Sarc Fighter: Living with Sarcoidosis and other rare diseases

Episode 60 | Jack Boepple’s cardiac sarcoidosis hit him like a linebacker. And he would know.

Jack Boepple is a former Boston marathon runner.  A dedicated Cyclist and a fisherman who disappears into the wilderness for a week every year with his canoe and camping supplies.  But even all of that couldn't prevent sarcoidosis from attacking his heart.  In Episode 60 of the Sarc Fighter podcast, Jack shares the story of how sarcoidosis knocked him back more than a few steps -- and how he never saw it coming -- even when he was in the hospital beating most of the tests.

Jack Cardioversion image

 

 

Show Notes:

Learn about the clinical trial from Novartis: https://bit.ly/3o9LXKk

Remember these hashtags for April!  #WhatIsSarcoidosis #MakeItVisible 

Here is a link to all the activities for April ! https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/awareness-2022

Universal Barriers Podcast:  https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/sarc-fighter-podcast/

More on Universal Barriers https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/events/universal-barriers-in-dealing-with-a-chronic-disease-a-sarcoidosis-perspective/

Ignore No More https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/ignore-no-more-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research-launches-african-american-women-sarcoidosis-campaign/

Sarcoidosis Awareness Film: https://www.purpledocumentary.com/

Nourish by Lindsey: https://www.nourishbylindsey.com/

Dr. Jinny Tavee's book, The Last Day of Suffering: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Day-Suffering-Health-Happiness/dp/0615542751

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

 

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com

Below is a web generated text version of my interview with Jack Boepple.  Please excuse any spelling errors. 

Welcome back to the Sark Fighter podcast. And joining me now is Jack Boepple Lives in Chicago and he's a fellow SARC fighter. Jack, welcome to the podcast.

Thank you. Glad you to have me.

So you reached out to me after listening a little bit because, • • uh, you have cardiac sarcoidosis. How did you first find out that something was not right with your heart? • • • • • •

Um, actually, it was the event itself. So three years ago, March, • • um, I'm sitting on a couch • • • and I could feel • • some palpitations going on. And I put my hand on my chest and it felt like my heart was just rolling. • • So I asked my wife, can you just check my pulse? So she did, that looks fine. Then she put her hand on my chest and she's like, we got to go to the emergency room now because it was just doing all these flip flops.

She could tell.

She could tell there was something wrong. And I'm like, uh, • • I've had palpitations before. I'm fine. I'm just going to play through • • • • um. • • And so I didn't do anything. That was a Friday. • • And I woke up the next morning and I was still off. • • So I took a baby aspirin I sent a note to my primary, uh, provider, realizing through the portal, realizing she would not see it or address it until Monday. • • And then that day, we went for a long walk. We had friends over, smoked a cigar, had some wine, sundae, went for another long walk, came home, got on the rowing machine, rode for 45 minutes, and by rowing, actually felt better. Um, but I got a phone call on • • • • Monday morning from, um, the primary nurse. And she said • • everything you just described to me, you need to be in the emergency room right now. And I said, I don't want to go to the emergency room. So she made an appointment for to see the primary. And I saw her in the afternoon and, • • • um, she took an EKG • • and she used this very technical term • to tell me what she saw. It looks funky. I'm like, what does funky mean? Uh, so she's like, I think you need to go. I want you in the Ed. I mean, right now. • • And • • • • her office was like a 20 minutes ride from • • • • the, um, hospital. And I'm like, • I want to send you an ambulance. But you're not going to go, are you? I'm like, no, • • • • • I drove to the Ed, • • they checked me in, they did another EKG, and when I got to the Ed, they fast line me. Usually you have to wait forever. I got right in. They did another EKG, they said something's funky. Then they brought in a cardiac specialist. He said the same thing. So they kept me for observation. • • • And the next day, they • • • • • • • did an EKG and they said, based upon those results, we either going to send you to stress, uh, test, or we're going to do an angio on you, uh, angiogram. And I'm like, come on, • • • • • bring on the stress test, because, • • • • um, • I work out quite a bit. • • • • • • • Um, • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • I'm losing the term, but all my blood numbers come back great. • I mean, there's nothing wrong with cholesterol. My cholesterol numbers are off the scale. Great. • • • • • • • • • • • I'm like, come on. There's nothing wrong. So then they • • • decided, um, they're working to do a stress test. They're going to do the angio. And I got someone asked me, are you ready to have stents put in your heart? Like, what are you talking about? • • And I'm like, sure, but you're not going to find anything. And so they, • • • • • um, • • • bring me in, I do the angio, and I come out of it, and they're like, yeah, you're right. There was no blockage. Nothing. I'm like, yeah, I told you that, right? But we still want to hold you. And now it's about 400 in the afternoon, and my wife's been there all day. And • • • • I say, go home. Go get some lunch, go take a shower, go feel better. • • And • • • • • in the room talking to a nurse, and next thing, there's four more nurses flying in the room, • and they're saying, we got to go to ICU. I'm like, what? We got to go to ICU now.

Wait, you're feeling fine? They've done the angio. • • • • • • • • • I know, but the listeners don't know yet. • • • But you and I live, uh, in a parallel • • • • lifestyle, uh, with respect to the way we work out. You were biking 120 miles a week. You've done a half iron man. You are on, uh, your rower all the time. So you're not just, like, a kind of standard walking around fit guy. Fitness is your lifestyle. • • •

Absolutely. • • • • • • • • Not only is it done for physically, but you probably can relate to this, that it's a mental release. And so when you're doing you're on your bike or you're working out, all of sudden a you're solving all the problems you're trying to work through.

Yeah. So the nurses come rushing into the room, you're sitting up saying, okay, something's funky, but I'm killing it on all these tests. And they keep accelerating the level of care, • • • • • right?

All these nurses are running around me, and I have one nurse just staring at me, and I'm staring at her, and she goes, hello. And I say, hello back. And she jumps backwards. • • So apparently I found out later that • • • • I think my heart rate is, like, • • • • 100 and $8200 something very high. • And apparently, when it's that high, um, you're coding. And so they're not used to anybody • • being conscious when this happens. And so • • • • they're willing me down to ICU. I'm fully conscious of what's going on. They get me in there, they hook me up, and, • • • • • • • um, • • • they're pumping me full of all these • • • drugs, um, to try to get the heart rate down, Amyotarone. They just give me an IV of it. They're just trying to do this. • • • And after about 8 hours of my heart at this elevated rate, they come in and say, • • we're going to have, uh, to shock you. I'm like, really? And • • • • • • • • • • • I'm like, in the morning now, • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • like, wow, this is real. All of a sudden, this is real. • • My wife is with me, and I'm like, I want her with me. But I'm like, that's selfish. I don't want her to see me be shocked. So I asked her, do you want to be here for this? And she's like, no. • So she leaves the room, and they give me, • • • um, a Twilight drug and said, you won't remember anything. • • Uh huh. So they hit me. I remembered, no way, • • • really.

And this is to get your heart rhythm back into a normal range, right?

It's a • • • reset. So they were trying to reset my heart. And it • • did. • • • • • • And, • um, they said most people, just after it happened, the nurse said, you did so well. I'm like, what does that • • • • mean? They said, you didn't swear. I'm • • • • • • • • • • • • • like, I got through that. • • • • • And, • • um, they described it like being hit by a truck. And I said, I don't know what that means, but I played football, and I feel like I just got hit by a professional linebacker, and I didn't have any pads on. I mean, it just wax the hell out of • • • • • • you. • • Uh, so the rest of the night and when you're nice to • you, you're watching your • • • monitors. • • • • • • • • • • And I said a prayer that • • • night, and I said I would never, ever talk about it to • • • anybody. • • And a few days later, we had someone visiting us, a good friend of ours, and she was on a spiritual journey long before I was. And she asked the one question where I had to tell what • happened. And she asked, how does this change your relationship with God? And I looked at her, and I'm like. I said, it didn't. I said, when I'm sitting there and I'm watching those monitors and I'm watching my heart, trying to get back to where it was, this abnormal • • • state. I said a prayer of thanks. I said, thank you for the great life I • • • had. Please watch my offer. My wife. Please watch over my • girls. I'm not the type of person to sit there and beg and plead. So I said a prayer of • • thanks, • • • mhm, because I've been thankful for all the great opportunities I've had. Sure. • • • So the thing I said I would never talk about. I talked about. • • • • • • And it's been a real journey since then. • So then the doctors are trying to figure out what caused all this. So they went down the Lyme disease • • route. • • • • They did, um, all these different things. I did a cardiac MRI. I don't know if you ever had to do one of those. That's not one of those MRIs where you can just put in the tube. I fall asleep in those things.

Mri I do, too. That doesn't bother • • me.

Yeah, so they put me in, but you got to hold your • • • • • breath throughout, um, the test so your chest isn't moving up and • • down. And so they can isolate what's going on the • • chest. And after that cardiac MRI, they sort, uh, of had an idea that maybe it was sarcodosis. So that was their working theory at that • • time. And they would not let me leave the hospital until I had an • • • • ICD and, um, pacemaker installed on my • chest. So from the time I entered the hospital, the time I left, it was eight • • days. Went through all these • • • tests. It wasn't • • • • • • • • • until several, um, weeks later that I actually did a Pet scan. And that was basically their • • confirmation • • • that it looks like sarcastosis. As you probably know, they never can say it is sarcodosis unless they do a • • biopsy and they can actually confirm it. Well, Pet is noninvasive, • • • so, • • • uh, they figured out it looks. • • • • • • • • • • •

Like where in your heart, Jack, is it on a valve. • • • • • • • • • • • •

Or the way it was described to me, it's both on the • • • inside and the external of the heart. And that's the tricky part is the external part of the • • heart. The internal part of the • • • • • • heart. • Um, you can eventually address through ablazion. But if it's also on the external part of the heart, the external ablaze procedure is much different. They have to go underneath your ribcage and • • • up and then break the sac around the heart, then try to do the blazing that way, which is a much more tricky operation. Yeah, but I went from being on no medications whatsoever to being on. I can't tell you how many • • • • • • pills. One of the reasons I reached out to you is a lot of the folks talk about how the sarcmens just beat them up. And I've been fortunate. • The methotrexate I'm • • • • on and, um, the pregnantone I'm • • on, they really didn't, um, beat me up too bad. But the cardiac meds just wailed on me. Amy odorone. One of the side effects of amioterone • • • • • • • is, • • um, sun. But if you get in the • • • • • • sun, you just start burning up rather quickly. Like I could literally, on a sunny day, walk across a sunny parking lot when my wife would pick me up from the train station and I'd be beat • red. So it turned me into a • • • • • vampire. And you're an outdoors guy, right? • • So, nine, 09:00 the morning to four, 04:00 the afternoon. I just stayed in the • • shadows, and it • • just killed me. Just. • • Absolutely. I wanted to be. • • • • • • • • •

Outside. Are you retired • • • or what is your job? Were you not working? What was going on then?

So I'm still working. Uh, • I work for, um, Blue Cross. Blue Shield of • • Illinois. I don't know if you've ever, um, heard of Lean or Six Sigma, but that's sort of my gig. Basically it's process improvement type of work. I go in and look at • • • • • • things. • • • • Um, yes, but in the summer months, I like to be outside. I love the • • • • • • • • fish and do all that stuff. So that was really a Downer trying to get addressed to those drugs. And there's other drugs that they keep on wanting to slow your heart down. So lisinopril is one of • • them. It just slows everything down. And I was being lethargic, and I'm like, this is not how I want to • • • • • • be. And so that sort of started the journey towards getting off. How do I get off? Uh, these cardiac meds. So they transitioned me about a year later to this drug called Soda • • • • • Law, which doesn't have any side effects. Amy, odorone, but it has different side effects, which is more • • lethargy. And I'm • like, I can't do • • • • • • • • • this. I started, um, exploring • • • Ablation and • • • • • my, • • • • • um, um, electrical cardiologist. He's done a bunch of Ablations, but the fact that it might have to be both internal and • external, he said, I want to give you • • to refer you to one of the experts in the field to do this, because if it's external, I don't have experience doing that.

Tell us all what Ablazion actually • • • • is.

So my understanding, I'm going to get this wrong, and you get people. Okay.

I won't correct you, that's for sure.

So it's basically the same approach as an angio. They come in • • • through the leg, • • and when they find a • • • • • • • • • • • spot, • • um, they believe is • • Sark, they try to poke it and figure out, is this causing the heart to go crazy or not? Yeah. And if it • does, then • • • • • they do, um, some type of cauterization or some type of way • • • to remove that tissue.

The granuloma.

Yes.

Right.

Okay. • • • • • • So I, um, talked to two different experts. • • • • One guy said, you just might have to live this way the rest of your life. And I talked to another guy like, you're too young to be living like • this. This is what we can do for you. And it • • • was considered a high risk procedure. But I'm like, I can't continue to live like • • • • this is like.

You can't pass a couch without taking a nap.

Right.

With talking about the lethargy and all • • • that.

It wasn't that, um, bad. • But for me not to be able to work • • • • • out, that was my • • • • release. I needed to be able to work out, • • • • and it • • just beat me to the point I couldn't do anything. Got it. So eventually actually did this • ablasian. And before you do the Ablasion, they stopped you on all cardiac meds because they want the SARC to be • • • active. So what does that mean? When the sarcas is active in the heart, that means you can go into V TAC. And • • so two • • days before the procedure, I'm off all cardiac meds. I'm sitting at my desk upstairs, my wife's downstairs, and my device • • • fires. And so I • scream and she comes running up and she finds me basically in a fetal • • • • • • • position, um, • • • because I wanted to be tack. And so the device did what it was supposed to do. They've called an insurance policy, and • • • it reset the heart. And • • • • • • so the guy doing the um, Ablaze like, yeah, we want your heart to be active so we can find it. And after he did the procedure, he came in and visited with me, and he • • • • • • said he was all amped up, all excited. He's like, we found five spots, and we got him. • • • • And he's like, no more um restrictions, no more cardiac men. You can start going back and doing your normal • • activities. • • And they were in there for five, 5 hours. And they said, we still see stuff on the external part of the heart. But you know what? We had you under for five, 5 hours, see what this • • • does. And here I am, a year later, I haven't had • • • • events, and I'm off cardiac meds, which is good. I'm working out again, but I always have to watch my heart rate because you don't want this little device to fire.

And so you still have • • • • • the um, pacemaker. Is that essentially what it is? Pacemaker and ICD ICD, which is basically shocks your • • • • heart. So if that thing fires, that means you're • • • • • • having laypersons from heart • • • attack.

Correct. And the technology in the ICD is nothing but amazing. They can set the levels as to when it goes into pacing • • • • • mode, when it, um, will fire a warning to your heart to say, Knock it off and then to the full • • • • • • • • • • • • • reset. It's just rather amazing. The other thing about the • Ablazion • is the device was pasted me, like, seventy, 70% of • • the. So instead of my heart working on its own device had to keep on helping it. And I'm like, that doesn't sound right to • • • me. And so after the um, Ablasian, I'm being paced less than one 1% of the which is just • • • • huge. My heart's • • • working by itself now, which is what I • wanted.

You're still taking a very small amount of prednisone, right?

Yeah. • • So when I did all this started, they had me at twenty, 20, and then they stepped it down. I'm at two, 2.5 • • now. • • • • • And • • the Maxwellsight, I'm on • • fifteen, 15 once a • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • week. I know that's • • • • low, • • • • but it's still a drug. Also, they throw in • • • the Alanronite and • • • • • the • • • um, looking for the other drug. I'm on folic acid. So the allndronate to try to help • • • alleviate bone loss. Um, I think the folic acid does something else to counter one of the side effects of the • • methotrexide. Okay. By Sark Dock, actually. Who's one of the docs has been on your • • podcast, Dr. • • • • • • Sparn. He's, uh, my Doc. • • • • • Wow. Listening to your podcast has started connecting a bunch of dots for • • me. I think one of the podcasts you talked about, what's the most important factor in dealing with Sarcodosis? I'm listening to this, and I'm trying to • guess, and I like health. And I was wrong. It was zip code. And I'm like, okay, I'm very fortunate to be where I • • am. One of the leading guys in Sark research is • • here. He's my Doc. So I got very lucky. • • • And my cardiologist, um, at Northwestern, have been nothing but outstanding. • • • • And the guy to do the Ablation, um, was out of the University of Chicago, who was considered a leading expert in doing Ablasians. • • • And I feel very fortunate. • • • • • • So I guess when I wrote you just like three years. • • • • • • Wow. I know a lot of this discussion on this is • • about the people that hits the most is the pulmonary people. • • • • • But there's a small population of cardiac people out here, too, • • that there's additional level of complexity that goes into it.

And even rarer is those of us who are neurosark people. • • • • • • • • So, • • • um, it is a lot. So, uh, let's back up a little bit. Thank you for sharing the story of your • • incident, but you mentioned your wife and your daughters, and you are my age, so I'm assuming that your daughters are grown or nearly grown. So tell us about your family • • • • life.

Yeah. So my wife and I, next year, will be married. Forty, 40. We were high school • • sweethearts. I was a football player. She was a • • cheerleader. Cute.

You got me by a couple of years on the marriage. I think we were on thirty 38th year, but, yeah, go ahead.

All right. • • • • • • • • And with, um, the Air Force Academy. So, uh, I was in the Air Force, and both daughters were born • • while we were in the Air Force. Uh, so the oldest, Christine, • is, • uh, thirty 35. The Madeline is thirty 31 • • • and is an occupational therapist. • • Uh, and she loves what she does. And she • • welcomed a son into the, uh, world a year ago. So it's our first grandchild. And my daughter Madeline is in marketing, um, living downtown Chicago, having a blast. • • • • • • • • • • So it's been a lot of fun with the girls raising them. They're, uh, both University of Iowa grads, and they had a lot of fun • there and learned a lot, and they made a lot of friends. In • • • fact, my wife's, um, husband is also she met him at the University of • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Iowa. Again, both of, um, them are very close to us. • • So we're staying here for a while. Yeah.

Your daughter's husband, I • • • believe. Yeah. • • Right. Well, that's, um, • • • • • • • • • • • cool. So you've led an active life. You were a football • • • • • • • • • player. I've got to talk a little bit about the bicycling and so • • • • forth. So you, uh, were riding one 120 miles • • • a prior to this. And I consider myself pretty avid cyclists. But for me, one 100 miles a week is a week that I put a star next to in my logs. Like, this was a really good week. And you were doing that • • regularly. Yeah.

That was several years ago when I was really, just really into • • • • • it. And, • • • um, my baseline is jogging. So that's where I started. And I've • done four • • • • marathons, including the Boston Marathon, which was joy to Drew. Congrats. Thank you. • • • • • • And three of the four marathons, um, I did under four, 4 hours was my goal. And • • • • so I was training for this, um, one • marathon. And I usually never signed up in advance • • because if the weather was bad in Chicago, I didn't want to be running in nasty weather. And so I went to sign up the day before, and they were like, • • • no, it's, um, all full. I'm like, But I trained for a marathon. I'm ready to go. So someone then told me about triathlons. And I swam in high school, too. So I'm like, okay, I can do the swimming part. So I got on a bike and it was one of these old swim • bikes. And I realized, all right, I got to do something better than this. And so I started upgrading the • • bikes. • • And my very first Triathlon, um, I did was a half Iron Man because I trained • • • for a marathon. I'm like, uh, I can do this stuff. And I'm like, after I did it, I'm like, oh, I can do a full Iron Man. And my wife's • • like, not happening. • •

Uh, so a full Iron Man for people that don't know is you start out with • • • • a two, 2.4 miles, I • • • • • think. And then you ride your bike. One 112 miles, you run a marathon, correct. All back to back to back, correct?

Yeah. So I did a half version of. • • • • • • • • • •

That. So we • • • host an Ironman event here, uh, in Roanoke, Virginia, where I live, and it's a half. And I just did the bike part last • • • year. Not as part of the event, uh, but just to do it. And of course, here we live in the mountains, • • • • • so it's a very • • difficult. Fifty 50 it is. • • • Fifty, 56 miles. • • Uh, • • right. I can't imagine doing, um, all those other things on either side of it yet. Lots of. Lots of people do. Or to double it. That's. • • • • • • • • •

Crazy. But it's something I really enjoyed. I just enjoyed the feeling of being outside and in • • • • • shape again. That's part, uh, of the journey. I'm trying to what's my • • new exercise normal. So last • • • • • • • • summer I was only, um, able to get forty, 40 miles a on the • • • • • • • • • • • bike. I think I even wrote this to you. I'm pedaling, I'm pedaling. I'm like, I know I'm going fast. And I look down the speedometer and I'm like, no, you're • • • • • • • • • • • not. That's part of getting older, too. I understand that. • • • • But just the energy doesn't seem to be close to what I've expected on the trajectory of getting • • • • • older.

Now, the ablation that you had done, uh, when was that?

That was March of last year.

So you're still basically recovering from that, would you • • • • • • • • • • • • say? • • • • • •

Um, • • • • • again, I don't think so. • • • • • Because it's a year out and I had no cardiac events. So should I start having cardiac events • • • • again then? Maybe I need to go back and get another • • one. And I've heard there's been people that have to go back and get repeated ablations, but I think if I go back again, they're going to play with the external part of the heart because there's still the scarring there on • that. • • • • • • • But otherwise, I, um, feel pretty good.

So you're walking around feeling good, • • but your fitness level hasn't returned to the fitness level that you had pre ablaze and • precise.

No, not even close, right?

It might not. • •

Right. I will never run seven and a half miles every other day ever again. It just won't happen. Right. So I now do • • intervals. I was told that's mhm even better for me. So I get my heart rate to a certain, um, • • point, and then I walk until it gets to a certain point. And I keep on bouncing up, back and forth.

Right?

Because • • • • • • • • • again, I don't want this device to. • • • • • • • • • •

Fire. Um, it seems to me like you're living right on the edge. So you're doing intervals, which is where you run really hard and you watch your heart rate get jacked up. And then when it gets to a certain point, you walk until it comes back down. And then you do it • again. And, uh, then you walk until it comes back down. Then you do it again. And I've done this on the bike, and I've done it running as • • • • well. And the word, um, when you're running is, • • • • uh, Norwegian word • • • • • fartlek, which is not what it is. I think it's F-A-R-T-L-E-K. • Fartlek. It's named after the guy that developed. So, um, you're doing that. So you're really pushing the boundaries, right?

Yeah, I'm trying to get back to feeling fit. So I guess to answer your early • • • question, I'm better than where I was before the Ablaze, but I'm not preparedak event. Uh, so not even • • • close.

So how have you reimagined your life now since you've had to go through. • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Sarcodosis? • • • • • • • Um, I think I take things more in stride now. • • • • • • Maybe it's just, um, everything I just look at, • • like, thankful for every moment I have now. Because, again, I thought this could have been it. I can't tell you how many times my wife and I have been told that if I had not been in • • • shape, no way. There's just no way I would have made it. So the fact • • • • • • • • • that I just, um, did a stress test, and the nurse looked at my record and she's like, I've never seen anyone be in V tag that long and come out of it. • Okay. • • • • • • So I feel very blessed. Um, so I try to look at that. I do a lot of volunteer • • • • work. I refocused my energies, um, and doing volunteer work again with the skill set I have, it's very specialized. • • • So I work with a group called Catch a Fire, which • • is basically a clearing house for, um, nonprofits to find volunteers. So over the last three years, I've done about over ninety 90 with • them, ranging • • • • • • • from, um, helping do Mission Vision value statements to Excel training, • • to doing data analysis to doing all these different • • things. And I've met all these different non profits across the United States. I've actually worked with some guy in Australia, worked with a couple of folks in • • • • • • Africa. It • • really seemed to be focusing more on • • that, hoping to get to retirement, um, at some point. Right. Because I think that • • • • will keep my mind • • active.

Right. And when you go outside and so you ride your bicycle • • • • • • now on the trails and paths, um, around Chicago, trying to stay off the road so you don't have to fight with the cars.

Right. So they converted old rail lines around here a long time ago. So there's a whole network. The one near me is called the Prairie Path. • And it's limestone paved • • • • • • and it's just a much safer • • ride. Back in my heyday, when I was really, um, going at it, I would ride on the streets, but I usually drive a half hour west of where I am to get more towards the countryside where there is less • • • • traffic. All it takes is one guy not paying attention • • and you're in a world of hurt.

Yeah, no, it's • • true. I'm riding more and more offroad myself, but I still do get out on the roads. We're very fortunate • • • that you can be rural very quickly when you're outside Roanoke, Virginia, as opposed to Chicago. • • • • Right. We're a small • • • • city. Virginia's Blue Ridge is how, um, we're now marketing this. • • • • • • • •

Region.

And you've got a grandchild. • • • • • • • • • • Um, four years ago I had none. Now I have six.

Holy cow.

So, grandchildren changed the way I, uh, look at • • • • life, that's for • • sure. And, um, I'm sure that that's the same for • • • you. • • • • •

Absolutely. He just turned one. And so, • • • • • • • • • • • • um, we've actually, uh, made going over the last three weekends. We're looking around, it's snowing outside. Let's see if our daughter wants to visit her. So we go over • • • • there, we eat lunch, and then we play for a couple hours until he's ready for a nap. So that's just really refocus what's going on. • • • • And he's at an age • • • where he's very active, like my oldest daughter was. And • • so it's like playing with my daughter again. He wants to fly around the room. And so it's just a lot of fun doing that. • • So it's the point. Now he recognizes me and as soon as he sees me again, he wants to start flying around the room. So it's a lot of fun. But I will tell you, making that little kid fly around the room, I'm gassed after it's over. Right. • • • So I think again, that's part • of dealing with how my body reacts to stuff. Now, before I could do anything, • • • • and I'd be • • • • • • fine. • • • • •

Yeah, it's frustrating. You, uh, can't do what you once did. So they call sarcaidosis the Snowflake disease because it impacts each of us • • • • differently. I've also run the Boston Marathon.

Um, Congratulations.

Thank • • • • you. I just always thought of myself as, uh, the guy that would always be fit and would always be healthier • • • • • than a certain large percentage of the people walking around beside me. • • • And I guess now I think I was arrogant to think that because sarcodosis just knocks you back a step. Two steps, three steps. • And it's hard to realize that • • • • • while playing with my grandchild tires me • • • • out.

Yeah, • • • • • • • • • • absolutely. Again, your form of, um, it is • • • much. I think each form is so unique, and I was so lucky to have my aspect of it addressed through the Ablasian. So it's sort of like. But every time I go out, I am looking at that watch going, Is my heart gonna play nice today or not? So it's always in the back of your mind, is what's going to • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • happen? To answer, I think, your earlier • • • • • question, it's always there in being thought of.

So your doctor, Dr. • • Spoon, said that your sarcoidosis is not active, but he described it as simmering. Can you tell us what that is? Because I hadn't heard that before, but I think there are times when that's been my • • case.

Right. So the last Pet scan I • • • • • • • had, he said, um, great • • • • • • news. There's no stark activity, uh, in the • • heart. There's no stark activity in the • • lungs. But as I look at your lymph nodes, they're • • glowing. And he said, it's not • • active. So let's just call simmering. It's • • there. • And let's not mess with your current medication • • regime, because ideally, they would love to taper you off. But I've had more than a few doctors tell me that if • • • you let the Sark flare again as you taper your meds, it comes back with a vengeance. And I really don't want vengeance, because vengeance, in my case, means I get more scarring on my • • heart. And then I got to rinse and repeat the medications, the ablaze again. So if I have to live with the • • medication regime I live on right • • now, so be it. And I think I've heard a couple of people on your • • • • podcast. I've just got to learn to live with what's being done. But in my choice with the cardiac Mans, I had another alternative, which was the ablasian. • Right.

But you don't want to have to do another ablaze, • • • • • because even if that works, your heart will never • • be what it once. • • • • • • • • •

Was.

Every time they do that, it hurts your heart a little bit more. Right. And every flare you get hurt your heart a little bit more • • • permanently. • •

And the phrase heart transplant has been used in front of me before, and that • • • • just scares me. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • And again, I don't want to ever get there, • • • • but it's out • • • • • • • there so whenever they do an Echo cardiogram, they're looking to ejection fraction. And I'm like, • • • • • • borderline. Okay. And they're like, if it drops to a certain point, then, • • uh, the next consideration • • • • • is heart transplant. I'm like, let's not go there • • • • • • yet. Let's see what we can do without before we get there. • • •

Right. So you get up in the morning • • • • • • and do you work from • • • • home? What do you do? Do you go to work?

I'm in a hybrid schedule. So two days at home, three • • • • • • • • • days at work. • Um, and, • um, three days are downtown Chicago. Uh, so if you ever been to • • • • Chicago, the Blue Cross building is right across from Millennium Park. If you ever went and saw the • • bean. I can see that from my office. Wow. • • • • • • • • • • • And the Metro, which is the, um, commuter training. You take that in • • • • there. We actually have a bus that runs from this train station, um, to the building. But I walk. I walk every time. So it's about twenty, 25 minutes. And again, I like being • outside.

Yeah, I love the bean. The bean is so • • • • • • • cool. It's a sculpture that's shaped like a bean, and it's about the size of a small house. Is that fair?

Yeah, that's fair.

And it's just you see a mirror reflection no matter where you walk around it or under it or • • • • • • whatever. I love the bean. That's so cool. Um, and so you're, uh, walking twenty, • • • • • • 25, um, three days a week, and you're feeling fine, right?

Yeah, they're back. So I'm walking fifty, 50 • • • • • • minutes. It's feeling okay. • •

Um, • • • • • • • • • • • • • • awesome. You mentioned your relationship with God before we were talking, and other people have brought that up. Have you become more or less religious, or do you look at things in a more philosophical way? • • • • • • • •

Now I'm going to go • • • towards no. But I also will say I continued, I'm continuing my spiritual journey. I'm continuing to try to • • • • • • • • • • • understand my faith, • • • um, about that. So right now I'm reading something • • that's • • where there was a group • • • • • • • • of priests, um, that actually did a critical evaluation of, • um, the four Gospels, trying, uh, to say, is this something that Jesus really would have said? And it's • • • • • really in depth. So I keep on exploring things. They might not be popular topics to talk about, but I'm just trying to • • • explore my • • • • • • • • • • faith. If you think about the volunteer work, I • • • • • • do think Christianity, a lot of it is about giving • • • • • • • • • • back. So, yes, I've been doing more and more and more of • • • • • • that. • • • • • But, • • • um, it's something I continue to explore, and it's just to • • me, it's fascinating. I think the underlying • • message • • • of Jesus, • • • • again, • • • • uh, love your • • neighbors • • • • • and love God above all. I think that's a great message, and it's hard to practice it sometimes loving your neighbors, but it's great to aspire to that. • • • • So I'm really interested in understanding about • • • that.

Got you, Jack. Is there anything else you want to add at this. • • • • • • • • • • •

Point. • • So this is an um aside. • • • • • • • • So after I had this cardiac • • • • • • • • • event every year since, two, um, thousand and one, I've gone on a canoe • • • trip. I don't know if you heard of • • • • • • • • • • • • Quetico.

Yes, I've been there three times.

Okay. • So for the • • • • • listeners, if you've heard of Boundary Waters in • • Minnesota, it's a place where there's no motor boats. It's canoes only quadico is the Canadian version of that. It has bigger in • • size and it may allow fewer people • • in. So I've been doing quadico trips, eight day, seven night trips since two 2001. And when nine • • • 911, we were in the • • • • • • • field. Nine 911, I what happened • • • on • • Tuesday? And, • • uh, uh, we were in the field. We had no • • idea. And when we came out of the field, we were • • • • • • • • • • told they like playing jokes. And you come back like, there's something like the camp ran out of hot water and the guy that picks us up • • • • says they • • • bombed the towers in the Twin Cities. • • • Um, I'm like, who's going to bomb Minneapolis St. Paul, right? Yeah. And so we thought it was a joke. We didn't believe it. And it took a phone call • • • home and for my seven year old daughter at that time to say, yes, they bombed New York to make it • • • • • real. • • Anyway, I go up to quitaco every year. And after this cardiac event, I said, I'm going. And my wife is like, you're not. I'm going. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • And two months before a • • trip, I got a blood clot. So with • • • • • this device, the ICD pacemaker, um, they run wires, uh, through your veins, down to your • • • heart. And typically, if a blood clot shows, it shows up • • • early. But mine showed up late. So now I'm on blood • • thinners. And if you know about the credit • • • • • • • code, there is no seven 711, no emergency care. You're all by yourself.

There's no communication.

Correct. Unless you have a • • • cell phone, right? Yeah.

When we went, there were no cell phones, no walkie talkies, • • nothing.

And • • so I'm going. Even with this heart condition • • • • • • • • • • and my reaction to Amy odorone • • • • • and the blood thinners, I'm going, which • • is • • • fairly not smartly, dangerous. A month before I went, I'm owing the grass • • • • • and come in and take a shower. And I'm washing myself. I'm, um, like, what's • • • this? I had a • • • • • hernia. • • And so I'm like, come • • • • on. So I bought one of those • • • • girdles that pushed it in. So I, um, went to Quidico that year with. You • • did? Yes. With all that going on. And my wife was not pleased, but I'm like, I got to go. This is sort of, um, like my annual • • • release. So I thought you would appreciate that • • story. It goes back to what I need to, um, be. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Outside. One of my bucket list things is to get back • • • • • • there. It's been over twenty 20 since I went, but I went three years in a row with a local group of guys and the fishing is the best fishing I've ever had in my • • life. But it's rigorous because we would paddle, I think, about one 110 miles where they dropped us off. Then we would sort of paddle back to a pickup • • • point in the canoe. And then you Portage between the Lakes. So you're carrying your canoe, you're carrying your backpack, you're looking out for • • • • bears, and you just basically fished your way to the, um, next campsite. Is that how you guys did it?

Absolutely. • • And there's • • something people like. It's just canoeing. Well, the portagne is what kills people. So I brought a couple of newbies this year, • • • and the portages just kick their butt.

Yeah, well, they can be a mile • • • • long. Some of them are very short. You hop for there's four, 400 within the Quittico Wilderness.

Right.

And only, as I recall, only two, 200 of even have names, and the rest of them are just regarded as large puddles. They're not worthy. But you go • • • • from body of water to body of water to body of • • • • • • water, and you follow your map and, • • um, hope you don't get lost. I had some scary moments, but I can't believe you're able to do that with • • • Sarcardosis.

Yeah. So I'm still doing it • • • • • • • • • and made it through that trip. Uh, okay. But, • • um, that's what I want to • • • • • • do. And you've talked about it, I think, on your podcast several times • • about you got to get back • to what feels right. Your body might not be one 100% the way you want it, but you got to get back to what you want to • • do • is make the effort. So I just keep on making the • • • • • effort.

Do you carry the canoe yourself when it's your, um, turn on the. • • • • • • •

Portage? This year I did, yes. This year I, um, canoe because I had a solo canoe, and I did • • • a solo paddle because I was with two other guys, two new guys, and I couldn't find a four fourth.

I • • • • sold. Okay. Call me. What month do you go? • • •

Typically, I typically go after Labor Day just because the mosquitoes are down. Okay. And that's a good time to go. And again, if you're going back there at some point and you want a suggested • • • route, I've been through all the entry points in quadico, and I've hit most of the major paths, so I definitely have suggestions or, uh, tell you where it would be fun to go.

Okay. Yeah, we'll have to talk. We'll start boring people really fast if we get into a deep dive into this remote Canadian • • • • • wilderness. • • • • • But, yeah, I can't believe that I'm, um, talking to somebody else who's actually been there, because when I bring it up, • • everybody, they have no idea what I'm talking about. Sometimes boundary waters mean something to people. Right. But critico, you fly in on a float plane, they drop you, uh, off, and • • then it's fantastic. I love it. Well, Jack, thank you so much good luck at the critico this year. If you're planning, uh, to go in September again. • • Absolutely. Okay. All • right. And I wish you all the luck in the world with fighting sarcodosis. • • • And thanks, uh, for fighting the good • • fight.

Alright. Uh, thanks and I appreciate you let me tell my. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

 

Episode 59 | Angelica wants to know how her grandmother died.

Angelica Gauptman's grandmother died from complications of sarcoidosis.  Angelica is trying to figure out why.  She believes it had something do with the combination of Vitamin D and Prednisone.  To be clear there is no clinical evidence that proves a link.  Angelica is a high school senior with more than your average get up and go.  She has undertaken a survey of Sarc patients, and has gotten the attention of some top level researchers.  Hear her story, and the heartbreaking way her grandmother passed in this edition of the Sarc Fighter Podcast.

Show Notes

Learn about the clinical trial from Novartis: https://bit.ly/3o9LXKk

email Angelica agauptman@gmail.com

Remember these hashtags for April!  #WhatIsSarcoidosis #MakeItVisible 

Here is a link to all the activities for April ! https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/awareness-2022

Universal Barriers Podcast:  https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/sarc-fighter-podcast/

More on Universal Barriers https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/events/universal-barriers-in-dealing-with-a-chronic-disease-a-sarcoidosis-perspective/

Ignore No More https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/ignore-no-more-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research-launches-african-american-women-sarcoidosis-campaign/

 

Sarcoidosis Awareness Film: https://www.purpledocumentary.com/

Nourish by Lindsey: https://www.nourishbylindsey.com/

Dr. Jinny Tavee's book, The Last Day of Suffering: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Day-Suffering-Health-Happiness/dp/0615542751

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

Bonus Episode on COVID-19 and Sarcoidosis https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-and-covid-19-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

Bonus Episode  Sarcoidosis and Prednisone: https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-town-hall-dealing-with-prednisone-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com

 

 

Remember these hashtags for April!  #WhatIsSarcoidosis #MakeItVisible 

Here is a link to all the activities for April ! https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/awareness-2022

Learn about the clinical trial from Novartis: https://bit.ly/3o9LXKk

Universal Barriers Podcast:  https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/sarc-fighter-podcast/

More on Universal Barriers https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/events/universal-barriers-in-dealing-with-a-chronic-disease-a-sarcoidosis-perspective/

Ignore No More https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/ignore-no-more-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research-launches-african-american-women-sarcoidosis-campaign/

 

Sarcoidosis Awareness Film: https://www.purpledocumentary.com/

Nourish by Lindsey: https://www.nourishbylindsey.com/

Dr. Jinny Tavee's book, The Last Day of Suffering: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Day-Suffering-Health-Happiness/dp/0615542751

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

Bonus Episode on COVID-19 and Sarcoidosis https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-and-covid-19-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

Bonus Episode  Sarcoidosis and Prednisone: https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-town-hall-dealing-with-prednisone-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com

 

The following is a web generated transcript from my interview with Angelica Gauptman.I'm sorry for typos and misspellings. 

 

Welcome back to the Sarc Fighter podcast. And joining me now is Angelica Galtman • • in California. Angelica, welcome. You're just across the bridge from San Francisco.

Yes. Thank you. I am. Yes.

 

All right. So that you are in Marin County, and you were just telling me that, it's often foggy in San Francisco, but it's always beautiful in Marin County.

Yes. As soon as you kind of cross the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge, it's like a wall. • • It's kind of like the Marinas, the heavens, and San Francisco the opposite. It's very funny. Always very funny to drive across the bridge.

 

Got it. Okay. Well, now, um, you are a high school student applying, to colleges. But we were just talking before we began recording. You are looking to go to some fairly impressive colleges. Where have you applied?

I've applied to a lot of the IVs, Stanford, Harvard, UPenn, Columbia, um, and a lot of the UCS. UCLA is definitely my top choice. So, yeah, I guess they are, um, • pretty hard to get into, but we'll see.

Yeah, well, those are high levels, but • • you obviously have the grades in the background and so forth to handle that sort of thing.

Possibly. I don't know what they're looking for, so I have no idea, but hopefully something will get me there.

 

Let's talk a little bit about your sarcoidosis story. And when I say yours, I mean your grandmother's. So your grandmother died from complications related to sarcoidosis. Is that the best way to put it?

Yes, I'd say so, yeah.

All right. And you are trying to figure out if there's a connection between prednisone and vitamin • • • D, • which, um, could be very controversial. There are so many places to start here, but let's just jump in with your grandmother's story. Um, when was she diagnosed with prednisone?

Um, two, 2007. She was diagnosed with pulmonary circuit two, 2007 and then pregnant on, I believe, in two 2009.

Okay. And she took prednisone for quite a long time.

Up until two 2017. Okay. Did she pass IN 2017?

20 17.

 

Took it all the way through?

Yeah, all the way through. Do you know what levels of, uh, doses she was • • • taking?

Do you know what I think it was? Two 200, but I will need to • • • • check.

Wow. Okay. That would be a lot. Yes.

She was on a lot of it.

 

A lot of PREDNISONE. All right, so she was also taking was she prescribed vitamin D or did she just take vitamin D?

Um, at the time, they were prescribing her vitamin D supplements. But now that I look into her case • • file, she, um, was over producing vitamin D naturally, as a lot of pulmonary circulations patients do. It just didn't come up on the scans because the vitamin D that she was producing was actually in an inactive • • state. So it didn't come up on the scans that they did. They had to do a scan for inactive vitamin D to find it, but they didn't do that. So they just prescribed her more vitamin D supplements instead of doing the second • • scan.

 

Got it. And what eventually led to her death, according to your hypothesis • • • then? • • • •

So, • • • • um, I think that the overabundance of vitamin D that was in her system, • • • um, um, with the over, like, immense amount of predisone that she was • • taking led to the hemorrhage that she had. So the hemorrhage was an, um, internal bleeding. It was a really big part of it. A, um, really big bruise on her abdomen. And she developed that about a week or • • • • so after, um, they up her credit zone a little • • bit because they had been taking it down slowly. But they upped it again. And once they upped it, she, um, kind of developed that bruise. And that's what we went to the hospital • • for. And, uh, that's what led to, um, her kidney failure and her untimely death. Um, so I believe that the prednisone and vitamin D are what caused the hemorrhage or the bruise. And that's what caused her to pass away.

 

Now you're taking a course where you look into correlations, causations, that sort of thing. What is it?

 

It's AP research.

 

And so you started looking at other patients to • • see if your grandmother was not the only one. Tell us why you thought that and what you found.

 

So, um, in the class, we are taught to, uh, create our own project. And it was supposed to be a gap in the knowledge that is there today. And so this, to me was a gap in the knowledge because nobody. I talked to researchers at Stanford, UCSF that had, um, been researching, especially pulmonary circuit oysters for years. And they had never come across or thought of anything like this. And there were no real scholarly articles out there about this or scholarly work. So this, um, was my gap. And in the class we're supposed to create our own methodology and collect our own data. So I thought that there was no better way since there was no data on this out there, there was no better way than to • • • interview other patients to see if • • • they had similar experiences with prednisone or vitamin D. And, um, so when I talked to quite, um, a few, they had told me that they never developed hemorrhage, uh, that large bruise on their abdomen. However, they told me that they also were over prescribed vitamin • • • D because again, the doctors and researchers didn't do that second scan for the inactive form of vitamin D. And they said that when they were taking vitamin D and prednisone, there were a lot of detrimental, • • • • um, effects on their bodies that they experienced. And one man actually told me that he did start to • • • • • ease very easily when they upped his Joseph prednisone while he was on vitamin • • • • D, which didn't happen when he was off of vitamin • • • D.

 

Interesting.

So he was continuing to take the • • pretinosome, which, most of us do. I think that's for ninety 90% of patients, that's the first line of defense is prednisone. So almost everybody listening to this, if they have had • sarcodosis, has, taken prednisone. But the vitamin, uh, D is the wildcard here. And so you found at least one other person. How many patients have you • • • • • interviewed?

 

So, um, through FSR, I interviewed • four. And, um, then outside of FSR, on my own findings, I interviewed about ten to fourteen.

 

Okay, all right, got it. And these patients were • • • all were they taking vitamin D because they were in the supermarket and they said, oh, I'm going to take vitamins. Vitamin D is good for you. Or were they prescribed vitamin • • D?

No. Every single one of them was prescribed a vitamin D supplements, except for the very few of them, • um, whose doctors actually thought to do the scan for inactive vitamin D and saw the circuit patients overproduce it naturally. So, aside from the two that were taken off the supplements because of that second scan, everybody was prescribed vitamin D • • supplements.

 

Got it. So are you still actively looking for people to • • interview?

I am, yes. So, • • um, while my project itself is due in the next month for the class, I will definitely be continuing to research myself. So, yeah, I'm definitely looking, um, for more interviewees.

 

Yeah. Okay. So what kind of person was your • • • • grandmother?

My grandmother was amazing. She was just the best person. She was my best friend, really, • truly. She, uh, was the one who kind of. My parents were both at, um, work • • very most of the day. So she was the one who I kind of spent most of my time with when I was, um, • • little. And, um, when I grew • • • • • • up, • • um, she was honestly an incredible woman. She taught me to Cook, she taught me manners. She taught me everything honestly. And, um, while the disease definitely slowed her down, she had oxygen tanks that she was trapped to and she couldn't really • • travel. Even though, um, she loved to travel, she, um, still somehow • • always helped me with whatever I needed. She always was there for me. Whenever I had an event at school, she would always help me with those. • • • • So she • • was so absolutely selfless. It was honestly inspiring to me.

 

That's an amazing story. And then, when did she first start noticing that there was something • • • • • • wrong?

When I was about • five. I, um, don't even remember what she noticed. If I'm being honest, I think I was too young to notice. And when she passed, I was only thirteen.

 

Well, um, it's been a long time, so I don't really know what caught how she noticed it, but I just • • remember, I, um, was sitting on the couch when I was five and there was a man that came with oxygen tanks into our house at about seven or eight. 08:00 p.m. It was late for me back • • then, and, um, he strapped her to the oxygen tanks or strapped them onto her, I guess so. That's just what I • • • remember. I remember she had a lot of trouble breathing.

That's what I remember it to • • • • • be, ultimately, because it's very hard in many, um, cases for doctors to even diagnose • • sarcoidosis. So I was just wondering if you, um, knew anything about • • how that all came.

 

So, um, they didn't really know what it was back then as well, as much. It was even less research than it is now. And at that time, she was in her late fifty 50s and told her that she was one of the really rare people and that, um, this illness only traveled • • within very young women, which now we see is not true at all. But so, um, yeah, at the • • time, they didn't expect • • it. They, um, thought it was actually literally anything • • • else, but, um. Yeah, so that's what they kind of told her. They said that you're one of the rare women that isn't in her twenty 20s or 30s that got • • • • this interesting.

 

Wow. So she lived with you're, spending most of your time with her, your parents are at work and she's got these oxygen tanks. What was her daily life.

Like?

 

It was very selfless. Again, I don't know how to describe • • • it. She was on bedrest, sadly, for most of the last few • • • years. • • Um, it was very hard for her. The oxygen tanks and the absolute lack of energy that she had and the lack of mobility that she • • had. So, um, her life was mostly just taking care of me and my little cousins. I have three little cousins who are all boys, who at the time lived with her as • • well. And, um, so she would take care of us all the time. She would Cook for the whole • family. So her daily life was just taking care of others. Always. It was always helping my little cousins with their homework, helping me with my homework, cooking for us, cleaning the • • house. So, um, it was selfless, very selfless.

 

But she was able to do that even with the sarcoidosis. Uh, did she have the oxygen tanks that you pulled on a little cart or how did she get Around?

 

Um, well, the oxygen tanks were on wheels, so she could walk and kind of stroll them. But cooking wise, uh, she kind of just stood and seared it on the pan and put it in the oven. And then for all of our homework, we would be usually sitting for that and then cleaning wise. I mean, she didn't mop the floors or anything like that, but she'd, like, clean up the dishes or something that required standing and moving her arms instead of running around the house.

 

And she just continued to do that right on through Sarcaidosis.

Oh, • • • • yes.

 

Wow. What was your grandmother's name?

Lydia Glaser.

 

It must have been very sad for you and your family when you took her to the hospital because of what looked like a bruise. And then she didn't come home.

Yeah, it was shocking. And, um, there were definitely aspects of, • • um. Um, I guess layers of shock that came in as well, because it was really interesting. She had • • actually been doing, um, a lot better on the last two days before her passing, then her entire week • that she spent there, and they had actually signed her out of the ICU and put • • • her into, um, normal hospital room. And she would be fine to go over the night. So, um, in the morning, they said that she would be free to go. And then that morning, her kidneys started shutting down. And so, • • • um, that was the shocking, um, part, I think it was. Two days later, she passed away. Um, and again, the kidneys were also another kind of thing in my research that I looked at as well, because, um, of kind of the connection of vitamin D and prednisone and all that. So all of it, her whole case, honestly, is just such a • mystery. And I'm trying, um, so hard to kind of connect the dots, but it's very hard, as you can • • • imagine. • • •

 

Wow. So you reached out to the foundation for sarcoidosis research. Did you just find them with a Google search or how did that come to be?

Yes. So I believe, um, it was my sophomore year of high school. I'm a senior now, so two years • • • ago, • •um, I don't know. I felt like I was old enough to kind of • • • start researching and looking into her case file and all that • • stuff. But, • • • um, before I even began or thought of my • research, I just wanted, um, to do something that would contribute to the community that my grandmother was in, and that would kind of, I don't know, not honor her, • • but, yeah, I guess it is honor her in a way, because I just saw how she was such an active person. She loved to travel before Circuit Oasis, and now she couldn't. And I couldn't imagine a whole community, um, of people going through that. • So not only in, um, her name, but also for the community. I just kind • • of reached, um, out. I asked for an internship, but I was sixteen 16 and would, uh, only give out internships to eighteen 18 • • or. And so they, um, actually had to redo. I feel terrible for Mindy. They had to redo their entire paperwork to allow me to intern and volunteer at the age of • • • sixteen 16. And I got put with Jim and his peer mentor team • • and. Yeah, it just kind of took off from • • there.

 

Wow. How old are you now? Are you eighteen?

I'm eighteen 18.

 

Yeah. Eighteen 18 now. Okay, so you've been doing this for two years? Yes. And will you continue, uh, to work with FSR?

Definitely. I'm trying to start a youth advocacy program at my high school where I've been trying, um. It's getting very close. • • • • Um, I have a lot of ideas for FSR, and, uh, I also just love working with everybody in the gym. It's a great community that I love being a part • • • • of. • • • • •

 

Wow. • Um, and so when will you feel like you have a sample size • • • or enough, uh, data to move, uh, • • forward with • • your project or feel like it's Done?

 

I don't think I'll ever feel like it's done if I'm being honest. I think I want to keep pursuing this until I get a solid answer or until I start testing it in the lab or something like that. So I don't think my hypothesis is enough for me. And I don't think gathering enough evidence to support it is enough for me. I think I want to actually see the evidence to have, um, it kind of be enough and then see how we can. I mean, if it's true and if it's plausible to • • see how I can keep, um, helping and seeing if maybe people should start testing for this inactive form of vitamin D and seeing how I can kind of make that happen. So I don't think that it's honestly ever going to be done for me. This project. Um, even with hypothesis, that's definitely not what I'm ending with now.

 

You will know soon if you've been accepted to Harvard or one of these other places. Are you going to be a medical student? Because you told me that you also might look at being a lawyer. I can't imagine you having the time to study for the bar exam and doing this.

Yeah. So it really depends. I'm just so unsure of my major right now. I have two very different kind of spheres and majors that I could go into right now. I've been working at a law firm for the past couple of years. I really like that sphere, um, of work as well. But even if I were to go into law, I think that I would still continue this with what time I had and maybe pass it on to somebody else and just kind of help out as much as I could. But I definitely don't want this project and this hypothesis to kind of • • • end because I think it is, um, so important. So if I do study, end up researching medicine in College, um, and have that be my major truth, this is definitely going to be my preferred project. But if it's lost, then either I'll pass it onto someone or just continue it on my downtime.

Yeah. So have you gotten any sort of interest, uh, from researchers that are already out there in the field, that have been through all of this and are looking for • • something to dive more deeply • • • into?

So I've run this by, um, the two researchers that I think would be most interested in right now or have given me the most interest. • • Um, one young man, uh, at Stanford, Dr. Matthew Baker, he showed a lot of interest in this. He's helped me with, the abstract of my paper and my hypothesis. And then Dr. Laura Copp at UCSF, uh, has also kind of responded and given me • • some feedback. So, I think it's kind of • • also, I can't imagine being a researcher and • • having all of these medical students with me and then • • having a high school student trying to call me and say, • • hey, here's what I've been • • • doing. Why don't you take me • • on? So I, um, don't know. I can't imagine really that happening for me now, but it's shocking that I've gotten so much feedback from all these researchers. And although these responses from them so far, those two have been the most promising. But I definitely want to start trying to get into labs and things like that, which maybe would be possible with Stanford, um, sooner or later.

 

So you do realize how otherworldly this sounds - high school student calls and says, I need you to look into this. And here's what I think. And I've already interviewed people, and that just doesn't happen every day.

Yeah, I know. It's silly. I feel silly talking about it if I'm being honest, because I don't know, I can't really take myself seriously. So I can't imagine all of these people with MDS and PhDs and who've been working and researching for so long looked like taking me seriously, which is completely fair. But somehow I've been getting all these responses. So I guess something must be working or they just find me to be funny.

 

I don't know. But you have a real story with your grandmother, and you obviously have, uh, a drive and a passion, and you've gone about it the right way by going through the foundation, for sure. And if you've got Mindy and Jim Kuhn on your side, um, those people, uh, when they speak, people listen.

 

You're doing it the right • • way.

Hopefully. Yeah, hopefully. We'll see. Hopefully this takes off somehow.

All right, so you and I are speaking right now. On the ten 10 March in 2022 and very comfortably, um, ten, 1030 in the, uh, my time. And you are up at what, seven, 730? Yes, 730. And about to go to • • • school?

Sadly, • • yes.

 

So where do you go to school?

Redwood High School in Larksburg, California.

 

Um, Redwood high School. And you're taking AP • • • • classes?

Well, not a lot. Three.

 

So when you get to College, how many College credits will you already • • have?

More than I need. So I think I would have a semester, uh, done already.

It depends how many classes I take there.

 

Right. And if you get into, say, Harvard, they'll accept all of your AP credits. You • hope.

I hope my AP exams should allow for • • • • • that, um, to be a realistic thing, but I'm not sure because some of the classes AP research. I don't think there is a College credit for • • it. But we'll see. I don't know. It depends on every school takes different credits, but hopefully they'll take all of my credits.

 

Yeah, • • well, and are you taking a lot of chemistry? Uh, and so forth and so • on?

Biology. I love biology. Biology. Physiology. Tech. Chemistry. I took last year. It's very interesting, but for some reason, physiology and biology is really my thing. I really love that.

 

Okay. But you said, sadly, you're going to school today or are you just over it?

Yes. Senioritis is kicking in. I'm not sure if you're familiar with the term, but it's really big over here. I'm, um, done. I'm ready. I'm ready for the • summer.

 

Yeah, we had that term even back when I was in high school. In the dark ages.

Yeah.

All right. So if somebody wants to reach out to you, if they listen to this and they want to be interviewed or they want to share a story.

 

How do they do • • • • it? Well, they can email, um, me or they can. I mean, I have social media. Um, that's also a thing, but, um, they could also reach me through Mindy or, uh, Jim as well. They all have my, um, contact information. But John, I can leave, um, my email with you as well.

 

Okay, let's do that. And I'll just put it in the show notes and then people can just click on that and send you an email. And I don't think you'll, um, be covered up with people, but hopefully somebody listening to this will say, wow, this young lady is on to something. And let's give her the opportunity, uh, to succeed.

Hopefully. Okay. Angelica, thank you so much for your time this morning.

 

 

 

Episode 58 | Time to get ready for Sarcoidosis Awareness Month!

April is Sarcoidosis Awareness Month!   In this episode of the Sarc Fighter podcast, three leaders from the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research join me to talk about how the Foundation is working to raise awareness and some money for the fight, and how YOU can participate!  Whether it's taking some extra steps or posting to social media with special hashtags -- it's important to help all of us in the battle for better health care and medications to fight sarc!

Remember these hashtags for April!  #WhatIsSarcoidosis #MakeItVisible 

Here is a link to all the activities for April ! https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/awareness-2022

Learn about the clinical trial from Novartis: https://bit.ly/3o9LXKk

Universal Barriers Podcast:  https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/sarc-fighter-podcast/

More on Universal Barriers https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/events/universal-barriers-in-dealing-with-a-chronic-disease-a-sarcoidosis-perspective/

Ignore No More https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/ignore-no-more-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research-launches-african-american-women-sarcoidosis-campaign/

 

Sarcoidosis Awareness Film: https://www.purpledocumentary.com/

Nourish by Lindsey: https://www.nourishbylindsey.com/

Dr. Jinny Tavee's book, The Last Day of Suffering: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Day-Suffering-Health-Happiness/dp/0615542751

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

Bonus Episode on COVID-19 and Sarcoidosis https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-and-covid-19-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

Bonus Episode  Sarcoidosis and Prednisone: https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-town-hall-dealing-with-prednisone-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com

 

 

Episode 57 | Sarc Patient Robin Goble has lost her balance, but she’s fighting to keep her life upright.

Sarcoidosis patient Robin Goble once lived an active life that included cycling, hiking and hanging out with her friends while helping to raise two teenage sons.  Then sarcoidosis showed up in her life.  Now she is trying to get past the problems and looking for answers while helping other sarcoidosis patients cope with their problems.

Universal Barriers Podcast:  https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/sarc-fighter-podcast/

More on Universal Barriers https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/events/universal-barriers-in-dealing-with-a-chronic-disease-a-sarcoidosis-perspective/

Ignore No More https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/ignore-no-more-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research-launches-african-american-women-sarcoidosis-campaign/

Sarcoidosis Awareness Film: https://www.purpledocumentary.com/

Nourish by Lindsey: https://www.nourishbylindsey.com/

Dr. Jinny Tavee's book, The Last Day of Suffering: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Day-Suffering-Health-Happiness/dp/0615542751

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

Bonus Episode on COVID-19 and Sarcoidosis https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-and-covid-19-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

Bonus Episode  Sarcoidosis and Prednisone: https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-town-hall-dealing-with-prednisone-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com

Shakshuka

Serves 4

Ingredients and Prep

·       3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil	·       1 - 4 oz can green chilies
·       2 onions chopped	·       1 – 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
·       2 yellow/red bell peppers	·       ¼ cup water or vegetable broth
·       4 cloves of garlic	·       2 bay leaves
·       2 teaspoons tomato paste	·       4 eggs (or 1 can Chickpeas drained)
·       1 teaspoon ground turmeric	·       2 oz feta cheese (or vegan tofu feta)
·       1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper   ·       ¼ teaspoon black pepper	·       1 – 2 cups of fresh spinach, washed and torn   ·       1 Tablespoon Za’atar (optional)   ·       Cooked cous cous or rice for serving

1. Heat oil in skillet. 12 inch is best. Set heat to medium/high. Add onions and peppers – sauté until soft. Add garlic, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, black pepper and cayenne. Cook for about three minutes.
2. Add in chiles, tomatoes, water, spinach and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaves and transfer 1 -2 cups to a blender (or use an immersion blender) until smooth and return to skillet.
4. Make 4 indentations with a spoon with the sauce and crack an egg in each well. (For vegetarian version add chickpeas in place of eggs) Cover and cook 6-10 minutes. Add feta and sprinkle with Zaatar.

Serve over Cous Cous (we like Israeli) or rice.

(I adapted this recipe from The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook: 500 Vibrant, Kitchen-Tested Recipes for Living and Eating Well Every Day (The Complete ATK Cookbook Series) Paperback – December 27, 2016) My family loves all the recipes we have tried.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Mediterranean-Cookbook-Vibrant-Kitchen-Tested/dp/1940352649

Episode 56 | Dr. Shu-Yi Liao wants to know how sarcoidosis moves in the body.

Dr. Shu-Yi Liao is trying to answer the questions we all have about sarcoiodosis. How does it move within our bodies? And why do some people get it and others not?  Beyond that, what can be done to stop or prevent the disease?

 

 

Show Notes

More about Dr. Shu-Yi Liao: https://www.nationaljewish.org/doctors-departments/providers/physicians/shu-yi-liao

Learn about the clinical trial from Novartis: https://bit.ly/3o9LXKk

Universal Barriers Podcast:  https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/sarc-fighter-podcast/

More on Universal Barriers https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/events/universal-barriers-in-dealing-with-a-chronic-disease-a-sarcoidosis-perspective/

Ignore No More https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/ignore-no-more-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research-launches-african-american-women-sarcoidosis-campaign/

 

Sarcoidosis Awareness Film: https://www.purpledocumentary.com/

Nourish by Lindsey: https://www.nourishbylindsey.com/

Dr. Jinny Tavee's book, The Last Day of Suffering: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Day-Suffering-Health-Happiness/dp/0615542751

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

Bonus Episode on COVID-19 and Sarcoidosis https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-and-covid-19-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

Bonus Episode  Sarcoidosis and Prednisone: https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-town-hall-dealing-with-prednisone-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com

 

 

Episode 55 | Erica Courtenay-Mann Has Sarcoidosis on her Vocal Cords. But she is speaking out!

Erica Courtenay-Mann was feeling tired all the time.  Beyond tired.  Fatigued and unmotivated, but nobody understood.  It was the onset of sarcoidosis.  After several attempts for treatment -- her doctor noticed her neck didn't look right.  This is her story.

Show Notes

Universal Barriers Podcast:  https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/sarc-fighter-podcast/

More on Universal Barriers https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/events/universal-barriers-in-dealing-with-a-chronic-disease-a-sarcoidosis-perspective/

Ignore No More https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/ignore-no-more-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research-launches-african-american-women-sarcoidosis-campaign/

Learn about the clinical trial from Novartis: https://bit.ly/3o9LXKk

Sarcoidosis Awareness Film: https://www.purpledocumentary.com/

Nourish by Lindsey: https://www.nourishbylindsey.com/

Dr. Jinny Tavee's book, The Last Day of Suffering: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Day-Suffering-Health-Happiness/dp/0615542751

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

Bonus Episode on COVID-19 and Sarcoidosis https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-and-covid-19-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

Bonus Episode  Sarcoidosis and Prednisone: https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-town-hall-dealing-with-prednisone-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com

 

 

Bonus Episode | Universal Barriers in Dealing with a Chronic Disease: A Sarcoidosis Perspective

In this Bonus Episode of the Sarc Fighter podcast, listen in to the special seminar hosted by The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research as a physician and two sarc patients look at barriers to health care that cannot be overcome unless we all begin to recognize that they are real and won't go away on their own.  The discussion is led by Sarc Fighter host John Carlin.

 

Show Notes

More on Universal Barriers https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/events/universal-barriers-in-dealing-with-a-chronic-disease-a-sarcoidosis-perspective/

Ignore No More https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/ignore-no-more-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research-launches-african-american-women-sarcoidosis-campaign/

Learn about the clinical trial from Novartis: https://bit.ly/3o9LXKk

Sarcoidosis Awareness Film: https://www.purpledocumentary.com/

Nourish by Lindsey: https://www.nourishbylindsey.com/

Dr. Jinny Tavee's book, The Last Day of Suffering: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Day-Suffering-Health-Happiness/dp/0615542751

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

Bonus Episode on COVID-19 and Sarcoidosis https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-and-covid-19-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

Bonus Episode  Sarcoidosis and Prednisone: https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-town-hall-dealing-with-prednisone-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com

 

Episode 52 | Dr Divya Patel and Novartis are looking for a few good Sarc patients

As we begin 2022, there is even more reason for hope.  On this episode of the Sarc Fighter podcast, Dr. Divya Patel joins me.  Dr. Patel explains the clinical trial process and describes the trial she is working on at the University of Florida in connection with the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research.

Show notes

Learn about the clinical trial from Novartis: https://bit.ly/3o9LXKk

Sarcoidosis Awareness Film: https://www.purpledocumentary.com/

Nourish by Lindsey: https://www.nourishbylindsey.com/

Dr. Jinny Tavee's book, The Last Day of Suffering: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Day-Suffering-Health-Happiness/dp/0615542751

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

Bonus Episode on COVID-19 and Sarcoidosis https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-and-covid-19-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

Bonus Episode  Sarcoidosis and Prednisone: https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-town-hall-dealing-with-prednisone-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com

Episode 54 | Calvin Harris’ lungs are clogged with Sarcoidosis -- but he wants to run a marathon.

Calvin Harris lives in New York City, where he balances his time working as a CFO with running and giving back to his community.  He also writes a popular blog called Run Your Own Race.  And that's what he is doing.  In this episode of the Sarc Fighter podcast, Calvin talks about how he deals with all the medications he is taking to keep his sarcoidosis under control, while he trains for a marathon with his sights set on completing the famous New York City marathon in the near future.  

Read Calvin's Blog https://sarcoidosisnews.com/category/columns/run-your-own-race-a-column-by-calvin-harris/

Foloow Calvin on Peloton Calvinfnharris

Follow me on Peloton SarcFighter

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

Bonus Episode on COVID-19 and Sarcoidosis https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-and-covid-19-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

Bonus Episode  Sarcoidosis and Prednisone: https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-town-hall-dealing-with-prednisone-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com

 

Episode 53 | Reasons for hope in the fight against Sarcoidosis in 2022

As we begin a new year it's time to take a look at what's ahead in 2022.  Both for ourselves and for the sarcoidosis community at large.  In episode 53 I take a look at what you can do to fight sarc in your own personal battle as you make your new year's resolutions, as well as a look t what researchers, doctors and others are doing to further the fight against the disease, whether it's a new medicine, sarcoidosis awareness or patient outreach.

Show notes

Sarcoidosis Awareness Film: https://www.purpledocumentary.com/

Nourish by Lindsey: https://www.nourishbylindsey.com/

Dr. Jinny Tavee's book, The Last Day of Suffering: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Day-Suffering-Health-Happiness/dp/0615542751

Read about the patient trial with aTyr 1923 https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-positive-data-phase-1b2a-clinical-trial

Also -- Note that investors also believe in the promise of aTyr 1923: https://investors.atyrpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/atyr-pharma-announces-closing-863-million-public-offering

Yale University and sarcoidosis skin treatment | Dr. William Damsky: https://news.yale.edu/2018/12/26/yale-experts-treat-severe-disfiguring-sarcoidosis-novel-therapy

Stanford University Clinical trial | Dr. Mathew Baker: https://med.stanford.edu/sarcoidosis/clinical-trial.html

Bonus Episode on COVID-19 and Sarcoidosis https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-and-covid-19-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

Bonus Episode  Sarcoidosis and Prednisone: https://beatsarc.podbean.com/e/bonus-episode-sarcoidosis-town-hall-dealing-with-prednisone-presented-by-the-foundation-for-sarcoidosis-research/

MORE FROM JOHN

Cycling with Sarcoidosis http://carlinthecyclist.com/category/cycling-with-sarcoidosis/

Watch the Prednisone Town Hall on YouTube https://youtu.be/dNwbcBIyQhE

More on aTyr Pharma: https://www.atyrpharma.com/

Do you like the official song for the Sarc Fighter podcast?  It's also an FSR fundraiser!

If you would like to donate in honor of Mark Steier and the song, Zombie, Here is a link to his KISS account.  (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis)  100-percent of the money goes to the Foundation.  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/MarkSteier

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/

Donate to my KISS (Kick In to Stop Sarcoidosis) fund for FSR  https://stopsarcoidosis.rallybound.org/JohnCarlinVsSarcoidosis?fbclid=IwAR1g2ap1i1NCp6bQOYEFwOELdNEeclFmmLLcQQOQX_Awub1oe9bcEjK9P1E

My story on Television https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/news-anchor-sarcoidosis/

email me  carlinagency@gmail.com