🍂 WELCOME, OCTOBER! 🎃 Hello to all community members! 

October brings a new opportunity to focus on what helps you feel your best. 💙 For those living with BNTM, October can be a wonderful time to check in with yourself and your care routine:

🍁 Keep up with your airway clearance routine. It is okay to take an occasional break but realize the importance of the function of airway clearance.  This is a preventive measure, so mucus does not remain stagnant in your lungs.

🍁 Move: Gentle movement can help support strength and energy. It's a nice time of the year to get out for a walk- cooler temperatures, less humidity. October 9th is National Movement Day- I hope that you will join this activity.

🍁 Rest: Give your body permission to rest when you need it without feeling guilty.

🍁 Connect: Reach out to someone who understands your journey.

🍁 Prepare: Cooler weather is a good reminder to review medications, appointments, and your infection-control habits. Also, schedule your annual immunizations if you haven't already. Review the basic infection-control measures you learned throughout the pandemic, and choose which ones still work for you.

🍁 Notice the small victories you have made over the past month. Having a chronic condition requires work on our part. We all have setbacks but applaud yourself for the small victories you worked hard to achieve.

We will kick off the month with World Oxygen Day on the 2nd. This day raises awareness and acceptance of the need for oxygen and its benefits for some individuals. Medicare Open Enrollment begins on the 15th. Our Monthly Coffee Break will have a presentation on this often-confusing topic

Other educational topics that we will focus on throughout the month:  Energy Management Practices and how to be most efficient with your body/ love your lungs. We will also discuss how fall foliage and other seasonal items, such as firepits, may impact our lungs.

Lastly, we will review the basics of Health Literacy. Palliative Care. Please let us know if you have any specific questions on these topics throughout the month.  There will be a quiz at the end of the month…only kidding.  We are here to support you and to provide you with pertinent knowledge from credible sources.