Showing posts with label augmented reality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label augmented reality. Show all posts

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Nutrition and ALS: What's IN the Calories Count



In my pre-ALS life I ate well. Not always healthy, but well. I love a good cheese steak. New York pizza is the best (sorry Chicago, but your hot dogs rock!). There's an incredible steak and seafood restaurant in King of Prussia, PA that I used to visit on every trip. And I'd walk barefoot on broken glass for a good cheeseburger and a chocolate shake. 

When I was home, I loved to cook. And I always tried to cook healthy. Cooking Light magazine was always on the countertop (ask Linda about the microwave chocolate pudding recipe). Crab cakes, Filet Mignon, Smoked BBQ Ribs, broiled Haddock,  massive Saturday breakfast omelettes, beef stew and chili. I loved cooking.

In my post-ALS world, based on discussions with my ALS clinic team, I focused on fat and plumping up. Mass General had done a study that showed patients with ALS survived longer if they kept or even increased their weight. So, the double cheeseburger became (and remains) my best friend. 

It wasn't until I got my feeding tube in January of 2014 that we came to the realization that what goes in your pie hole (or MIC-KEY button) matters. For regular readers of this blog I'll spare you from repeating the story. The bottom line is, we discovered the formula I had been prescribed was junk. Corn syrup, non-organic soy milk, more forms of sugars to serve as a cheap source of carbohydrates and man made vitamins. Sugar isn't good for you...and it's everywhere.

I'm by no means a card carrying vegan but, for those who don't believe me consider this:

Start with some basic metric conversion. 4 grams equals 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. There are 13 grams of sugar in an 8 ounce cup of low fat milk. So that glass of milk you just served your 8 year old had the equivalent of 3.25 teaspoons of sugar in it. And no one is saying you shouldn't drink milk.

It gets better. Applesauce is good, right? A small serving cup of Mott's applesauce contains 23 grams of sugar. That's 5.75 teaspoons of sugar. Kellogg’s Smart Start Strong Heart, Toasted Oat sounds healthy. A 1 1/4 cup serving (and who eats that little?) has 17 grams of sugar sugar or 4.25 teaspoons (and that's if you don't reach for the sugar bowl). I know! Yogurt! It comes in small containers and is definitely healthy. Let's look at a 6 ounce container of Yoplait Thick & Creamy Yogurt, Strawberry. Hmm...28 grams of sugar. Teaspoon equivalent: 7 teaspoons.*

Let's go get a burger. 2.5 teaspoons of sugar in a Quarter Pounder with cheese. 19.25 in your chocolate shake (no surprise). The good news is there's no sugar in the fries, so supersize it!**

Yes folks, sugar is everywhere. Obesity and diabetes are on the rise. Think I'm just a nut? Check out this article from Bloomberg titled "Here’s how much sugar consumption is hurting the global economy", about a recent report from Morgan Stanley analysts. An excerpt:

"Sugar may not be so sweet when it comes to the effects on the world economy.
That’s the conclusion of Morgan Stanley analysts in a new research report. They say that because health is a key driver of economic growth, rising diabetes and obesity rates cloud the outlook in both emerging markets and developed economies. Sugar consumption is one major culprit behind such health problems — making it a liability for global output. "

Morgan Stanley doesn't have an environmental left wing whacko agenda. They're money guys. Their analysts, and I've met some, do deep research before they publish a report.  If they are recognizing there's a sugar related health problem, it's real.

The science is in folks. Sugar is a time bomb we all ingest in delicious, bite sized morsels manufactured by a food industry who knows our inner most gastronomic desires. They spend millions on product research to put the right amount of sugar in processed foods so we crave more. They call it "the bliss point".

Which brings us back full circle to ALS and the millions of people around the world who get their nutrition via feeding tubes. It's become accepted as fact that the formulas which Nestlé, Abbott and others make with cheap ingredients for incredibly high profit margins is a substitute for real food.

And why not? Their marketing machines have convinced clinicians across all disciplines that it a viable substitute. For institutional use it has a long shelf life. It's easy to administer for front line staff.

But is it the right thing to do, especially for our sick and elderly? Linda says, and she's correct, if she called our doctor and said she was going to start feeding me Karo syrup, soy milk, cane sugar and liquid children's vitamins he would call social services.
Patients need three things when it comes to enteral nutrition:
-  They need education on nutrition. Before we did our research, we were blissfully ignorant.
-  They need full disclosure of what is in their new source of nutrition.
-  They need choice. There are options available from blenderizing your own meals at home to prepared, organic whole foods formulas like Liquid Hope.
For ALS patients, nutrition matters. Please do your homework.




**Source: McDonalds website http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food.html


Saturday, November 29, 2014

The Perfect One




“He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.” 

After knowing my wife for over 38 years, this quote struck me in a way it certainly would not have 38, or maybe even 10 years ago. We've lived through the typical "struggles" of life, raising two children, building two houses, quarrels over important and petty things, paying bills, changing jobs, death of friends and relatives and events that were (we thought) unique to us, battling foreclosure, getting pushed out of a business I helped to build and even seeing my Linda laying unconscious on the floor after being hit by an errant baseball throw - a week before giving birth to Matthew. Turns out, none of those made us special or unique. That's life. And none it prepared us to deal with ALS.

Much of life is about expectations. How we set them, how we follow through with them and, as this quote points out, the often unspoken expectations we cast on others. I've been so far from perfect over the years, I'm amazed Linda has stayed with me. I know the expectations I set for her of me early in our marriage weren't realistic. And neither were my expectations of her. I guess that's what they mean when they say "nobody's perfect.

Anyone going into a relationship would be well served to take this quote to heart. Post it somewhere where you'll see it every day. Linda and I have made it through some very difficult times that would have crushed most marriages. Reading this quote made me realize that it's not because we're able to ignore each other's faults, but because we've always accepted them (and again, I have many more than she has).

We're not perfect - but we're perfect for each other.

I love you Linda and I'm thankful every day that you know my faults and make me a better man.


Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Why Would Medicare Lie to the American Public Rather Than Defend It's Position?


At 8:02 PM last evening, the Washington Post posted online a wonderfully written Op-Ed piece by former NFL star Steve Gleason.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/former-nfl-player-with-als-uses-his-eyes-to-type-and-technology-to-speak/2014/08/29/0de480ac-2d1e-11e4-9b98-848790384093_story.html

At 8:10 PM, the paper posted the following, carefully worded statement from Medicare spokesperson Aaron Albright

“We are committed to ensure that beneficiaries have access to needed technologies to improve their quality of life, including the coverage of speech-generating devices for individuals with a severe speech impairment. Medicare has covered speech-generating devices since 2001, which greatly improve the day-to-day lives of many beneficiaries. This policy has not changed, nor have we proposed this coverage to change. With the rapidly evolving technology in this area, our Medicare payment contractors are currently undergoing a product review of available speech-generating devices to ensure that they comply with our coverage rules and the Medicare law. CMS extended this review until Dec. 1, 2014 to ensure that we [are] able to review and address issues that stakeholders have . . . raised, including the ALS community’s desire for beneficiaries to have access to devices with expanded functionality.”

The reaction on social media has been growing exponentially as disability rights advocates, the afflicted and their families wake to this news. Advocates and manufacturers as well as members of Congress have been flooding The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with letters of reaction to a Coverage Reminder CMS issued on 2/27/14 specific to Speech Generating Devices (SGD's).

The Coverage Reminder states, in part, that:

"This benefit does not extend coverage to the broader range of augmentative and alternative communications devices (AAC) that have capabilities exceeding the sole function(s) of speech generation such as (not all-inclusive): wireless and cellular communication capabilities, environmental control capability, non-speech generating software (e.g., games, word processing, email)."

Essentially, the only type of SGD Medicare will allow is one which can only perform communication to those within range of hearing. Don't take my word for it, here is the text of the actual CMS reminder:

http://www.cgsmedicare.com/jc/pubs/news/2014/0214/cope24807.html

The more important point here is: Why did Medicare choose to release this carefully worded and somewhat obtuse statement rather than defend it's position as outlined in the 2/27 Coverage Reminder? CMS is dodging the issue, not responding in detail to the public, advocacy groups and even Congress. In his statement, Mr. Albright states: 

"This policy has not changed, nor have we proposed this coverage to change."

As with any lie, there is a grain of truth. Mr. Albright, it's the changes in administration of the rules we are concerned about. As you wrote this statement, you knew people were being denied devices. You knew that CMS was changing the administration of the rules to deny paralyzed people eye gaze equipment to access the functionality of SGD's. Why lie? Why not say: "We're changing the playing field because it's an attempt to shift costs to beneficiaries."? or even "We don't believe that disabled people need internet access." 


Mr. Albright, your boss, Ms. Tavenner has chosen to ignore my letter to her (http://hope-jg.blogspot.com/2014/08/an-open-letter-to-marilyn-tavenner.html). I know, she's ignored the pleas of housands to at least explain herself. I'll give you the same opportunity. I can be reached through this blog or at: jgregoire7@roadrunner.com. 

I'd love to hear why CMS is dodging this issue and using you to perpetuate an outright lie to the most vulnerable among us.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Has YOUR Congressional Rep Signed On to Confront CMS?



SEE THE ATTACHED NOTE AND LIST OF CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT SIGNED THE "DEAR COLLEAGUE" LETTER CIRCULATING THE HILL! If your Congress people haven't signed on, contact their office and ask why. This means voices for the voiceless.

MAINE PEEPS! Angus King is the only Maine member who hasn't signed on! Call or email his offices today!http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/cgi-bin/newmemberbio.cgi?member=MEJR&site=congressmerge

OUR CALLS AND EMAILS ARE WORKING : You are part of change

Since the delay in the implementation of the PDAC certification of 12-1-2014 was announced last Friday the congressional sponsors of our "Dear Colleague" letter have decided to keep it “opened” for one more week to enlist as many supporters . Additional signatures means higher ability to make change. The goal is to have over 100 Signatures....... Before calling out CMS.

Coming out of our PDAC meetings today in Fargo it is super clear that we need to make this change through our elected officials. Keep calling, keep emailing… I can't stress that enough. Call everyone you know....... I guarantee for everyone person you call 10 ALS , and Rett Families (and so many others) will have a hug and a huge thank you behind it....

Lots of good news, but we need to keep up the push! See below for updated list of signers. Great addition today: Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member, Sen. Lamar Alexander. HUGE.

Current totals: 67 House Members; and 5 Senators (Collins, Landrieu, Vitter, Blunt, Alexander); and for what it’s worth: 33 states.
If we can add any additional pressure to any Senator please do what you can………….


Here is a current list of those who have signed on the letter. We need to address the ones that are not on this list:



Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA)
Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA)
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)


Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN)

Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN)

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO)

Rep. John Larson (D-CT)

Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA)
Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)

Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA)
Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA)

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME)
Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME)


Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-MI)
Tim Walberg (R-MI)


Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC)
Rep. George Holding (R-NC)
Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC)
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC)

Rep. Michael E. Capuano (D-Mass.)
Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.)
Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.)
Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.)

Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.)

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Rep. Vance McAllister (R-LA)
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)
Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE)

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)
Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.)

Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH)
Rep. David P. Joyce (R-OH)

Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH)
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH)
Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH)

Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.)

Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY)
Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY)

Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY)
Rep. Peter King (R-NY)

Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY)
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
Rep. Paul D. Tonko (D-NY)

Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS)

Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL)

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)

Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ)
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR)

Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD)

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
Rep. Dennis A. Ross (R-FL)

Rep. James R. Langevin (D-RI)

Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz)

Rep. James Lankford (R-OK)

Rep. Robert J. Wittman (R-VA)

Rep. Michael T. McCaul (R-TX)

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC)

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill)

Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY)
Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY)

Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo)




Don’t Let Medicare Take the Ability to Communicate Away from People Living With Severe Disabilities! Act Today!

Recent Medicare changes are drastically reducing or totally inhibiting access to the technologies that provide people living with disabilities the ability to communicate. These are some of Medicare’s most vulnerable beneficiaries.

ACT TODAY: Contact your Representative and Senators and ask them to sign the letter“Ensure ALS Patients Retain Access to Critical Communication Tools Ensure; Join letter to CMS urging clarification of recent Speech Generating Device policies.”

Sweeping changes have been put in to place in 2014. The critical issues at hand:

Capped Rental
As of April 1, 2014, Medicare implemented a policy that will begin denying payment for many of the medically necessary speech generating devices (SGD’s) used by people with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Rett Syndrome, spinal cord injuries, spinal muscular atrophy and other impairments, when they enter a health care facility, such as a skilled nursing home, or hospice. Taking these highly specialized devices from this patient group leaves them no way to communicate at the patient’s most vulnerable moments and at a time when medical attention is critical.

Unlocked Devices
Effective September 1, 2014, many severely disabled individuals will lose the ability to access SGD functionalities that provide them with the opportunity to communicate and have contact with loved ones and medical professionals who are outside the patient’s home. Medicare has stated that it will not allow individuals using Medicare-provided speech generating devices to use their own funds to "unlock" the devices, even though this is done at no additional cost to Medicare. The ability to “unlock” devices allowed beneficiaries the ability to communicate and participate beyond the confines of their rooms through email, environmental controls, internet, and text messages. As of September 1st, Medicare will no longer pay for any device that has even the potential to be unlocked to allow communication that is not face-to-face interaction with other individuals directly in front of device. This change terminates any direct private communication to the doctor, therapist and clinical teams via email, from caretakers via text and even first responders in an emergency situation.

Eye-gaze Access
Currently, Medicare has been routinely denying coverage of critical eye-gaze technology for many SGD-eligible beneficiaries. This access method is the only point of access to operate speech generating devices for some individuals, including those with ALS. Both a doctor's and speech language pathologist's evaluation is necessary and documented in order for the patient to receive the benefit. However, Medicare continues to routinely deny eye-gaze access even when it has been deemed medical necessity by two trained and certified medical professionals. The appeals process is now backlogged for years in the Medicare system. During that time, those who have been diagnosed with ALS have precious few months before symptoms onset that limit their ability to speak while awaiting their appeal outcome. After years of waiting for an appeal to Medicare, the eye–gaze coverage is routinely allowed, but individuals may have already passed without the opportunity to communicate with friends and loved ones or participate in their own care during the final stages of their lives.

We cannot allow this to happen. We need to work together to change this decision.

How Can You Help? Your support is imperative NOW.

We need you to speak up for those who can’t and we need quick action to stop these devastating changes from impacting patients who are in desperate need of access to speech generating devices. We are asking you to please contact your local House Representatives and Senators, asking that they sign a bi-partisan newly introduced letter to Marilyn Tavenner, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to address these changes. The Dear Colleague letter is titled:

"Ensure ALS Patients Retain Access to Critical Communication Tools; Join letter to CMS urging clarification of recent Speech Generating Device policies"

The letter will be open for only one week; your members of Congress must sign-on by Wednesday, August 27th. It is currently sponsored by Honorable Member of Congress Cynthia McMorris-Rodgers, Honorable Member of Congress John Tierney, Honorable Member of Congress Erik Paulsen and the Honorable Senator Collins. Every phone call, e-mail, office visit matters! Please forward this to everyone who will act. If one of these is your member of Congress, please contact them and thank them for their support on this matter of critical importance.

Find Your Local Representative


Find Your Local Senator





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Hey Maine friends! We are on the hunt for a free or cheap venue to host a fund raising event.. Only requirement is that it should have a stage for a band. Nightclubs, pubs, grange halls, dance halls...no limits on what kind of facility. We are early enough in planning that we can fit the event the around the venue. If you know a guy who knows a guy, chat him up and let us know. Thanks!

Oh yeah...it just shouldn't be in Fort Kent:)
  • Elizabeth Day Nangle and Laci Berry like this.
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  • Patty Meaney Whalen, Lynda Donnelly Dellinger, Linda Walker Gregoire and 2 others like this.
Kudos to Sean Patrick O'Brien for writing an article that tells it like it is. Love you...in a manly way, of course:) PLEASE READ THIS,! Patrick talks about the care he receives at the Saling ALS Residence in the Leonard Florence Center in Chelsea, MA. A model we are determined to replicate in Maine!


http://time.com/3160305/living-with-als/

  • Lissa Woodruff Stempek, Barry Morrill, Lynda Donnelly Dellinger and 4 others like this.
  • Laci Berry, Brian Bickford, Patty Meaney Whalen and 2 others like this.
Amanda Hill just left. She shot the interview they teased on the 6 PM news. Look for it! As usual, my wife was stunning and articulate 
Wondering what the fuss is about regarding Medicare and Speech Devices? Watch this:

http://www.cbs46.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=10462864
  • Mandy Renteria, Maria Manos Clark, Greta Roberts and 6 others like this.