2002 ARDS Survivors Conference
presented by Intermountain Health Care
September 7-8, 2002
Hilton Salt Lake City Center

On a crisp fall morning in Salt Lake City, Utah, ARDS survivors, family members, and leading medical researchers from Salt Lake City and throughout the country gathered at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center for an historic event--the first time medical professionals and survivors would come together and discuss the history of ARDS and its impact on survivors and family members.

On Saturday, Joy Sundloff, an ARDS survivor from Kaysville, Utah, welcomed and moved the group with her opening remarks.  Joy had spent five months in the ICU and had many inspiring thoughts to share.  The rest of the morning and afternoon, we received much valuable information from leading medical professionals from throughout the country--Dr. Lin Weaver, Dr. Ken Steinberg, Dr. John Hansen-Flaschen, Dr. Jason Christie, Dr. Mona Hopkins, Teresa Gordon, R.R.T., Jim Jewkes, R.P.T., Dr. Loren Greenway, and Marcia Thompson, L.C.S.W.  We were also able to ask many questions and share a great deal of our own experiences.

On Saturday evening, a dinner was held in the ballroom, and again we had an opportunity to get to know other survivors in more casual surroundings.  

On Sunday morning, Dr. Jane Wallace gave an excellent presentation on the research she has done on sleep and sedation issues in the ICU.  Of particular interest was the notion of "brain failure," formerly known as "ICU psychosis," which many ICU patients experience, and the research she is embarking on to try to address that issue.  Then Meg Tapucol-Provo and Dr. Steve Yarnall took the podium and shared their stories, and later facilitated a very lively discussion of the role that love, prayer, humor, music, touch and pets played in the recovery from ARDS.

As co-directors of the conference, Max Eskelson and Preston Wilkinson did a fabulous job.  A wonderful time was had by all, and everyone agrees that this should be an annual event.  Also, the consensus seemed to be that the meeting should take place at sea level, to take into account those people who have difficulty breathing at high altitudes, and it seemed as though everyone felt that Seattle would be the ideal place for the next conference.  (We wouldn't argue that point!)  We're at sea level, it's a beautiful city, there are lots of things to see and do here, and the weather is beautiful in September.  We also have quite a few ARDS survivors here. Furthermore, it seemed that everyone in Salt Lake City was anxious to visit Seattle and said, "I'll be there!"  So we'll keep you posted!