My neighbor uses oxygen to weld! What in the world is medical oxygen?

Dag nab it! I just was released from the hospital after a couple of days of treatment for COPD, which  was diagnosed several years ago. But now the doctor is sending me home with oxygen which he says I need to use 24/7
Is this possibly you? And now there are so many questions. One of those questions just might be, what the heck is supplemental oxygen anyway?
Glad you asked! Here is a quick answer to the question.


What is oxygen?


To begin oxygen is an element.  Oxygen is very abundant on earth.  Two elements, nitrogen and oxygen make up 99% of air. In medical circles, this combination is referred to as "room air'.
So if someone is on room air, they are not using supplemental oxygen.


In this room air, you will find that 78% of it to be Nitrogen and 21% is Oxygen. So if you are breathing room air you are getting 21% oxygen.
There are several processes for separating oxygen from nitrogen. The oxygen is then stored in a single element state. Thus giving you pure supplemental oxygen.


Oxygen is non flammable but does support combustion. If you are able to stop oxygen from being in a fire it will stop. Example: cover a jar with a burning candle in it and it will go out as soon as the oxygen is used up.


 Oxygen gas is produced by photosynthesis and removed by combustion and respiration.
That big word photosynthesis is what plants, trees, vegetation do.


So your prescription is for 2 liter/minuet 2l/m......
For every liter prescribed the actual amount of oxygen you receive is increased by 3%. That means that your order for 2 l/m is raising the amount of oxygen you are getting to 27% .....that is why it is called "supplemental"


Oxygen causes whatever is burning (for example, a cigarette) to burn more quickly.
Oxygen must always be kept away from anything burning or with the potential of causing a spark.


Oxygen is regulated by the FDA as drug and must be prescribed by a physician for medical purposes.


Let your use of oxygen be peaceful and safe


Chet Hiatt

If you use CPAP/BiPAP, and wondered how you tell when new mask, headgear, tubing etc is needed....well here are some helpful pointers.....

All of the kinks got ironed out. Finally you have been enjoying uninterrupted sleep. You have begun to feel rested...can make it through the day without feeling exhausted. Good for you!
But now sometime later you begin to be awakened one or more times during the night. A leak occurs that wakens you.
Here are some possibilities related to soft goods (mask, headgear, tubing) that could be occurring.

• Most commonly, the seal of your mask begins to loose it's softness....it begins to look crushed, flattened....Almost all masks today, whether it be a nasal mask or full face mask, have what is called a double flange. In other words, you will find two layers of silicone in the seal. The purpose of the double seal is to support the application of sealing from the inside.                  When you put the mask on .....snug up the straps (uniformly, so all are pulled to the same length) then with the cpap machine running pull the mask whether it be nasal or full face away from your face just a tiny bit. This allows the flow of air to fill the cushion a bit and helps the mask seal properly. It is a good idea, if waked during the night with a leak to first simply pull the mask away from your face and let it reseat.

• It was mentioned that the straps to the mask need to be uniformly pulled to the same length. If this is not done, movement (rolling from on position to another) could break the seal and waken you. When the straps (headgear) begin to be stretched a bit and not have the ability to be snugged up, this will also make it more difficult to keep the mask sealed.

• The tubing running from the machine to your mask should be checked for leaks. Little holes can easily become larger ones. You may have noticed that any leak causes the machine to run faster. This is because most machines are leak compensated, meaning that any leak detected causes the machine to run faster so that the preset pressure is attained regardless of leak. If the thin coating of your tube begins to look thin even though no hole, you should get a new one.

Trust you find this information helpful
To your success,
Chet

Asparagus -- Who Knew?

Asparagus -- Who Knew?

This is from a friend

              My Mom had been taking the full-stalk canned style Asparagus that she pureed and she took 4 tablespoons in
The morning and 4 tablespoons later in the day. She did This for over a month. She is on chemo pills for Stage 3 Lung cancer in the pleural area and her cancer cell Count went from 386 down to 125 as of this past week.
 Her oncologist said she does not need to see him for 3 Months.

              THE ARTICLE:
             Several years ago, I had a man seeking asparagus for a
              Friend who had cancer. He gave me a photocopied copy of
              An article, entitled, Asparagus for cancer 'printed in
              Cancer News Journal, December 1979. I will share it
              Here, just as it was shared with me: I am a biochemist,
              And have specialized in the relation of diet to health
              For over 50 years. Several years ago, I learned of the
              Discovery of Richard R. Vensal, D.D.S. That asparagus
              Might cure cancer. Since then, I have worked with him on
              His project.  We have accumulated a number of favorable
              Case histories. Here are a few examples:

             Case No. 1, A man with an almost hopeless case of
              Hodgkin's disease (cancer of the lymph glands) who was
              Completely incapacitated. Within 1 year of starting the
              Asparagus therapy, his doctors were unable to detect any
              Signs of cancer, and he was back on a schedule of
              Strenuous exercise.

              Case No. 2, a successful businessman 68 years old who
              Suffered from cancer of the bladder for 16 years. After
              Years of medical treatments, including radiation without
              Improvement, he went on asparagus. Within 3 months,
              Examinations revealed that his bladder tumor had
              Disappeared and that his kidneys were normal.

              Case No. 3, a man who had lung cancer. On March 5th
              1971, he was put on the operating table where they found
              Lung cancer so widely spread that it was inoperable. The
              Surgeon sewed him up and declared his case hopeless. On
              April 5th he heard about the Asparagus therapy and
              Immediately started taking it By August, x-ray pictures
              Revealed that all signs of the cancer had disappeared..
              He is back at his regular business routine.

              Case No. 4, a woman who was troubled for a number of
              Years with skin cancer. She finally developed different
              Skin cancers which were diagnosed by the acting
              Specialist as advanced. Within 3 months after starting
              On asparagus, her skin specialist said that her skin
              Looked fine and no more skin lesions. This woman
              Reported that the asparagus therapy also cured her
              Kidney disease, which started in 1949. She had over 10
              Operations for kidney stones, and was receiving
              Government disability payments for an inoperable,
              Terminal, kidney condition. She attributes the cure of
              This kidney trouble entirely to the asparagus.

              I was not surprised at this result, as `The elements of
              Material medica', edited in 1854 by a Professor at the
               University of Pennsylvania , stated that asparagus was
              Used as a popular remedy for kidney stones. He even
              Referred to experiments, in 1739, on the power of
              Asparagus in dissolving stones. Note the dates!
              We would have other case histories but the medical
              Establishment has interfered with our obtaining some of
              The records. I am therefore appealing to readers to
              Spread this good news and help us to gather a large
              Number of case histories that will overwhelm the medical
              Skeptics about this unbelievably simple and natural remedy..

              For the treatment, asparagus should be cooked before
              Using, and therefore canned asparagus is just as good as
              Fresh. I have corresponded with the two leading canners
              Of asparagus, Giant and Stokely, and I am satisfied that
              These brands contain no pesticides or preservatives.
              Place the cooked asparagus in a blender and liquefy to
              Make a puree, and store in the refrigerator. Give the
              Patient 4 full tablespoons twice daily, morning and
              Evening. Patients usually show some improvement in from
              2-4 weeks. It can be diluted with water and used as a
              Cold or hot drink. This suggested dosage is based on
              Present experience, but certainly larger amounts can do
              No harm and may be needed in some cases. As a biochemist
              I am convinced of the old saying that `what cures can
              Prevent.' Based on this theory, my wife and I have been
              Using asparagus puree as a beverage with our meals. We
              Take 2 tablespoons diluted in water to suit our taste
              With breakfast and with dinner. I take mine hot and my
              Wife prefers hers cold. For years we have made it a
              Practice to have blood surveys taken as part of our
              Regular checkups. The last blood survey, taken by a
              Medical doctor who specializes in the nutritional
              Approach to health, showed substantial improvements in
              all categories over the last one, and we can attribute
              these improvements to nothing but the asparagus drink.
              As a biochemist, I have made an extensive study of all
              aspects of cancer, and all of the proposed cures.. As a
              result, I am convinced that asparagus fits in better
              with the latest theories about cancer.

               Asparagus contains a good supply of protein called
              histones, which are believed to be active in controlling
              cell growth.. For that reason, I believe asparagus can
               be said to contain a substance that I call cell growth
              normalizer. That accounts for its action on cancer and
              in acting as a general body tonic. In any event,
              regardless of theory, asparagus used as we suggest, is a
              harmless substance. The FDA cannot prevent you from
              using it and it may do you much good. It has been
              reported by the US National Cancer Institute, that
              asparagus is the highest tested food containing
              glutathione, which is considered one of the body's most
              potent anticarcinogens and antioxidants.

              Please send this article to everyone in your Address Book.
               The most unselfish act one can ever do is paying forward
              all the kindness one has received, even to the most undeserved  person

Word Of God Speak - MercyMe

By Charles Spurgeon

Believer, look back through all thine experience, and think of the way whereby the Lord thy God has led thee in the wilderness, and how he hath fed and clothed thee every day--how he hath borne with thine ill manners--how he hath put up with all thy murmurings, and all thy longings after the flesh-pots of Egypt--how he has opened the rock to supply thee, and fed thee with manna that came down from heaven. Think of how his grace has been sufficient for thee in all thy troubles--how his blood has been a pardon to thee in all thy sins--how his rod and his staff have comforted thee. When thou hast thus looked back upon the love of the Lord, then let faith survey his love in the future, for remember that Christ's covenant and blood have something more in them than the past. He who has loved thee and pardoned thee, shall never cease to love and pardon. He is Alpha, and he shall be Omega also: he is first, and he shall be last. Therefore, bethink thee, when thou shalt pass through the valley of the shadow of death, thou needest fear no evil, for he is with thee. When thou shalt stand in the cold floods of Jordan, thou needest not fear, for death cannot separate thee from his love; and when thou shalt come into the mysteries of eternity thou needest not tremble, "For I am persuaded, that neither death; nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Now, soul, is not thy love refreshed? Does not this make thee love Jesus? Doth not a flight through illimitable plains of the ether of love inflame thy heart and compel thee to delight thyself in the Lord thy God? Surely as we meditate on "the love of the Lord," our hearts burn within us, and we long to love him more.

CPAP and Humidification

To Humidify or not to Humidify

30 years ago when CPAP was first brought to the market, unless you were to jere rig something special, humidification with CPAP was not an option. It was not until some years after having been brought to market that humidification....whether cold or heated...was an option.
Some of the first CPAP patients that I was priviledged to train in its use, were in need of humidification none the less.
There was a period of years that humidification became available but was "stand alone". In other words the humidifier and or heater were not part of the CPAP unit. But more and more physicians were ordering humidification at the outset of treatment.
Today humidification is available on any unit that you might be prescribed.
There are some complications encountered from time to time with the use of humidification.
They are:

• Water accumulation in the hytrel tubing...thats your 6ft or so tubing that runs from the unit to your mask. Water is often more of problem when the temperature of the room is cooler. This causes "rain out" in the tubing. The gurggling can be annoying and the volume of water can be significant enough to obstruct your air flow. Your service company will know how to eliminate the problem. Sometimes it is as simple as placing the tubing under the covers and up off the cold floor.
• Even with the use of humidification a sore, scratchy throat can be experienced. Most often an increase in the temperature level will help. Also always make sure the humidication chamber is filled to proper level. Just be aware that an increase in temperature can increase the level of rain out.
• Somes sinuses are aggravated by warm moist humidifation.
• Improperly maintained humidifiers will sometimes lead to sinus infect.
• There are times that the use of humidification seems to cause adverse reaction in the airways.

So what is the bottom line for use of humidification?

       Humidification has one basic purpose.....it is not in of itself therapeutic

•  Humidification is for your comfort
• That being said....the choice is yours....there is not any specific way that humidification must be used.
• There is no need to use the heater on your humidifier if cool humidification feels better to you.
• In some cases people choose to not to use humidification at all.....again it is preference....your choice
• If you complain to your physician that you have sore throat or dryness of course he is going to want to know how you are using your humidification.
• COMPLIANCE....whatever it takes for you to consistently use your CPAP....that is what is important.

To Your Success

CPAP Tips....for compliance

Compliance....that is the buzzz word for everyone envolved with CPAP
First of all what in the world does CPAP stand for ....or mean
It is amazing how many users of CPAP do not remember or have never been told what those letters mean. Or for that matter many do not understand why they are using CPAP or what it does.
We will in lay terms give you the answers you may have have been seeking.

What do the letters CPAP mean?

• Continous
• Positive
• Airway
• Pressure

What does CPAP do?
Let's start by explaining what a normal respiratory cycle looks like.
Ah yes what is a respiratory cycle?

• A respiratory cycle is one complete breath....breathe in ...breathe out...that is a one respiratory cycle.
• A respriation...breath....begins when the pressure in your lungs reaches zero (0)
• This is called inspiration
• At the end of the breath in...inspiration....a postive pressure has been reached in the lungs
• Breathing out now begins
• This is expiration
• At the end of breathing out....expiration.... zero pressure is again reached
• That is one complete breathing cycle.

Now if you have gone to a Sleep Lab and have been tested for obstructive sleep apnea.....here is what happened;

• First tested to see if  you tested positive for sleep apnea.
• This involved several different test results that the tech was looking for....most importantly...were you getting enough oxygen into your blood while you slept.
• You must understand this is what breathing does....a breath in ...inpiration....allows oxygen to go into your blood.
• So if you are tested positive for sleep apnea most generally your oxygen levels are dropping too low while you sleep.

What causes you to test positive for sleep apnea?

• Remember we used the word "obstructive"
• This means that something in the airway....hey theres another of those medical words....your airway is the tube...trachea...that runs from your mouth and into your lungs.
• There is a little lid that covers your airway inside the mouth called an epiglottis.
• Somewhere along this tube...airway , there is an obstruction....something in the way of normal air flow.
• An obstruction can be various things that only your phsician can clearly identify.
• So positive?....you have an obstruction.

There is second part to this test that is most commonly done the same night. After being found positive for sleep apnea.

• Remember, normally, inspiration (breathing in) starts when zero pressure is reached in the lungs.
• Now the tech is going to use some type of mask that he deems necessary.
• This mask will be connected to a CPAP machine
• This machine allows the pressure in your airway to be changed.
• He will deternine what pressure....anywhere from 5cm to 25cm of pressure that is needed to keep your airway open...no obstruction.
• The pressure will be altered through the night to find the optimum pressure needed to keep the oxygen level in your blood at the appropriate level.
• Once the correct pressure has been determined
• This is the pressure that you now will maintain in your air throughout each respiratory cycle.
• You will no longer go to zero pressure at the start of a new breathe
• Hence the term
• Continous .....throughout the respiratory cycle ....both in and out..inspiration and expiration
• Positive.....No more zero pressure at the end of breathing out (expriration)
• Airway....this is the where it is all happening
• Pressure...a measured number....usually in centimeters of water pressure....perscribed by your physician.

COMPLIANCE

• A CPAP machine, mask and accessories will be perscribed by your physician.
• He is very interested that you use the equipment
• Medicare...private insurance.....will most generally pay the bill
• They are interested ....insist that you use it
• Most machines track the amount of time each day that the unit is used.
• Physicians and insurance companies ask for this data.
• To prove that you are using it.
• This is called.... COMPLIANCE