COPD-INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER
http://www.COPD-International.com
Dedicated to the philosophy
"You can learn to control this disease instead of letting it control
you!"
Monday, May 31, 2004
Volume #3 -- Issue #22
Susie Bowers, Editor -- Web-Editor@COPD-International.com
Copyright © 2004 COPD-International.com All rights reserved.
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the end of this newsletter. THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY. This newsletter is published on Mondays.
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> > > > > > > > > > IN THIS ISSUE < < < < < < < < < <
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==> Welcome
==> COPD News
==> Recalls/Warnings
==> Featured Articles - Hospice Care
==> Nutrition/Wellness
==> Community Update
==> Link Directory
==> Just for Fun
==> Recipe
==> Closing Thought
==> Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
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> > > > > > > > > WELCOME < < < < < < < < <
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ABOUT US
We are a group of fellow COPD sufferers, caregivers and others
interested in this disease. Our online community is devoted to
helping one another to live the best life possible with this
debilitating illness through interactive support.
As many of us have found, COPD is a disease of many faces,
contradictions and components. Therefore, our diversified community
is here to share its combined wealth of knowledge and information,
so we may all become well-informed patients and take control of our
disease rather than letting this disease control us.
EDITORIAL COMMENTS
This issue features information on hospice care, a delicate subject
that many of us don't want to think about. Still, there may come a
time in the course of certain diseases when healing may not be
possible. It's at this stage that many people choose hospice care.
Hospice care is for people believed to have no more than six months
to live. The care is designed to relieve or decrease pain, control
other symptoms and provide as much quality time as possible with
family and friends.
Unlike other medical care, the focus is no longer on curing disease.
The goal of hospice care is to offer comfort and support during a
person's final days.
We welcome your input and participation in our newsletters and will
review for publication any pertinent information you wish to share
with others on COPD and related topics. Also, periodically we will
feature stories and information from guest writers. If you wish to
contribute to the newsletter, please contact us at
Newsletter@COPD-International.com
Yours in health ...
Susie
Editor's Note: There are several exceptionally long links in
this edition. Please cut and paste the entire address into
your browser if you have trouble opening the page.
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> > > > > > > > > COPD NEWS < < < < < < < < <
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REPORT: SPIRIVA DOESN'T BLOCK MUCUS REMOVAL
Treatment with an inhaled drug called Spiriva (tiotropium) doesn't
impair the lung's ability to clear itself of mucus in patients with
a common, smoking-related lung disease called COPD, according
to a report in the medical journal Chest. Although reports have
shown Spiriva to be effective in opening the airways of COPD
patients, there has been concern that because of its chemical design
it might impair mucus clearance.
To investigate, Dr. Amir Hasani of the Royal Free Hospital in London
and colleagues evaluated mucus clearance in 34 COPD patients who
received Spiriva or an inactive "placebo" for 21 days. Clearance was
assessed using special particles that could be detected with x-ray.
As shown in past studies, Spiriva was better than placebo at
improving airflow into and out of the lungs. Moreover, there was no
evidence that Spiriva impaired mucus clearance. (Chest, May 2004)
LUNG VALVE PROCEDURE HOLDS PROMISE
Barbara Hasenzahl has had an experimental emphysema procedure at the
Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Hasenzahl was
the first person in the Southeast and eighth in the nation to be
fitted with a one-way lung valve that, less than a week later,
allows her to breathe with ease. The procedure might signal a new
wave in treatment for some of the estimated 3 million people who
suffer from the disease, which decreases respiratory abilities, said
doctors. It is still in testing and has not yet been approved by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Story:
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/8735713.htm
CRITERIA FOR LUNG DONORS UNDER REVIEW
The current criteria of selecting donor lungs suitable for
transplant do not discriminate between pulmonary injury and
infection very well, and "lead to the exclusion of potentially
usable donor lungs," researchers from the U.K. report. Donor lungs
are in desperately short supply, they note. More than 75 percent of
potential donor lungs are currently rejected for transplantation
based on largely subjective selection criteria that were drawn up
over 20 years ago and are not evidence-based. Few studies have
investigated current donor selection criteria using objective
measures, the authors point out. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5223738
§ion=news
ZINC EFFECTIVE ON PNEUMONIA
Zinc supplements, a popular if controversial treatment for colds in
the United States, are effective in treating cases of severe
pneumonia in the Third World, researchers report. In a study among
hospitalized children in Bangladesh, zinc added to a standard
antibiotic helped children recover faster. It also prevented
outright treatment failures - suggesting that doctors may not have
to switch antibiotics as often. See Story:
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hszinc223814254may22,0,3612457.
story?coll=ny-health-headlines
LASERS CAN SCAN BREATH FOR LUNG DISEASES
Doctors someday soon could scan patients' lungs by shining a special
laser on a whiff of their breath, a technique that could help
determine if the body is rejecting transplanted lungs or developing
liver disease. See More:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_17822.html
TREATING DRUG-INDUCED OSTEOPOROSIS
Glucocorticoids are frequently used to treat patients with pulmonary
diseases, but continuous long-term use of glucocorticoids may lead
to significant bone loss and an increased risk of fragility
fractures. Patients with certain lung diseases, particularly COPD
and cystic fibrosis and patients waiting for lung transplantation,
are also at increased risk of osteoporosis. See Abstract:
http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/abstract/125/5/1859
TREATING THE PATIENT'S EMOTIONS
When physicians and staff respond well to patients' emotional needs,
not only do patients become loyal to an institution, they experience
better outcomes. An unprecedented study of patient satisfaction data
from more than 1.7 million patients and a review of hundreds of
articles show that patients' emotional and spiritual experiences do
indeed matter. Meeting these needs during a hospitalization helps
patients heal, heavily influences their satisfaction and engenders
loyalty. See Story:
http://www.hospitalconnect.com/hhnmag/jsp/articledisplay.jsp?dcr
path=AHA/PubsNewsArticle/data/040518HHN_Online_Clark&domain=HHNMAG
COPD CONFERENCE HELD IN NEW ZEALAND
The first national conference on COPD for community respiratory
health workers was held recently in Wellington, New Zealand. About
120 respiratory educators and health professionals from around the
country attended this vital conference. The conference, organized by
the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand, provided
the latest information on COPD, a condition that affects
approximately 200,000 people in New Zealand. See Story:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/GE0405/S00086.htm
STUDY: CIGARETTE SMOKING BEST HALTED ABRUPTLY
Ohio scientists say cigarette smokers who want to quit should do it
all at once because the cutting down method often fails. A research
team from Ohio State University said smokers who slash their
cigarette use by half quickly change the way they smoke to
compensate for less exposure - ironically boosting their consumption
of smoke, carbon monoxide, nicotine and other cancer-causing agents,
the researchers said. See Story:
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=f2a4d1489c064149
U.S. SAYS SMOKING RATES DOWN, BUT NOT ENOUGH
Smoking rates are down in the United States, but not enough to get
the national smoking rate down to 12 percent, the goal set by the
U.S. Health and Human Services Department for 2010. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=DIAU3VW1UOEKWCRBAEZSFFA
?type=domesticNews&storyID=5276983
STUDY: ALLERGIES MAY ALL BE IN THE GUT
Bugs in the gut may be causing many allergy symptoms felt in the
head, from runny noses to trouble breathing, researchers said. And
antibiotics could be to blame, the researchers added. The findings
could help explain the puzzling rise in asthma and allergies across
the developed world in recent decades, University of Michigan
researchers said. See More:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5266334
REMINDER: TWO NEW COPD PUBLICATIONS
-- "COPD News" --
In response to the many requests for information by mail,
COPD-International is starting publication of a direct mail,
multi-page, monthly newsletter called "COPD News." Its primary
goal and purpose is to provide support, understanding,
information and encouragement for all our subscribers and for
those who do not have Internet access.Do you know a COPDer who needs offline support?
You can sign them up - we will send them your
special message with their first issue.To subscribe, send your name and address (incl. ZIP code) to:
COPD-International Association
131 DW Highway #627
Nashua, NH 03060
Attn: COPD News
To subscribe online, go to http://www.COPDNews.com
-- "COPD DIGEST" --
The "COPD Digest," published by the COPD Foundation, is a new
magazine also devoted exclusively to people with COPD. To
subscribe, send your name and address (including ZIP code) to:
COPD Digest
P.O. Box 34107
To subscribe online, go to www.COPDdigest.org
Make browsing in our Library and catching up on general
medical
news in our Reading Room part of your daily surfing routine at
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/
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> > > > > > > > > RECALLS / WARNINGS < < < < < < < < <
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RECALLS
To view current U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls, go to
http://www.safetyalerts.com/
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> > > > > > > > > FEATURED ARTICLES < < < < < < < < < <
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NATIONAL HOSPICE, PALLIATIVE CARE ORGANIZATION
Below you will find links to better your understanding about hospice
and palliative care. Considered to be the model for quality,
compassionate care at the end of life, hospice care involves a
team-oriented approach to expert medical care, pain management and
emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to the patient's
needs and wishes. See Information:
http://www.nhpco.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3254&openpage=3254
PERSONAL JOURNAL ON HOSPICE CARE
Betty Baareman, one of our subscribers, has written about her daily
experiences while her husband, Ken, who passed April 30, was under
hospice care. To read Betty's heartfelt account of hospice care,
please go to
http://www.copd-international.com/library/hospice-story.htm
STUDY LOOKS AT IMPROVING END-OF-LIFE CARE
The final months and weeks for terminally ill hospital patients
could be made better if hospitals simply instituted a systematic
process to seek the thoughts of dying patients and families on how
to improve the medical care provided, say experts at a leading
international medical ethics think tank. See Story:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/index.php?newsid=8602
GOOD HOSPICE CARE CHOSEN OVER LONGEVITY
University of Pittsburgh researchers said an overwhelming number of
people surveyed would trade a longer life span to receive better
end-of-life care. The study used a sampling of 104 persons who took
a survey based on six scenarios involving an 80-year old man who
died after a one-month stay in an intensive care unit. On average,
respondents said they were willing to trade seven months of healthy
life just to ensure better quality of care in the final month of
life. See Story:
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=86201641dc0a1b85
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> > > > > > > > > NUTRITION/WELLNESS < < < < < < < < <
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DISCOVER YOUR STRESS TYPE
Are you a Drifter, a Speed Freak, or perhaps a Loner when it comes
to handling stress? Actually there are six so-called stress types.
Soon you'll know which you are. And, that's important. Having your
personalized prescription for handling stress - not a
one-size-fits-all plan - is a key to keeping stress where you want
it - energizing your lifestyle, not draining it. See More:
http://stress.about.com/cs/inthenews/a/ucstresstypes.htm
10 TIPS TO GET OUT OF A FUNKY MOOD
The definition of a funk is lack of motivation and low energy. Also,
persistent bad moods can lead to health problems. Do yourself a
favor and find some healthy outlets for releasing depressive
thoughts and squelching lack-luster activities. See Tips:
http://healing.about.com/cs/selfactualization/a/funk.htm
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> > > > > > > > > > COMMUNITY UPDATE < < < < < < < < < < <
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WELCOME NEW SUBSCRIBERS!
We welcome all our new subscribers and invite you to join our
e-mail lists and check out our chat rooms, where you can talk freely
about COPD in an atmosphere of fellowship. The link to the chat
schedules can be found on our Home Page or just drop in anytime
you have a need to talk. For new subscribers, archives of back
issues of the newsletter can be accessed at
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/newsletters/archives.htm
DAILY CHATS
Scheduled chats with hosts are held daily. We invite everyone to
stop in and visit. See Chat Schedule:
http://www.copd-international.com/Chat-schedule.htm
Also, the special weekly on-topic chats are listed below.
On-Topic Chats (All Eastern Time)
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Host Kitty (Note: Only caregivers in these chats please.)
http://www.copd-international.com/caregivers/chat.htm
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Host Don from NM - Don is a smoking cessation counselor.
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For more information on our chat rooms, please contact Deb,
chat
coordinator, at
chat@copd-international.com
We look forward to seeing you!
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> > > > > > > > > > LINK DIRECTORY < < < < < < < < < <
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SPECIAL-INTEREST PROGRAMS
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http://www.COPD-International.com/Library/clinical_trials.htm
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Don't forget to checkout all our support programs listed on
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> > > > > > > > > JUST FOR FUN < < < < < < < < <
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GOLF
"How was your game, dear?" asked Jack's wife Tracy. "Well, I was
hitting pretty well, but my eyesight's gotten so bad I couldn't see
where the ball went, " he answered.
"But you're 75 years old, Jack!" admonished his wife, "Why don't you
take my brother Scott along?" "But he's 85 and doesn't play golf
anymore,"protested Jack. "But he's got perfect eyesight. He would
watch the ball for you," Tracy pointed out.
The next day Jack teed off with Scott looking on. Jack swung and the
ball disappeared down the middle of the fairway. "Do you see it?"
asked Jack.
"Yup," Scott answered. "Well, where is it?" yelled Jack, peering off
into the distance.
"I forgot."
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> > > > > > > > > > RECIPE < < < < < < < < < < <
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FRESH ASPARAGUS SOUP
A creamy asparagus soup accented with yogurt, lemon, and Parmesan
cheese. You can substitute soy products to make this recipe vegan.
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound fresh asparagus
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup milk
1/2 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Place asparagus and onion in a saucepan with 1/2 cup vegetable
broth. Bring the broth to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer
until the vegetables are tender.
2. Reserve a few asparagus tips for garnish. Place remaining
vegetable mixture in an electric blender and puree until smooth.
3. Melt butter in the pan that was used for simmering the
asparagus and onions. Stir while sprinkling flour, salt, and
pepper into the butter. Do not let the flour brown. Allow the
mixture to cook only 2 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups
vegetable broth and increase the heat. Continue stirring until
the mixture comes to a boil.
4. Stir the vegetable puree and milk into the saucepan. Whisk
yogurt into the mixture, followed by lemon juice. Stir until
heated through, then ladle into bowls. Garnish with reserved
asparagus tips. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.
(Allrecipes)
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> > > > > > > > > CLOSING THOUGHT < < < < < < < < <
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We need 4 hugs a day for survival.
We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance.
We need 12 hugs a day for growth.-- Virginia Satir --
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