The ALA anticipated 2,400 Coloradans would climb the stairs at Republic Plaza and had hoped to raise $500,000 for their programs and services. Both individuals and teams took part in the event and all climbers pledged the minimum $65.00 to participate.

Climbers hit the stairs every 8 seconds and ascended 1,098 steps to reach the top of 56 floors. Once participants reached the top of the Republic, they took the elevator down to the lobby, where they were greeted with food, fun and interactive booths. Prizes were also awarded in a variety of categories, including fastest climbers, highest fundraisers, and best costume.
With team names such as “Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Lung” and “Love You Lung Time,” our own American Medical Sales and Repair team, lead by Nick Vannatta came in 86th overall for time. “After 5 minutes of climbing,” said Nick, “my lungs were burning and I really felt that I understood what our COPD patients must go through every day.”
The American Lung Association raised $369,073.00 from this event and reached almost 74% of its original goal.

Having tested the new Respironics POC ‘Simply go’(remember I live, at around 5500 ft altitude)…for hours while riding in a car as a passenger, to a Better breathers, to two funerals, … and a couple of times really slowly on the treadmill, (did I mention the cart is a dream come true),today I put it to a really long walk on the Treadmill, I walked 2.6 miles, tested it for 95 minutes- moving up to faster pace, while switching around using different pulse values and also with 3 different oxygen delivery systems…very interesting.

The TTO ( Transtracheal oxygen system direct into my neck) consistently oxygenated close to 1% above other oxygen delivery systems.
The Oxyview glasses slightly lower than TTO, +/- 1%, then with the Salter (regular) cannula sats were trailing behind a full one to two percent lower than TTO… you might say they work: >good-cannula >better-Oxyview >best -TTO.

I am so glad I have a TTO since that helps me use POC’s [or any system for that matter],more efficiently thus all will last longer for me.

As you can see, I test my oxygenation using two Nonin Onyx II oximeters (I have /use others- but they are always + or – one higher or lower (as is even the patient model Nonin Go2) so I stick with the professional model. Terry should like the shirt I wore for the second testing. (see blog below).

My walking speed the other test days was at 1 mph – boosted up to 1.5 and then 2 MPH today. Testing the Simply Go while using the pulse flow mode beginning with the highest #6 ,and then trying it lower at # 5.5, 5, 4.5 pulse settings.

Finally the lowest *I* could go and have adequate sats, was on #4 pulse – at which time -when I tried going faster at 2 mph then the MX alarm sounded with the cannula and glasses… causing erratic oximeter readings up and down, fluctuating…so I stopped, retried same thing with the TTO and then it didn’t MX out until after a full five minutes of walking… it kept me at 93-94% until the MX signal. the HR a nice 111.

While sitting it holds my O2 sats nicely around 93% even as low as #1.5 pulse.

Deduction – for ‘my’ slow walk needs, use #4.5 pulse when not ‘plugged in’- or – walk a little slower to save battery when out and about, but of course with the tread mill and plugged into an outlet – I can use as high a pulse as desired.

For someone not having the 53% diffusion problem I have, this would be one heck of a sweet machine-and at sea level it would probably be great for me too… as it is, it does work for me enough to be very helpful at times- and I am using it as a ‘back up’ of oxygen when I do my all day trips, it eliminates having to fill so many liquid portables.

Of course there is nothing like liquid oxygen if I want to walk 4 mph- then I require 16 liters.

It will be a while before I can chart all this … I post about my testing as I go along on several on-line support groups… folks are very interested…then I post on the blog leading up interest in the charts later… these blog pages have some pictures of the machine, and my testing – also the last one shows the COPD+ team on Feb 28th.

Hi, Jim!

I guess the obvious question for me to ask is Have you talked to your doctor about this yet?

If your symptoms are getting worse, maybe your doctor needs to reevaluate the medications that you’re on. Are you taking any corticosteroids, like Advair or Flovent, on a daily basis? Medications like those need to be taken every day in order to be effective.

Also, have you considered going to a Pulmonary Rehab program? If not, that might a good thing to talk to your doctor about also…it’s basically supervised exercise, on oxygen, with a Respiratory Therapist.

And if you’re a smoker, STOP! You’d be surprised how many COPD patients still smoke!
There are little things, like the above, that can help with your symptoms. Only your doctor knows the extent of your COPD, so I would definitely recommend going to see him/her to discuss your concerns.

Sincerely,
Lori Peters, RRT
Registered Respiratory Therapist | American Medical Sales & Repair

I tested out the first Inogen One, a few years ago, and I wasn’t too impressed with it, but this one is- WOW! Outstanding!

They really refined and improved every single aspect of the machines design/shape/oxygen delivery, carry bag, cart, and even designed a superb backpack carrier for those who have kept exercising with small weights and can carry 12-14 lbs.

Centered on ones back makes for an easier carry than on one shoulder – in my opinion. ALL of the many changes made for a top of the line quality and design product. AND, MOST important, it seems to do much better than the first one, at keeping me oxygenated even here above a mile high.

I was very impressed. It is an easy lift to move room to room with the new and improved soft handle. For a longer walk or for travel, I would want a cart, and theirs is absolutely the best cart I have ever tested! – Better than any other – everything being equal – it would sell me.

It has the absolutely necessary larger wheels, does not shake or make a noisy jiggle, and the hand pull with a coating on it fits comfortably. ONE negative, the shoulder strap needs a good cushion, nylon tends to cut ones shoulder…it is 10.25 lb in its carry case, 13 lbs with the accessories -which you really need, and add another 1.5 lb for the manual.

Well, wait, the manual is in seven languages… so you could lighten that 1.5 lb by cutting off all but 40 of the 305 pages. The manual is clear about what you can or can not do; they emphasize how to care for the machine and batteries.

It is highly important that you read and learn all of that. Always read the cautions and precautions- some are a bit overboard, and “do not expose to water or rain”… well guess that means lift it up under your coat or use an umbrella.

Most positive: Having both audible and visual signals. What a delight to hear an alarm, and just look at the screen and it tells you what the alarm is for. The visual read out eliminates guesswork.

Usually I have to scramble to find the manual and read what one, two, or three beeps and so on might mean. It shows how much time is left in the battery, and even when the machine needs service.
This is wonderful. Also terrific: During periods of sleep, respiratory rates typically decrease and the Inogen actively responds to this change through its use of patented technology to increase the bolus size. At 10 breaths per minute, the Inogen One systems deliver double the bolus size as when the breathing rate is 20 BPM .For my “brand” of supplemental oxygen needs, I did have to set it on #5 to maintain an oxygen saturation level of 92-94 % while walking on the treadmill – carrying it over my shoulder – at a pace of 2 mph . Remember I live at 5500 ft altitude.

If I slowed down to 1.5 mph my sats stayed closer 93-94%. The lower number reflects when I used a cannula, the better oxygenation was when I was hooked up with my TTO ( www.tto2.com ) . At sea level I might even be able to walk 3 mph with this one. Inogen G2 has a pulse delivery of #1 – 5. Read the specs carefully http://inogenone.com/Product_Specifications/

A Salter tube fits best on the connection point, and it can use a 25 ft long tube.

I had a friend testing it, she insisted it wasn’t working, she couldn’t ‘feel’ the pulse. It is so soft. The proof to show it was working… we checked her sats with an oximeter… 98%! Her DLCO – diffusion is superior to mine. The variables of every patient – what works for one may not for another, and do watch the video about the Inogen G2 system It is a careful explanation of why – how to use it. > http://www.inogenone.com/Welcome_Video/

Actually, the video could be applied to other POC’s if this one doesn’t fitYOUR needs.
They say you won’t ever run out of oxygen… true as long as the electricity works and you have extra batteries (they can be very expensive). I liked their double size battery it lasted longer than I expected- maybe because I am a slow breather .

Try it before you buy it- to be certain it works for you in all your needs. It does not have continuous flow, will not work with CPAP. Have another source of back up oxygen- such as compressed gas or Liquid O2, that is not dependant upon electricity.

Compare it to other POC’s, don’t buy just because it is smaller – the big ones may do more and be necessary for higher flow users above 4 liters LOX. Above see the easy to read screen that tells you all you need to know. That said, I loved it.

Sleep Therapy is oftentimes prescribed by a physician for the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The most common form of therapy is the use of a CPAP machine, or sometimes BiLevel, in order to assist during sleep.

With Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), a physician prescribes a single pressure setting which pushes air or oxygen into the patient’s airway via a “patient interface,” such as a nasal mask or full face mask. This increased pressure in the airway helps to keep the airway open while the patient slumbers. Since the pressure is “continuous,” the patient receives the same amount of pressure on both inhalation and exhalation.

BiLevel sleep therapy consists of two distinct pressure settings prescribed by a physician: IPAP and EPAP. The IPAP setting is the pressure given to the patient when they inhale, while the EPAP setting is the amount of pressure that the patient must breathe against in order to exhale. The IPAP setting will always be higher than the EPAP setting in order to make exhaling easier for the patient.

There is a wide variety of CPAP and BiLevel products available to those who require Sleep Therapy. Some devices will have a set, or fixed pressure which must be prescribed by the physician. Other units will automatically adjust according to the patient’s needs as they sleep, while the doctor provides a high and low “pressure range” for patient comfort. Other comfort features include the addition of humidification or oxygen therapy.

A prescription or order from a doctor is required in order to purchase Sleep Therapy equipment, such as CPAPs and BiLevels. Your physician’s office can simply fax it to us or it can be scanned and attached to an email to the sales team: sales@amsrco.com.

AMSR invites you to contact our knowledgeable sales team and its two staff Respiratory Therapists to discuss which options are right for your needs. We are here seven days a week to answer your Sleep Therapy questions.

Remember, when you breathe easier, we breathe easier.

Colorado Public News has found that oxygen concentrators, used by patients who have trouble breathing, are a prime example of the high cost of renting home medical equipment. Years of investigations and reforms haven’t fully solved Medicare’s problem with overpaying, partly due to orders from Congress.

Recently, I blamed myself because one of my buddies cancelled his reservations to go with his wife on that Caribbean cruise they had planned for so long. Ultimately his wife offered the spot to a girlfriend, but because I hadn’t done my part as a patient advocate I felt I had failed my friend. He had lost his battle with his fear about traveling with oxygen and because of that he had sat home. In retrospect, I guess during all our conversations over breakfast, sharing a lunch or dinner we had never talked about the ease of being able to travel with oxygen.

Let me digress here just a bit. I would by no means classify myself as a world traveler such as a lot of my friends. I would say however, that because I’m on oxygen I will not allow my oxygen needs to stop me from having the opportunity to go to jump a flight every now and then to some unknown future destination.

Recently, I traveled on a quick trip from Denver to Dallas to see an aging relative. When a person is on oxygen there are some steps that you should allow time to be arranged in advance. In preparation for the trip and knowing that I would be in need of oxygen not only once I arrived, but also during flight. I made a quick phone call to my oxygen suppliers to set up the delivery of oxygen to my destination. Then I made a call to John More over at American Medical Sales and Repair Company (AMSRC) just down the road in Centennial, CO near I25 & Arapahoe Blvd.

Keeping in mind that I had traveled with oxygen before, I had a pretty good idea what my oxygen needs had been on the last couple trips and had a particular unit in mind. Although given my recent increase in liter flow I was a little more leery that my usual Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC) might not meet all of my demands as it had in the past on the plane ride down. After talking with John for a bit on the phone, John suggested that it would be probably be better if I were to take some time before hand and come visit AMSRC so we could review the specifications of each unit and verify that it would be sufficient for my needs.

Just to bring you up to speed all airlines are now required having an FAA approval list of POC’s. This list can be found either on AMSRC website www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com or on each individual airlines website. Today’s technology has provided the makers of Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POC) the opportunity to address and meet a large variety of the oxygen therapy patients overall needs.

Upon my arrival at AMSRC I was greeted by several employees of the company up to and including Ms. Jennifer Hopkins (CEO/Partner). It’s always comforting to know that anyone at a business can offer you the assistance you need when you walk in the door. I had selected AMSRC because John and I have worked together over the last several years with the Colorado COPD Committee and AMSRC has been generous enough to be one of the co-sponsors of the Thomas L. Petty Moving Mountains Lung Health Conference held yearly here in Denver. I say this only because I had grown to trust John’s advice and suggestions. When on oxygen, Advise and Trust of others begins to play a major role in what daily decisions we make in our new adjusted life style. I shared with John my current liter flow at rest and during exertion. The length of the flight, and how many backup batteries I might need to have on the plane and time spent away from the hotel during the day.

After looking over and testing several different manufacturer units. Taking a walk around the business while using the poc, we concluded that the InogenOne G2 poc would meet my demands. It’s light weight (7.7 lbs.), compact design and a choice of batteries (single battery or a double battery pack) allowed me, the user to be assured that all my needs were being met. This type of customer service allowed me the assurances to be able to relax and enjoy my upcoming trip. Needles to say everything went off without a hitch and arrived back in Denver after a wonderful visit.

The following Monday morning I had breakfast with my buddy. This time I was prepared to have the conversation on “How to travel while as an oxygen dependent person” and enjoy it at the same time.

There are Portable Oxygen Concentrators of all shapes and sizes out there to meet your needs for oxygen. Please don’t allow the fears of going on a trip or even getting out of the house for an extended period prohibit you for enjoying life.

Warmest Regards,
Joe/ CO

One of the many undertakings of the NHOPA was a decade long involvement with the U.S. Department of Transportation to clarify and standardize the use of FAA approved oxygen units on board aircraft. Evolving from that association, the NHOPA also worked with the Transportation Security Administration to ensure that its security checkpoint guards are properly familiarized and trained with regards to Portable Oxygen Concentrators.

The newly elected VP of NHOPA is Denver, Colorado’s own Roxlyn “Lyn” Cole, herself a transtracheal oxygen user. Lyn is a COPD patient who walks Half Marathons, climbs the mountains above Denver and, in February of this year, will once again take part in the Fight for Air Climb, which is a “vertical road race” sponsored by the American Lung Association.
Lyn is a firm believer in oxygen users taking control of their lives and destinies. This means that each individual needs to be his/her own advocate and educate themselves in order to stay healthy and lead a productive life. Her basic guidelines are “eat well; keep a good schedule of eating, sleeping, and exercise; move a little bit more every day toward formal exercise; learn more about your disease and HOW to help yourself, quit smoking if you do, and avoid lung irritations.”

The NHOPA publishes a newsletter several times a year that provides timely information to its members regarding Association activities, health and travel tips, and a means of communication with other oxygen users.

This month, in conjunction with the NHOPA, American Medical Sales & Repair is offering a free one-year membership to the NHOPA to any of our past and current customers. If you are a past customer, simply fill out the attached form (link), if you are placing an order this month, let our customer care agents know you are interested in a free NHOPA membership. At AMSR, we believe that our objective of educating patients and patients’ rights is very much aligned with the goals of the NHOPA. By offering this free membership, it is our way of saying “thank you” to our customers and also encourages their involvement with a great organization.

As always, when you breathe easier, we breathe easier.

http://www.homeoxygen.org

http://www.homeoxygen.org/assets/docs/May11Newsletter.pdf

http://www.tto2.com/testimonials/62-transtracheal-oxygen-tto-has-fabulously-enhanced-my-life-roxlyn-g-cole.html

TB is a bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. In most cases, this bacterium attacks the lungs, but it can attack any part of the body, such as the kidneys, spine and even the brain. If left untreated or treated improperly, TB can be fatal.

People who have latent TB infection do not feel sick, do not have any symptoms, and cannot spread TB to others.

TB is an airborne illness. It can be spread through the air when a person with active TB of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks or sings. If others breathe in these bacteria, they may become infected. This infection cannot be transmitted by shaking someone’s hand, sharing food or beverage, touching bed linens or toilet seats, sharing toothbrushes or by kissing.

Those who are at high risk of contracting TB are:
*People who have been recently infected with the TB bacteria. This includes
• Close contacts of a person with infectious TB disease
• Persons who have immigrated from areas of the world with high rates of TB
• Children less than 5 years of age who have a positive TB test
• Groups with high rates of TB transmission, such as homeless persons, injection drug users, and persons with HIV infection
• Persons who work or reside with people who are at high risk for TB in facilities or institutions such as hospitals, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes, and residential homes for those with HIV
*People with medical conditions that compromise their immune system. Infants and young children often have weak immune systems, as do people with the following conditions
• HIV infection (the virus that causes AIDS)
• Substance abuse
• Silicosis
• Diabetes mellitus
• Severe kidney disease
• Low body weight
• Organ transplants
• Head and neck cancer
• Medical treatments such as corticosteroids or organ transplant
• Specialized treatment for rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn’s disease

Tuberculosis is a “sneaky” disease. Some people develop the disease within weeks of being affected; others will get sick year later. Either way, it is a weakened immune system that often leads to the development of the disease.

Persons should get tested for TB by their doctor or local health department if they
• have spent time with a person known or suspected to have active TB disease; or
• have HIV infection or another condition that weakens the immune system and puts them at high risk for active TB disease; or
• have symptoms of active TB disease; or
• are from a country where active TB disease is very common (most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Russia); or
• live somewhere in the United States where active TB disease is more common such as a homeless shelter, migrant farm camp, prison or jail, or some nursing homes); or
• inject illegal drugs.
Symptoms of TB disease depend on where the bacteria are growing, however, it usually affects the lunch. In this case the symptoms are typically the following: bad cough lasting > 3 weeks, chest pain, coughing up blood or sputum. Other TB symptoms are weakness or fatigue, weight loss, no appetite, chills, fever and night sweats.

Treatment for active TB includes taking several drugs for 6 to 12 months. It is highly important to take these medications as directed and for the entire course of the treatment. If treatment is stopped early, the infection can return and become resistant to the drugs making it more difficult and more expensive to treat.
If you or someone you know thinks that they might be infected, a visit to the doctor is definitely in order. Medical evaluation should include taking a complete medical history, physical examination, TB testing (PPD or blood test), chest x-ray and other lab tests deemed appropriate by your physician.

As one of the world’s deadliest diseases, Tuberculosis has infected nearly one third of the global population. In 2010, there were almost 9 million cases of TB disease around the world. Of those, 1.4 million resulted in TB-related death.

An excellent TB resource guide can be found at www.findtbresources.org or the following web sites:

www.cdc.gov
www.kp.org