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Liquid oxygen gives Peter back his life
28th March 2002 - Time was when Peter Fletcher's
dependency on medical oxygen meant that he had to drive
around with a car boot-full of small cylinders. But that's
all changed now with the availability of lightweight canisters
containing liquid oxygen.
"Liquid oxygen has given me back my life - it's absolutely
brilliant," said Peter (51), who is one of a small,
but growing number of patients around the country benefiting
from the innovative development of liquid oxygen by Air
Products Medical.
Peter, who has run Holbrook Fork Lift Truck Services in
Sheffield for the last seven years, first needed medical
oxygen about eighteen months ago. He is believed to be suffering
from a type of fibrosis and is waiting for a lung transplant.
"Until then I felt fine and was able to get my overalls
on and work with the rest of the lads in the workshop. But
I started to deteriorate and needed more oxygen," he
said.
Peter was using the portable, lightweight PA2 cylinders
introduced by Air Products, but his needs were such that
he had to carry a car boot load to get him through the day.
Sometimes he needed over 30 bottles of oxygen per week.
With liquid oxygen he can fill 1 litre into the smaller,
more portable 3kg canisters from a tank installed at his
home and oxygen lasts much longer.
"It really is such an improvement. Wherever I go,
even at the hospital for my check-ups,
people ask about the canisters and how they might be able
to get one."
Even so, Peter has to follow a fairly strict regime. In
order to be eligible for a lung transplant he has to keep
his weight stable, which he is able to do with the aid of
an exercise bike at home. But getting his overalls on in
the workshop is definitely out.
"I just sit at a desk in front of a computer - and
that's not me."
Nonetheless, daughter Nicola, who runs the office, while
son Andrew is busy in the workshop, make sure Peter sticks
to his regime.
Peter would like nothing better than to be able to go to
the speedway, something he, his wife Ann and the children
used to enjoy together. But the fumes and dust rule that
out for Peter who, for now, has to watch it on television.
"It's hard to explain how something like this affects
you. It's a bit like trying to live underwater. Even just
walking up the drive sometimes feels like I've run a marathon.
I'm just waiting for the transplant operation which will
change everything."
As well as the obvious human-interest story surrounding
Peter Fletcher, there is the additional dimension of the
availability of liquid oxygen to patients like him.
In many cases, liquid oxygen is more cost-effective than
gaseous oxygen but is not widely available on the NHS (Cornwall
is the exception, and other individual patients in certain
pockets of the country).
Availability is dependent on NHS trusts and general practitioners
agreeing to provide it for certain patients where there
is obvious benefit.
This is where Air Products Medical, and their innovations
come into play.
Prof Myra White, Peter Fletcher's specialist, can elaborate
on the medical aspects of his case, as can Jill Smith, of
Air Products Medical, who has direct contact with Mr Fletcher
and other patients like him. She is contactable on 0780
1178669.
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