Peps and Flutters

In November we had a very interesting talk from Samantha Sladden, a Physiotherapist from the Thanet Pulmonary Rehab team. Sam came to talk about methods and devices to help bring up mucus (phlegm). She reminded us that that everyone's phlegm is different but it should not be hard and lumpy. Sam’s first advice is to drink plenty of fluids to thin the mucous and make it less "sticky". We should all be drinking 2 litres a day but remember that fruit juices contain lots of sugar and also NOT caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee which are dehydrating. There were howls of protest when she suggested we drink a max of 2 cups a day but the good news is decaf tea and coffee are not a problem so have as much as you like of those. It’s important to use the active cycle of breathing (huffing) as demonstrated at Rehab talks. If you are still unable to clear your chest and are getting repeated infections, a respiratory physio can assess and help you, starting very simply by putting a straw into 4 inches (10cms) of water in a glass and blowing through it. If you can manage this you may be supplied with a flutter device which looks like a clay pipe with a ball bearing which is raised by blowing the pipe. Both methods set up a vibration through the airways which helps loosen phlegm in the chest. The flutter device she showed us costs £56 to the NHS so it’s definitely better to "train" with the straw and glass of water first - probably healthier too as there will be no issues with cleaning it between uses! A flutter device is a PEP (positive expiratory pressure) device. There are drugs which can help loosen mucous but not everyone gets on with those and she reminded us that they can take a month or so to show any results. Sam also showed us a salt-pipe which is not supplied on the NHS and explained how these may help. (Hers cost £50 and lasts 5 years) She also showed us an inspiratory muscle trainer. If you think one of these devices may be of help to you do talk to your respiratory nurse about it.

Quiz Night 2014

We had a very lively and successful Quiz Night in September, including a nail-biting tie break question. We made a profit of £345 and had a lot of fun in the process.

Air Ambulance

We had a presentation in February from a volunteer with the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance. We were fascinated to hear all the details of what it takes to keep the two helicopters, all the equipment, the onboard doctors and the paramedics flying an average of 5 missions every day – a staggering £5 million per year. The only help they get from the government is the loan of the paramedics, all the rest has to come from fund raising. We learned the benefits of being able to effectively bring an A&E to a crash site, with them being able to get to most scenes within half-an-hour – they’ve even done emergency surgery at the roadside in dire circumstances! The group officially gave the Air Ambulance a donation of £25 and a tin was passed around for members to put money in if they wished. We have since received a Thank You letter from the trust, they are very grateful because in all we raised over £90 for them. Proof, I think, of how important we all consider the service to be.

Hypnotherapy

The group started the year well, in spite of all the rain, with a talk from Michelle Wakerell, a local clinical hypnotherapist. Michelle spent much of the meeting de-bunking the myths about hypnotherapy and reassuring us that hypnosis can’t make you do things you don’t want to do. Michelle explained that, although she is also a registered psychotherapist, she finds great success using hypnotherapy for ‘fixing’ behaviours that are detrimental to us. Particularly successful examples are smoking cessation, weight loss and panic attacks. Michelle described being hypnotised as being in an altered state of consciousness, a bit like when you’re nodding off in an armchair or concentrating so hard on something you block out all other noises or things around you. She assured us that there is nothing to fear and that the client is aware of what is going on at all times. Many behaviours like nail biting or smoking are as a result of unconscious thoughts or feelings, often formed when we are children, and the beauty of hypnotherapy is that it speaks directly to the unconscious. The other good thing is that, unlike traditional counselling, hypnotherapy can help in a short number of treatments. Michelle said that smoking cessation can sometimes be successful after just one session and something like weight loss could take 5 or 6 sessions. The key thing though is that the person has to really want it otherwise it won’t be effective. The group seemed really interested and asked lots of questions, including whether it is available on the NHS – at the moment it isn’t although another short-term form of therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (also good for things like anxiety and panic attacks) is.

Christmas Lunch 2013

We certainly finished last year in style with our most successful Christmas Lunch to date. Forty people, including Michaela and Anne from the Respiratory Team, came along to The Royal in Tankerton to celebrate, enjoy the food and generally kick off the festive season. To help things along we had a successful raffle which raised £73 and a competition as well. Linda had challenged us to convert an old BLF T-shirt into something else and there were 4 entries for this: a door-stop doll, a trophy, a cute snowman and a bobble hat. Michaela judged the entries and declared the bobble hat the winner. Jim provided a ‘Pointless’ prize which was well received.

Tai Chi

Our November meeting was a popular one with several new people joining the group. Local Tai Chi practitioner Jack Kenny told us about the history and benefits of Tai Chi. He was most entertaining and got the group doing some gentle arm movements while he explained how it can help all sorts of conditions. Jack can be contacted on 01227 272304.

AGM and Bingo

In October we had our AGM where we discussed events of the past year and came up with some ideas for the next year. We elected our new committee who are: Carol Hakimian – Chairperson and Treasurer; Rosemary Barden – Secretary; Jim Harris – Publicity Officer; Chris Moore – Minute Secretary and two new committee members Chris Bennett and Linda Hurst. ‘Thank you’ to Janet Curtis and Brenda Biggs for their work on the committee last year. Loraine and Bill Church are continuing to sort out the refreshments and Laurie and Linda will continue with the Bring & Buy – both essential parts of the meetings and much appreciated. We followed the formal business of the AGM with a few games of Bingo courtesy of Karen Cotter which was good fun.

Inhalers

Last month Kiri Moseley from the Respiratory Team gave us an enlightening talk on getting the best out of your inhaler. Kiri first gave us a reminder about the structure of the lungs and how they work. She then went on to emphasize the importance of using inhalers properly. Her tips include: Shake the inhaler before each use – this ensures the propellant is evenly distributed and works properly Breathe out whilst shaking, put the inhaler in your mouth, then gently and slowly press the button/canister (as appropriate) whilst breathing in. If you have difficulty activating your inhaler there are alternate makes or aids available to make it a bit easier. Allow 30 seconds between puffs Rinse your mouth or have a drink of water after using an inhaler containing a steroid With a volumatic spacer: shake the inhaler and place in the hole, breathe right out into the volumatic, press the inhaler once then gently breathe in and out 5 times If using a spacer it is important to wash it monthly to keep it clean and to avoid residue build up. Air dry it rather than using a cloth. Replace every 6-12months. And Kiri says they can be put in a dishwasher. Jim Harris, also has a tip to work out when your unmetered inhaler is empty: weigh it! Jim says a full Ventolin inhaler (canister only) weighs about 34grams and an empty one about 16grams. Of course you need accurate scales to weigh them on and should weigh each one when full in case of variation – but if you’re not sure how long one has been in use and whether or not it’s still got anything left in it (other than propellant), then this could help you figure it out.

Fun Day on the Slopes

The group joined in the Fun Day on Tankerton Slopes to raise a bit of money selling books, plants and toys and to raise awareness of our group. We were joined in the afternoon by the singing for breathing group, now calling themselves The Inspirations which earned a bit more money and raised spirits too.

Coach Trip to The Walpole

The highlight of our year so far, our coach trip to the Walpole Bay Hotel & Museum in Margate, was a terrific success. On arrival the 34 members and friends who came on the trip were treated to a talk about the history of the hotel and the Bishop family’s experience of taking over and restoring the hotel – which was both amusing and fascinating. After a sumptuous Cream Tea with probably the biggest and freshest scones I’ve ever seen the group was then left to wander around the hotel which the family also describe as a ‘living museum’ Getting around the hotel involved taking the original 1927 Otis trellis gated lift which is still maintained in good working order.

On each floor there are eclectic collections of all sorts of objects from the 1920s onwards including furniture, clothing, pottery and dolls to give a few examples. On the walls throughout the hotel are framed linen napkins which have been drawn or painted on by various guests over the years. All the rooms have been renovated and have en-suite bathrooms but the family have retained the period feel of the place. A number of our members were also interested to find out that they do a 4 course Carvery Sunday lunch for £20 each along with an accompanying pianist. It truly is a unique place and I think quite a few of us will go back again.

Christmas Lunch 2012

We had a very successful Christmas Lunch at The Royal in Tankerton. Almost 30 people made it this year which was lovely. The choice of main course was very welcome and everyone enjoyed their meal. We also held a raffle which raised nearly £80 and offset some of the cost of the meal, which was slightly subsidized. The management of The Royal even contributed some wine to our raffle which was very generous of them. We were joined by Anne and Gina from the Respiratory Team and by Mollie Jackson, our past Chairperson and group founder. It was a real pleasure to see them and have a chance to catch up.

Strawberry Tea 2012

Our Strawberry Tea was held in the hall, which turned out to be just as well since we had a thunderstorm in the middle of it! We had a marvelous time and the strawberries, cream and scones were eaten with just as much gusto as usual!! After the strawberries we had a singing session led by Sadie Hurley who, along with a number of our members has been a part of the Singing for Breathing trials. The year’s trial has finished now, to the sadness of those who took part, as it has been a huge success.

The Annual Strawberry Tea

It's that time of the year again; our treasurer's beautiful garden in Chestfield saw twenty five members and guests turn up for our annual strawberry tea. We were particularly pleased to welcome six members of Thanet Breathe Easy and three from our specialist community Respiratory Team which is based at the Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital.

Collossal amounts of strawberries and cream were consumed, along with scones baked by several members, with amiable banter about whose were the best! The weather held up and a brilliant time was had by all with lots of jokes and laughter.

Every year Carol, our treasurer, and her loyal and helpful family allow us to use their garden, and assist with organising food and creating a welcoming environment for the event and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts. It is also a time to be grateful to the British Lung Foundation for setting up the Breathe Easy network, and for the support of our own Canterbury & District group gives to all of us. We would like to thank Rupert Mitchell, who also attended the event, for again donating what must be the best strawberries in Kent, which is really saying something! And the raffle raised £102 thanks to everyone's generousity.

World COPD Day

Boots the Chemist were very happy to welcome the BE Canterbury and District group into their Whitefriars branch in Canterbury to hold an awareness stand on World COPD Day. The event was well supported, with the primary care trust specialist respiratory team sending four of their staff, and the BLF's Tina Patel and Mollie Jackson, our previous Chair, also being with us. Besides several of the committee staffing the stand, members of the group visited, and the respiratory staff carried out lung function testing. We were able to spread the word about the BE group, and several members of the public expressed interest and may attend. It was pleasant to hold this friendly, vibrant and successful event indoors and we are very grateful to Boots for their welcome and cooperation.

Strawberry Tea 2009

Our annual strawberry tea on 8th July was a truly celebratory event with a big turnout.
Twenty seven of our members with their families and friends were joined by five guests from the recently launched Thanet BE group together with three members from the East Kent primary care trust community respiratory team who provide us with so much excellent medical support. Mounds of strawberries and piles of scones with cream and jam were scoffed in lovely weather, to the accompaniment of a 50’s and 60’s soundtrack.

We were particularly delighted to welcome a long time member who now uses oxygen and we would encourage any oxygen users who are feeling isolated at home to brave the outdoors and come to one of our meetings where they can be sure of a very warm welcome.

A successful (and rowdy!) raffle was held and raised seventy pounds to support the work of our Breathe Easy group. We thank our Chair-for-the-day, Tom Elvidge, who did a superb job of M-C-ing the event, and our thanks as always go to our treasurer Carol Hakimian for the use of her beautiful Chestfield garden. Photos by Jean Fraser and Carol.

Walk for Breath

On June 28th members, friends and family of the Breathe Easy Canterbury group came together at Hampton Pier to walk to The Marine Hotel and back. With Cabin Radio providing music at the start and the KD Jazzband leading the way along the seafront it was a joyful occasion for everyone talking part. The KD Jazzband also stopped at several points along the way to provide music and lighten the day for those out enjoying the slopes.

The walk was officially started by Mollie Jackson, the Nurse Manager at The British Lung Foundation. So far £150 has been raised, half of which will go to The British Lung Foundation with more sponsorship money to come in. Our thanks go to the KD Jazzband, Cabin Radio, The Marine Hotel and Mollie Jackson for the success of this event.