In the last 20-something years I've spent helping people breathe, the world has changed drastically.  When I first started, respiratory therapists were called inhalation therapists and a sleep tech could be found at a university doing research. 

Today, our equipment has lost many pounds of excess weight (unfortunately, I think I may have found them) and communication has changed from overhead pages that no one could understand to short, electronic messages that are quieter unless your cell phone has a ringtone your child downloaded when you were not looking.

But I've learned that three things remain the same: 1.You will always have contact with people, 2. you will always have to communicate with people, and 3. there is always something new to learn each time you come in contact with someone new.

Of course, it helps if you maintain a sense of humor when you meet up with some of the more interesting people, or you will not have much fun and you might miss the lessons. 

Adventures in Breathing will give us the chance to look at some of the fun and adventures we have helping our patients and each other deal with these changes. 

Amy Korn-Reavis has worked as a respiratory therapist for 21 years and a sleep technician for the last 7. She enjoys every aspect of the field including working in the ICU, ED, NICU, PFTs, as a clinical instructor for UMDNJ, as a therapist for a national homecare company and, currently, as the manager of Emery Sleep Solutions. Her adventures started in New Jersey, where she graduated from Bergen Community College, and took her to Tampa, Kansas City (both MO and KS), and finally back down to sunny Orlando.

Her current adventures are raising a teenage son, supporting a daughter in art school, walking 5k races, and going to college to finish her degree in organizational management.