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Post by larrynz on Dec 22, 2007 4:51:39 GMT -5
www.azcentral.com:80/news/articles/1221phx-breath1226.htmlHarmonicas help group ease lung problems Sadie Jo Smokey The Arizona Republic Dec. 21, 2007 11:22 AM Pursed lips to harmonicas, 10 players go up and down the scale slowly, intentionally, blowing out and drawing in note by note. A few coughs, a few laughs and a few more practiced puckers and the group is warmed up. It's time for a few simple ditties, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Jingle Bells and Silent Night. You won't find these mouth harp musicians at a neighborhood juke joint. While the John C. Lincoln's Better Breathers support group does perform at hospital events and functions, they're not trying to land a gig or record a holiday CD. The goal is increasing lungpower and lung capacity. They want to increase the oxygen level in their lungs. Mike Clark, a registered respiratory therapist at the hospital, leads the monthly group meeting. He teaches newcomers how to play the instruments and compliments the smooth, steady, sustained notes.
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Post by LindaNY on Dec 22, 2007 11:15:19 GMT -5
I'll be interested in learning if this is her group. I remember her talking about it last year.
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Post by maryaz on Dec 22, 2007 12:12:08 GMT -5
WOW! LarryNZ, the answer is yes and no. WOW! I am laughing too, that I have not read that and you are in NZ and showing me.  ! That is my Number One RT instructing those ladies. I started in rehab with Mike in 2002 at a Banner hospital. He quit earlier this year to take the job he has now with John C Lincoln (JCL). He was about the last of many employees that left. Obvious problem. Mike is very much liked and missed. Two hospitals are not close but not that far apart. Mike is big on getting awareness. He has done this before and gotten write-ups with the harmonica being the main story. I think this is the first in the major paper tho. Must be an area section because it was not in my paper as I just checked. The harmonica helps the breathing and also to bring about awareness of the disease. Mike is no longer running a rehab but he does do the monthly support group with another RT and they are working on building the Support Group back up. I plan to check it out. I think we are trying to start one at Banner. I have missed so much rehab the last couple months and not sure. Our rehab was invited to their Xmas party which was the day they were playing Thursday. I was going to attend until we got so far behind for xmas. Between my husband and myself not feeling well, we got really behind on things this month. Our grandkids are arriving today and had things that we wanted to get done. The original harmonica group started in the rehab I attend now. Here are some pictures from not long after we first started playing. Strange how things workout because when Mike was at Banner we were invited to visit JCL's support group and show them how to play the harmonica, which we did. Now he is there and inviting us over. www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1221phx-breath1226.htmlI was recently at the first Arizona Lung Assn. COPD Summit and I saw Mike for the first time since he left and that was nice. Thanks for the post Larry. ;D |
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! That is my Number One RT instructing those ladies. I started in rehab with Mike in 2002 at a Banner hospital. He quit earlier this year to take the job he has now with John C Lincoln (JCL). He was about the last of many employees that left. Obvious problem. Mike is very much liked and missed. Two hospitals are not close but not that far apart.
