In December of 2009, with the passing of Thomas L. Petty, MD, the world of pulmonary medicine lost a true icon. Beginning with his graduation from medical school in 1958, Dr. Tom (as many patients and colleagues affectionately knew him) enjoyed a career that spanned more than five decades.
“the father of pulmonary medicine,” “the father of LTOT” (long-term oxygen therapy), and “the father of pulmonary rehabilitation.” Starting in 1965, when he first discovered the possibilities that new liquid-oxygen portable systems offered to those needing home and ambulatory oxygen, Petty elevated and promoted the medical management of COPD like no other before him or since.
In the early 2000s, Dr. Petty experienced health issues of his own—issues that in his words placed him “on the other end of the stethoscope.” This was Dr. Petty’s way of letting everyone know that he too was now a regular user of supplemental oxygen.
To nurture this growing patient-centric movement, in 2004 Dr. Petty published his first book on the subject, Adventures of an Oxy-Phile. Although the first edition of Adventures of an Oxy-Phile is out of print, a free copy can be downloaded from the Web site: drtompetty.org. The writing of the second edition, Adventures of an Oxy-Phile2, commenced in full fervor by Dr. Petty in August of 2009, during an extended period of wellness. It was brought to its final form by three life-long colleagues and close friends.
As with the first edition, Adventures of an Oxy-Phile2, is more about LTOT users, although there is ample attention directed at the underlying science of continuous supplemental oxygen therapy. However, with the second edition—208 pages versus 96 for the first—there is considerably more material about both themes. In all, there are 20 chapters, nine individual vignettes by LTOT users, and 11 chapters by acknowledged experts (four by Dr. Petty himself) on various aspects directly related to providing LTOT in the United States and abroad.
In the final analysis, Adventures of an Oxy-Phile2 is a fitting tribute to a giant in the pulmonary community, who always placed his patients at the forefront. With the publication of this book, I’m pleased to note that Dr. Petty’s commitment to his patients will endure long after his passing.
This review was written by Patrick J Dunne, MEd RRT FAARC, HealthCare Productions, Fullerton, California. Review is reprinted with permission by the American Association for Respiratory Care, Respiratory Care Journal, March 2011, Vol. 56 No. 3 pages 370-372.
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