[black small square] I'm writing about "Loosening the Bonds of Restrictive Lung Disease" (August 2008).* This exceedingly cruel disease offers little hope for many patients.
As a respiratory therapist, I'd like your readers to know how pulmonary rehab helps patients with various forms of restrictive lung disease. Respiratory therapists can help them learn to use more effective breathing techniques, increase their strength and stamina through physical conditioning, and avoid acute exacerbations.
In my experience, pulmonary rehab is often the only hope patients have for improving their quality of life.
-JANE M. MARTIN, CRT, BA
Holland, Mich.
*Individual subscribers can also access these articles free online at http://www.nursing2008.com. [Context Link]