Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis woman breathes in new life with lung treatment

Published

1 year ago

July 21, 2023

Indianapolis woman breathes in new life with lung treatment

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A new medical procedure is breathing life into the ailing lungs of an Indianapolis woman.

Nan Graf, 73, was placed on oxygen a year ago. Beginning in autumn 2022, She couldn’t get up and down the stairs in her house, walk her dog or even leave home without oxygen from a portable tank.

“They said I was going to have to have oxygen. They said, ‘You are going to have to be on oxygen full time. I went, ‘Excuse me.’ I was like, ‘Oh, my God.”

The consequences of a full life had left a mark on her lungs.

Graf had breathing issues and had quit smoking cigarettes and other recreational material more than twenty years ago. “I regret what I did to my body. When you are smoking it can take a toll on your lungs, but when you are in active addiction it doesn’t really matter.”

The years of smoking led to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema.

A call from her doctor changed everything.

Dr Phillip Forys, a pulmonologist and the medical director of pulmonary rehabilitation at Ascension St. Vincent hospital in Indianapolis, suggested she might be a candidate for a new procedure called bronchoscopic lung volume reduction.

“This procedure works really well in taking that sick part and making it smaller, and then, when it is smaller, when Nan is active or anyone is active with advanced emphysema, hyperinflation, the healthy lung has more room to work. So, a lot of people who smoke, the smoke travels up, damages the tops of the lungs, and that lung can get too big and squish the bottom parts.”

Forys says a device, which is about half the size of a quarter, acts like a plumbing check valve and lets air out but restricts the flow of air to the sick part of Nan’s lung.

The doctor said, “It only lets air out one way. So when a patient like Nan takes a deep breath in with the location of the valve, when she takes a deep breath, air doesn’t go to the sick part anymore. It mostly goes down, checks the air that is coming in from the unhealthy lung and brings it into the healthy lung.”

Graf is the second person in Indiana to have the procedure. She has six valves in her lungs and is off portable oxygen, except at night when she sleeps, which is not expected for all patients.

Forys says about 8% of the population in Indiana has COPD, which he says is a very high rate, and smoking is the leading cause of COPD.

To qualify for the procedure, patients are put through rigorous breathing tests. The procedure is recommended for active, older adults who don’t have any other serious medical conditions.

Forys said, “No. 1, no smoking. I prefer six months. No. 2 is reasonably active, so one who is still leaving the house, walking in the grocery store, playing with their kids, but maybe they feel limited.

“Unfortunately, this is not a great procedure for someone who is really ill and homebound.

“Exercise is really one of the better treatments for COPD.”

The doctors says about 50 patients have been screened so far for the procedure, which is insurance covers.

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Indianapolis, IN

Indiana Grown: 8th Day Distillery

Published

3 hours ago

August 3, 2024

Press Room

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Each and every Saturday, WISH-TV highlights a local company together with our partners at Indiana Grown.

This week, Jaime and Matt Lamping with 8th Day Distillery in Indianapolis joined News 8 at Daybreak.

The Lampings share with News 8 what started their passion for the distillery, and elaborate on how Indiana’s state laws at the time impacted their plans.

They also share more about their Bottle Shop & Cocktail Bar, which recently celebrated its sixth anniversary. They discuss their various workshops and show off new releases ready to hit your shelves this year.

Watch the full interview above to learn more.

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Indianapolis, IN

Report: Pirates Promote Top Pitching Prospect to Indianapolis

Published

10 hours ago

August 3, 2024

Press Room

Report: Pirates Promote Top Pitching Prospect to Indianapolis

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are reportedly promoting one of their top pitching prospects in their minor league system, getting him closer to the MLB.

Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reported that the Pirates will promote right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler from Double-A Altoona Curve to Triple-A Indianapolis Indians.

Sources: Top Pirates prospect Bubba Chandler is being promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Chandler tossed seven innings of one run ball tonight for Altoona. He has pitched to a 2.61 ERA with 10.6 K/9 since the start of June.
Chandler is ranked as @MLBPipeline‘s No. 49 prospect.
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— Alex Stumpf (@AlexJStumpf) August 3, 2024

Chandler played for North Oconee High School in Bogart, Ga., 60 miles east of Atlanta. He starred in multiple sports, including basketball, golf, football and baseball. He originally committed to Georgia to play baseball, but then decommitted and committed to Clemson to play both football and baseball.

He had a fantastic senior season for North Oconee, going 8-1 with just a 1.25 ERA, plus 96 strikeouts in 44.2 innings pitched, while hitting .411 with eight home runs, 12 doubles and 35 RBI.

The Pirates would select Chandler with the No, 72 overall pick in the Third Round of the 2021 MLB Draft and signed him for $3 millon signing bonus, an over slot signing.

He pitched and also played shortstop for the Rookie-Level Florida Complex Pirates in 2021 and 2022 and then earned promotion to the Bradenton Marauders in the Single-A Florida State League.

Chandler chose to focus on pitching heading into the 2023 season, which would show his best talents. He started 24 games for the Greensboro Grasshoppers in High-A, with a 9-4 record, 4.75 ERA in 106.0 innings pitched, making 120 strikeouts to 51 walks and holding hitters to a .265 batting average.

He made it up to Altoona for just one game in 2023, allowing just one hit in five innings of work and getting the win.

Chandler has played all of 2024 in Double-A, starting 16 of 19 games, a 6-7 record, one save, one shutout. He also had a 3.70 ERA in 80.1 innings pitched, allowing 55 hits, 33 earned runs and 26 walks, while making 94 strikeouts and holding hitters to a .192 batting average, along with having a 1.01 WHIP.

His last start came Friday night against the Richmond Flying Squirrels, allowing just two hits and one run in 6.0 innings pitched, while making six strikeouts on 80 pitches.

Chandler has also pitched great since the start of June, with a 2.61 ERA and 10.6 K/9.

MLB Pipeline ranks Chandler as the No. 49 prospect in their top 100 across baseball, the No. 9 right-handed pitcher and No. 12 pitcher. They also rate him as the highest Pirates prospect.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Indianapolis, IN

National discount retailer to make it's way to downtown Indianapolis

Published

17 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

National discount retailer to make it's way to downtown Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS — The downtown Indy building Claypool Court is getting a new retailer.

Officials hope major names like Burlington will bring more Hoosiers and visitors to Mile Square.

WRTV

“There’s definitely a lot of higher-end restaurants right around this area, so I think bringing in some retail stores isn’t a bad idea,” Wesley Slaughter, who lives downtown, said.

The store will sit at Washington and Illinois Streets, an area Slaughter says will be a good fit because it’s a heavily trafficked intersection.

“I could see it being beneficial to get more people in the area because otherwise you have to drive outside of 465 just to hit one of those stores,” Slaughter said.

TJ Maxx has been a big part of the downtown retail scene for many years, but now there is some competition with the Burlington that’s going to be a couple of doors down.

WATCH RELATED COVERAGE | Downtown Indy’s Future Plans announced

Downtown Indy’s future plans announced

“We’re excited anytime that there’s a new addition to the retail landscape here in downtown Indianapolis,” Taylor Schaffer, with Downtown Indy Inc., said.

Schaffer says this is just part of a pipeline of new projects and development coming to the area.