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7-2 -- Fireworks
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Featured Items
Things you should know but probably don't
Even modest amounts of dark chocolate ingested daily may improve your blood pressure and be beneficial to your heart. The breakthrough in research came about in 2002 when studies showed dark chocolate contains antioxidants called flavonoids, potent plant compounds also found in tea, red wine and some fruits and vegetables.
Read more.
Newest Contributor: Linda Marie Washburn
Although PH may slow us down, it does not stop our creative juices from flowing. Some of our friends have
found comfort and purpose in expressing themselves creatively through painting, gardening, needlework, writing
and many other pursuits.
In PHCentral's Creative Corner you will see how others have chosen to cope with illness and loss by channeling
their creative energies. We are, after all, more than the sum of our echo numbers and pulse ox readings. You'll want
to check this section often as new pieces and new artists are being added routinely. Please feel free to request a spot
for yourself in our little corner of the PH world. Send photos of your work and the text you would like to use on your
page to webmaster@phcentral.org.
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BOOK RECOMMENDATION
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Sick Girl, by Amy Silverstein
Review by Leela Rottman
Sick Girl's unflinching honesty
enters territory unexplored in many sickness memoirs; the emotional and
psychological impacts of illness. Although at times tending towards a bleak,
and self-pitying tone, Sick Girl is also sharply observant, and tinged
with a wholesome dash of realism. The keenly questioning nature of
Silverstein's book, responsible for no little amount of controversy on its 2007
release, makes for confronting and ultimately inspiring reading. Read more
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The Doctor Can't See You Now
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If you're having trouble getting an appointment to see a primary care doctor or feel rushed during your appointments, you're not alone. Fewer and fewer graduates from medical school are choosing this field of practice; given this trend and the aging of the U.S. population, things are bound to get worse. One PCP in this revealing radio documentary said he feels like a hamster on a running wheel. A few doctors have broken out of the traditional role by going into a private "country club" sort of practice. Their patients pony up a yearly membership fee — several thousand dollars or more — to have quick and easy access to their primary care doctor. Those who cannot afford to join, wait in line if they can even find a doctor who is willing to take them. You won't want to miss this one. LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM HERE |
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| FINALLY! A Ruling by the D.O.T. re: use of Portable Oxygen Concentrators. The ruling - the Air Carrier Access Act - states that airlines MUST accept certain approved POC's onboard flights. The ruling which does not take effect until May of 2009 includes some key provisions and caveats. Read more here. |
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| GET MORE OUT OF YOUR DOCTOR VISITS |
There are easy, practical things you can do to foster a good working relationship with your doctors and help ensure productive office visits. LEARN MORE.
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MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS |
Alan Harder, our social security guru, has provided some very useful information about the social security system in the U.S. in parts three and four in his series of articles. If you need to decipher the SS lingo, you'll want to read ALPHABET SOUP. If you are thinking about returning to your old job or tackling some other employment, you'll want to read WORK AND SSDI. Alan is also available to take your questions at SS Q&A |
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| BY INVITATION ONLY - SOMETHING NEW FOR YOU! |
PHC has offered folks a way to communicate through their online diaries for years, but now there is something new. If you've wanted to write, but did not want your life open to everyone out there, this may be the ticket for you. You can establish a diary that will be accessible by invitation alone. If you're interested, send us a line and we'll set you up. |
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| Choosing a DME Provider |
If you are discussing the possibility of adding supplemental oxygen to your treatment regiment or have been on o2 for awhile and are not happy with your current supplier, you'll want to consider your options. There are a lot of choices out there so you'll want to shop around. Read the feature article. |
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REVEAL REGISTRY
An Important Development in the Study of PAH.
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As many of us have come to appreciate, treatments and outcomes vary from one PAH patient to the next. Treatment protocols vary from center to center and then too, many patients have underlying conditions that have caused and drive their PAH. With a desire to share experience and improve treatment, data is being collected on patients all across the U.S. Find out more about the REVEAL REGISTRY. |
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FOR TRACLEER® USERS IN THE U.S.
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If you are taking Tracleer® and reside in the United States, you will want to check out a new program launched by Actelion they call Sure Steps. Sure Steps has been designed to provide education and support for Tracleer® users. To find out more, go here.
Read a recent press release about the Sure Steps program. |
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Useful Tools and Sections You Won’t Want to Overlook: |
Find a PAH Specialist
FDA Drug search
Tips & Tricks for living with PAH
Find or List a Support Group
Current Controlled TrialsClinicalTrials.gov
Airline Travel and Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POCs)
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PHC Chat is
Where It’s At |
On any day or evening of the week, you just might find someone in chat looking for someone to talk with. The door is always open. Planned chats will be announced on PHFriends, so it you have not signed up for our private message board and want to be apprised when a group of chatter-boxes is planning a get-together, sign up now. |
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