CREF 2014: Live Blog- Day 1
Editors Note:
Welcome on Day 1 of CREF 2014! I am attending this year, and will be Live Blogging this event throughout the next 4 days. Please check back often for updates as they happen.
Thanks for following ‘Surfers, and enjoy the conference 🙂
Frank Aprile, BBA, LP, CCP
Circuit Surfers dot com
CREF day 1
How odd-
Started the day early and found the Bayfront Hilton- home of the CREF conference 2014.
Walked into the exhibitors hall- and yes- there was a booth for ‘Surfers. So I set that up and kind of have a little rabbit hole to hang my hat and sign on- next to a construction yard full of seriously large crates with big corporate names on them.
I walk with the industry giants for the time being- although I am clueless how to act or what to say.
It’s not like I’m selling anything- just relaying a steady message that we as an collective effort are better as a whole than the sum of our parts.
Waiting for the conference to begin.
Day 1 Schedule:
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Notes & Observations:
Didn’t attend the CPR class although I believe 4 people recertified.
The retirement class was a little too scary to go to- so missed that too…
Notes & Observations:
A nice intro by Al Stammers- thank you. He also thanked ‘Surfers for the art work- and I was able to express my thoughts on the purpose for the blog in terms of it being a fresh and FREE resource for all perfusionists.
The Heart Failure talk was truly excellent.
Good history, discusses classification of patients and destination therapy.
1st generation – cumbersome. Usually needs to be changed out at 6 months.
Downsides to VADs- preload and after load dependent.
Clean presentation.
LVADS now have a 60% survival rate- as bridges to transplant.
Notes & Observations:
So Finally had the big moment at 5 pm when the Industry Exhibits were opened for the first time to the general perfusion public. I had been wearing 3 badges so to speak- all day. An attendee, an exhibitor, and a poster presenter.
I felt like a 3rd world dictator with a bunch of gaudy medals hanging from my suit.
But it went well, and ‘Surfers got a very warm reception from many many perfusionists.
One Turkish perfusionist for whom I had posted an ad for a perfusion conference in Turkey, had me take several pictures with him- to prove he had met “Circuit Surfers”.
I told him to write an article- in Turkish, and we would publish it. Who cares if we can’t read it- they come and support us- and I’m sure most Turks don’t speak much English.
Perfusion however is a universal language- as is the art on the blog- so yeah, it all works out to the benefit of everybody.
Cya 🙂
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