Term
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Definition
"IF" equals "CALL"
If you hear, say, think or wonder anything like "I wonder if...." it indicates there is a doubt or a concern.
Patients and Families Should Always Call the Coordinator, 313/705-8838 when there are doubts, concerns, or a chnge in health concerns. |
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Term
The Coordinators can be reached...
(when, how, by whom) |
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Definition
Call the Coordinator Pager
313.705.8838
Any Patient or concerned family memeber may call the Coordinators 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
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Term
Patient Families need the Patient's Permission berfore they call the Coordinator
(True/False) |
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Definition
FALSE!
Concerned family members should absolutely call the Coordinators if they have questions or concerns.
If a Patient tells the family, "Dont' Call," it is usually a good sign that the family should call. |
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Term
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Definition
"9 and 9 for meds and measures, 8 AM for blood draws."
Lung Transplant Patients Take their most or all of their important medications at 9 AM and 9PM sharp, for the rest of their lives.
Anti-rejection medications are checked through blood work that is checked at 8 AM sharp, whenever required.
You should only have your blood drawn at the laboratory you and your Coordinator agreed upon. |
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Term
| Rule #3 of Lung Transplant |
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Definition
"Cough and Deep Breath On Purpose, On a Schedule."
New lungs do not have nerves in them, and can't signal the need to cough and deep breath well, and they the small airways tend to close down easily.
Coughing and deepbreathing must be done on purpose because their are no good signals to do it.
It must be done on a schedule because it is so important. |
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Term
| Why is it so important to cough and deep breathe? |
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Definition
Mike's "Number One Rule of the Body--If you plug it long enough, it will get infected."
That is true for any part of the body, including the lungs.
New lungs tend to close down small airways, collect secretions and can easily become infected. Infections when immune-suppressed are something to avoid! |
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Term
| What Else Helps the Lungs Stay Open? |
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Definition
| All activities, especially those done upright, that cause a person to breath deeply, rhythmically, over and over again are Excellent at keeping the lungs open. |
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Term
| If exercise is so good for me, why does the hard breathing it causes scare me? |
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Definition
Before transplant, difficutly breathing was a sign of irreversible lung damage, a reminder of vulnerability, and a major source of limitation. It made life less enjoyable, made you feel in danger, and didn't "contribute" to anything good.
After Lung Transplantation, most difficulty in breathing is not caused by the lungs, but by being out of shape! Difficulty breathing with exercise after transplant should be reassuring! It means you are healthy enough to "work out" and it means you are building your own recovery! |
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