Getting good at PD to me meant that: It would not take over the whole house; that we would not make goofs because we were disorganized; and that my hubby would not feel overwhelmed. I figured it’s hard enough to have a permanent body hole to deal with.
I really like the way we got it arranged, and so do our PD nurses (they took pictures to share with other patients). We found some non-medical items that helped and I wanted to share these ideas here:
1. The tables are actually a set of tables made for camping called the Coleman 4-in-1 Table
http://a.co/aM7HPPY. We really like this part of the set up because the tables are nice and narrow, letting us set up right in the entrance hallway and yet not be in the way (being here puts the machine about halfway between the bathroom and the bed). The table legs are adjustable, so we were able to get the height just right. It’s made of aluminum so it’s easy to keep clean and spills don’t hurt it.
2. Under the left table is where we store a little trash can (for the small bits of plastic, paper and cotton trash) as well as the scale. Easy to pull out when needed and then slide back out of the way when done.
3. Under the table is a cat’s litter box (size Large) made by Petmate
http://a.co/08wSl2u. I bought this to put the drain bag in because we had a couple of mornings where we woke to find a wet, sticky floor from a small leak. This litter box is lightweight yet strong enough to let us more easily carry the drain bag to the bathroom. It’s big enough that the drain bag isn’t cramped, yet it’s short enough to fit under the table.
4. On the left table is an 18”x24” aluminum cookie sheet
http://a.co/8Zbuc1l. I got this because it has a lip so the bits and bobs don’t accidentally get brushed to the floor while hooking up. And being metal, it’s easy to keep clean, too.
5. Sitting on the left side of the table are two containers meant for arts ‘n crafts called the Artbin Super Semi-Satchel
http://a.co/7kY0v0W, but we use them to store the small consumables so my hubby only has to carry the bags of liquid, cassette and drain bag to the station each day. These containers have dividers in them to help keep things organized. We have two: One for the daily hookup (I labeled it “Table Kit”, and one for dressing his exit site (I labeled it “Bath Kit”). These are handy also when we travel because their lids snap securely in place and their handles are, well, handy!
6. Behind the wall, out of sight most of the time, is a little refrigerator & microwave that we set up so that he has access to snacks in the night when he can’t sleep. I think that goes a long way toward feeling less trapped by the tether.
7. The main storage and trash are in a nearby bedroom, out of the way. The large trash (all the plastic jazz) goes into a laundry hamper that has a handle and two wheels because this stuff becomes heavy by the end of the week. I got the hamper because it was larger than kitchen trash containers and the plastic fit inside more easily. Unfortunately, the 35-gallon trash bags that work well don’t quite fold over the hamper’s larger lip – that bit could be better.
8. My hubby makes sure to ‘break down’ the cardboard boxes daily so that they don’t take up a bunch of room and then all this goes out on trash/recycle day – nowhere near as big a deal as it was when we first started.
Anyway, just bragging I reckon. I hope there are a few ideas there that someone may find useful.
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