Can someone with asthma ever completely ditch the inhalers? I came across an interesting article in the Huffington Post Healthy Living Blog, about the possibility of getting off inhalers. The story outlines a patient who has symptoms of asthma, and went through the classic course: antibiotics, then inhalers, then medication for gastric reflux, all…
~Sigh. You just got a message that Mr. Jones is back in the hospital. Again. You just saw him last week! He looked fine…. no complaints. He hasn’t smoked now in 5 years. He tries to exercise, but gets tired quickly. You did a quick 02 test on him in the hallways, and he doesn’t…
Dear Doctor, ~Sigh…. You just got a message that Mr. Jones is back in the hospital. Again. You just saw him last week! He looked fine…. no complaints. Hasn’t smoked now in 5 years. He tries to exercise, but gets tired quickly. You did a quick 02 test on him in the hallways, and he…
Keeping the pace after Pulmonary Rehab Just graduated from Pulmonary Rehab? Congrats! Now you need to keep up all the gains you’ve earned. I’m sure your rehab therapist harped on you every possible moment- join a gym! Join a walking group! And for good reason. Before I go one character further I want to drive…
In my last post, I talked about things you can do to ensure that, when a position becomes available, you will at least be looked at seriously if not hired outright. In addition to being eager to learn just about anything, the second most important trait an RT student or new grad can have is:…
I see a lot of posts from students and new grad RT’s worried about getting a job. As an educator, part of my job was to orient new students and make sure they have what they need to be successful in the clinic setting. I know that life as a student can be busy, intimidating,…
Have you ever thought about what the next version of you would look like? Many of us just go along with the way we are, adding aging, food choices, and other unhealthy habits into the factors that make us what we are today. My yoga teacher does this one move– one I have been working…
I prefer my own writing to reposting other people’s content, but I simply had to include this 20 minute Ted talk by a fabulous woman named Robyn O’Brien. Her talk echoes what I have been saying to my patients over the years: There’s something inflammatory going on in our U.S. food supply, and if you…
My pager goes off again, calling me to ER to assess a patient who is short of breath. As I grab her chart to have a look before I go see her , Oh……. wait, this lady was just in last week. For the same thing. Turns out she has a doctor across town, but…
“Cigarettes cause Cancer”! -That’s what we heard growing up, as a reason not to start smoking. But I’m going to tell you a better reason in a minute. Smoking can also cause COPD, Emphysema, Bronchiectasis, all of which can lead to oxygen dependance. This in turn leads to more problems- social isolation, and eventually what…