens are challenging.

Hope this helps!

Remember, until we meet again my friends,
Inhale ~~~123
Exhale ~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Medications/ Hospitalizations

Greetings to All here at Welcome To My Little Corner Of The World " It's been a long haul but I got thru it...Positive Mental Attitude and Fortitude.

It started on June 8th. when I saw my Lung Dr. for a check up and she put me in the hospital due to Atrial Fibulations, swollen legs and severe congestion well I was admitted to the hosp. put on an IV drip/Antibiotics, also was getting shots of Lovenox in my stomach to lower my Coumadin level which was at 7 ! pretty dang high that was scary cause the concern was blood clots...always something OK another hurdle we climbed and got to the top once again !

I was discharged on June 12th with instructions to see my Pulmo. Dr. on the 17th. of June and of course I kept that appt. she started me on 15mg of prednisone for a week. ( I don't like that drug does strange things to my thought process).

I got a call from the Pulmo. Dr. to hold off on Coumadin levels toooo high again!
I saw my Primary Dr. on the 25th. she told me to taper off the prednisone do 10mg for one wk, then 5 mg for the next wk. then stop !...ok no problems there...lol

So now the Cardiologist has to be notified of the Atrial Fibulations cause they are pretty severe and he will also monitor the Coumadin levels once I start it again...geez...are ya following me so far ? So here I go another hospitalization this time to the Heart Hospital admitted on July 10th for three days so Dr. can monitor a new drug called "Tikosyn" making sure of no complications in hopes that this drug will slow and or completely stop the A/Fibs..so far so good.

I was going to the Coumadin clinic twice a wk. for levels...now my levels are at 2.1 which is very good I do not have to go back till next Thurs. and if the levels are down my next appt will be in a month !...

Now to keep things interesting I see the primary care Dr. cause I have some sort of eye infection...which is what she called "Cellulitis" and gave me a rx for an antibiotic and advised me to see my eye dr. and of course I did, he assured me that the infection will not interfere with my eyesight...good news !

August 12th. I have an appt with the Pulmo. Dr. then Cardiologist on the 13 th. and the coumadin levels done at the same time, then I am done with Drs. and hospitals for a while.

I know I mentioned in a prev. post about medications and you have to be your own advocate well let me tell you I had to battle with the nurses each day to get the correct meds, I even brought in my list of meds to give them when i was admitted and I was smart enough to keep a copy at the bedside to show the nurse what I should have then she called the Dr. and he agreed I know what I am talking about !

Don't give in folks speak up..I figure because I will be 63 next month they treated my like an elderly person.. barking up the wrong tree!

Hope I didn't rattle on to much also hope this helped.

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

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Good Day to all my friends here at Welcome To My Little Corner Of The World !

I was recently contacted by Kat Sanders who is working on her Pharmacist Technitian Certification she asked if I could help her out by posting the following. As you all know I usually post from my personal experiences in this case I made an exception. Another p0st will follow from me with regards to my recent hospitalization. Until we meet again my friends, remember
Inhale ~~~123

Exhale ~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

5 Ways to Improve Your Lung Health

If you’re a sportsperson, athlete, singer, swimmer or in any other field where you are mostly likely to run out of breath, you definitely need to work on improving your lung capacity. In short, you need to exercise and train your lungs just as you would any other part of your body that you want to improve. The best part of training your lungs is that it brings you a host of other benefits and improves other skills as well. So here goes, if you’re looking to improve the health of your lungs, here’s what you need to do:
· Practice underwater breathing: Even if you’re not a swimmer, you can improve the capacity of your lungs by testing your limits under the water. Increase your timings by a few seconds each day and see how your lungs progress. Make sure that you do have someone with you though to prevent anything untoward from happening.
· Get involved in intense cardio workouts: Cardio workouts like jogging, running, cycling, swimming, dancing, aerobics and others are bound to get your heart racing and have you panting for breath. Start out slowly and increase your pace and time as the days go by. The key to improving lung health and capacity is to train every day and increase your intensity every week. If you stick to the same routine day after day, your body becomes used to it and you are stuck on a plateau instead of climbing higher.
· Regulate your breathing: Take some time every day to meditate and regulate your breathing – taking long; deep breaths of clean, fresh air can be invigorating and refreshing to your lungs.
· Say no to tobacco and alcohol: If you want your lungs to be healthy and strong, you must definitely say no to cigarettes, alcohol and other illegal drugs. Smoking is hazardous to health and puts you at a high risk of cancer and other respiratory diseases. Even if you do not smoke, you need to ensure that you don’t hang around or live with people who do, because second-hand smoke can be just as dangerous as inhaling it yourself.
· Maintain an optimal weight and eat the right foods: You need to get your body fit and healthy if you want your lungs to function well. If you’re obese or overweight, you need to first work on bringing down your weight. Besides this, you need to eat foods that are rich in Vitamins C and E and in beta carotene, like fruits and vegetables.
By-line:
This article is written by Kat Sanders, who regularly blogs on the topic of pharmacist technician certification at her blog The Pharm Tech Blog. She welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: katsanders25@gmail.com.

Vitamin D and Asthma

Issue Date: May 31, 2009

Good Day to all my friends here at "Welcome To My Little Corner Of The World" I found this article today in USA Weekend and thought it was interesting.
Enjoy the day ~~~~

Until we meet again my friends...Remember,

Inhale ~~~123
Exhale ~~~~1234

Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Also: More HealthSmart
Asthma's possible link to vitamin D
Low levels of this nutrient may worsen asthma.
Every day, 40,000 Americans miss work or school and nearly 5,000 visit the ER because of asthma. About 20 million suffer from the disease, and its impact is huge, personally and economically. That's why researchers study asthma's various links, looking for any modifiable associations.
Researchers from Harvard, the Medical University of South Carolina and the Hospital Nacional de Ni–os in San José, Costa Rica, recently studied a link between asthma and vitamin D levels. They studied 616 asthmatic kids, ages 6 to 14, and found that low levels of vitamin D were associated with higher levels of IgE and eosinophils (both are markers of immune activity). Also, the children with higher vitamin D levels were less likely to have required treatment in the year before the evaluation. The data suggest a link between low levels of the vitamin and asthma, adding to the growing body of science showing that vitamin D may be important for more than just bone health.
Further research is needed, but in the meantime, you can increase your intake of vitamin D by getting exposure to sunlight, consuming fortified foods such as milk, and eating fatty fish and fish oils.
Tedd Mitchell, M.D., president and CEO of Dallas' Cooper Clinic, writes HealthSmart every week.

Another mile stone for us !

I just had to share this will everyone !...Until we meet again my friends remember,
Inhale ~~~123
Exhale ~~~~1234
Breathe Easy,
Sandy

Dear Sandra
On May 27, 2009, Florida's Governor signed into law the bill to increases the cigarette tax with a $1 per pack surcharge! Congratulations to all the tobacco control advocates who have work tirelessly over years to reduce tobacco use by our youth and adults!

American Lung Association in Florida
Final Legislative Report
May 28, 2009

The 2009 Session of the Florida Legislature concluded on Friday, May 7th, one week late. The Legislature adopted a $66.5 billion dollar budget and passed just 238 of the 2369 pieces of legislation filed. The Governor signed the budget on May 27th.

The 2009 Session was dominated by a leadership crisis and extreme fiscal stress. In late January Speaker of the House Ray Sansom resigned his post as Speaker amidst allegations that he illegally obtained state funding for a local college in his district and then benefited from that action by accepting a full-time job at the college. Sansom was indicted in April. Sansom was replaced as Speaker by Rep. Larry Cretul. Cretul was thrust into the job and had to lead a legislature that was delayed and distracted by the ethics scandal.

The nation’s fiscal meltdown was another dominant element of the Session. Conservative Republican legislative leaders confronted the largest revenue decrease since the early 1970s and are constitutionally mandated to pass a balanced state budget. In the last two years the legislature already trimmed more than $6 billion from Florida’s budget. Pledges of “no new taxes” and “living within our means” became harder and harder to maintain. State revenues are shrinking as the need for government services to the economically distressed, and newly-distressed, citizens increases. Even the infusion of Federal Economic Stimulus dollars totaling more than $4 billion to state government still left a projected shortfall of $3.5 billion. Moreover, the timing of the Federal Stimulus dollars flowing to Florida did not neatly coincide with the timing of the state’s appropriations process. Corporate taxes, elimination of business-friendly sales tax exemptions and increased “user” fees were all suggested as means to close Florida’s revenue front. Inserting these factors into the normal challenges facing a state of 18 million citizens and one of the largest economies in the world means that there was no “politics as usual” in the 2009 Session.

Tobacco Surcharge
Against all odds and powerful lobbying efforts by the tobacco industry, retailers and wholesalers, the Legislature increased the current cigarette excise tax with a $1.00 per pack surcharge and imposed a surcharge of 60% of the wholesale price on other tobacco products. The bill also provides regulations for internet and mail order sales that require a two carton minimum purchase and valid proof of age at the time of delivery. It also requires Indian reservations to collect the surcharge on sales to nontribal members. The surcharge is expected to generate close to $1 billion in revenue for the state, and will help fund Medicaid as well as other health care programs and services. The revenues from this surcharge proved to be the linchpin in budget negotiations. The Governor signed the bill into law on May 27th.

Biomedical Research Funding
Initial House and Senate health and human services proposed budgets included reductions in biomedical research funding from general revenue. However, revenues from the tobacco surcharge include a major policy shift in this area.

House and Senate budget negotiators agreed to increases in the biomedical research program. Five percent of the tobacco surcharge revenue, up to $50 million will be dedicated to the Jim and Esther King and Bankhead-Coley Biomedical Research Programs will each receiving approximately $25 million this year.

Comprehensive Tobacco Control Education and Use Prevention Program
The budget includes $63,841,232 for the tobacco control program and is allocated as follows:
Four Staff positions $ 300,583
State & Community Interventions 10,927,545
State & Community Interventions (AHEC) 6,000,000
Health Communications Interventions 20,613,744
Cessation Interventions 11,831,565
Cessation Interventions (AHEC) 4,000,000
Surveillance & Evaluation 5,376,317
Administration & Management 2,791,478

Also, the Legislature allowed $2,000,000 from unexpended funds for last year’s Fixed Capitol Outlay to be used to provide nicotine replacement therapy.



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