Wisdom from Dr. Tom Petty – “Adventures of an Oxy-phile2”

29 Jun Wisdom from Dr. Tom Petty – “Adventures of an Oxy-phile2”

Thomas L. Petty, MD, a Pulmonologist, was a Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver and at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. He was also Professor of Medicine Emeritus at National Jewish Health in Denver. An international authority on respiratory disease, over his career he published more than 800 articles in medical journals and was the author or editor of 45 books or editions.

On top of all of this, Dr. Petty was a dear friend and supporter of PERF, and contributed countless letters on breathing techniques, oxygen therapy, and other COPD-related topics to the PERF website. He also authored two books of information, advice, and encouragement for COPD patients who use supplemental oxygen. The second, Adventures of an Oxy-phile2, is full of helpful – and hopeful – advice with chapters by various medical professionals and patients on such subjects as:

• Transtracheal Oxygen (John R. Goodman, BS, RRT)
• A Personal Marathon (Roxlyn G. Cole)
• Miles, Mountains, and Stairs, Oh My! (Mike McBride)
• Coast to Coast on 02 (Mark Junge, BA, MA)
• Flying the Friendly Skies to Eastern Europe (Vlady Rozenbaum, PhD)
• Patient Support Groups and Activities (Mary R. Burns, RN, BS)
• and much more.

Dr. Petty was certainly a knowledgeable authority on oxygen therapy. He was the single most important person in establishing home oxygen therapy in the United States. Moreover, he was an oxygen therapy user in the last years of his life.

Dr. Petty’s  book is available in three forms: as an e-book via Amazon for $19.99, as a pdf that you can download free at Dr. Petty’s website, Thomas L. Petty, M.D., or as a free audiobook available on the American Association for Respiratory Care website.

Information for this article was obtained from the PERF website, Dr. Tom Petty’s website, and the American Association for Respiratory Care.