Preparing for a Vacation

[Restorer]

I'll be going on a short vacation to Vegas with my family at the end of the month (driving up). I'll be bringing my cycler and all the supplies I'll need. But I'm planning on having a really good time while I'm there. I won't do anything especially stupid, but I'm going to be eating things I shouldn't, drinking more than I should, and generally just having a good time.

Of course, I'll be trying to get as much dialysis as I can overnight on my cycler, but what can I do ahead of time to prepare my body for the excess? I'm thinking it'll be a good idea to really limit phosphorus and fluid intake for the week prior, because I'll definitely be making it up over the three-day vacation. I wonder if it would also be helpful to get extra protein ahead of time. Any other things I should take into account?

[paul.karen]

If you cant cheat while on vacation when can you.

Have a good time and hope you hit the big one.

best odds are at the card tables.  At least your in control there.

[BigSteve]

Are you taking any 4.25 % bags in case of fluid buildup and edema? Pay attention to weight gain
and edema and you should have a good time.

[Restorer]

I'll definitely be taking a full complement of concentrations of bags so I can use what I need. I'll also bring some manual bags just in case. I recently switched clinics when I moved, and my new clinic wants me to switch to the Liberty cycler (from the Newton), which I'm totally in favor of, so maybe I'll have the new cycler by the time I head to Vegas.

There's only one thing I can think of to be very careful about: at one of our planned restaurant stops, they do a mystery tasting of ice creams and sorbets. If I end up trying that, I'll have to make sure none of the mystery flavors include starfruit, right?

[Restorer]

So, my vacation is getting closer. I'll be leaving on Thursday, around noon. I'll be bringing my cycler (Fresenius Newton IQ) but I no longer have the original box, or anything specifically made for transporting the cycler. Any suggestions on how to transport it in the car and then up to the hotel room? Should I just find another big box to pack it in?

[KICKSTART]

I dont really think you can do anything beforehand , if you start pulling off loads of fluid now you will just end up dehydrated! I know you want to have a good time but just have a bit of all the 'naughty 'things rather than loads ! The thing you will have to watch for most like you say, is fluid overload, so take those stronger bags. As for food well i dont think that a few days of a bad diet will make much difference. Enjoy your trip ! 

[Savemeimdtba]

Try not to worry too much, have a good time and just be a little cautious Everyone deserves a worry-free vacation! 

When i travel with my cycler I just put it sturdily somewhere in the back and that's that.. no boxes or anything.  As for getting it to the hotel room - I get one of those push thingies for luggage (don't know the word?) and steal that for duration I am there and keep it in my room for my boxes and what not. 

[Restorer]

I think I'll need a box - my Newton cycler is a big, ugly, multi-part beast of a machine. It's nowhere near as portable as the Fresenius Liberty or the current Baxter model. It has its own (required) stand, and the wheel base is about 22" x 22", then the plastic tray that sits on top of the scale is fairly wide. There are all kinds of accoutrements that need to be taken along too - metal bars and such. Without some sort of custom-made case for carrying it, I'll have to use a box, and 24" x 24" by 16" should be sufficient.

We will get a cart to ferry all our luggage and the cycler equipment along with us up to the rooms.

[MiSSis]

I'm lucky that we saved our original box for my Fresenius Newton IQ cycler so when we travel and I'm not having Fresenius ship a cycler and supplies ahead of time, my husband can repack it in the box and away we go.  I'm not sure if they would have them but you might want to try and call one of those Mailbox, Etc. or Kinko-FedEX places to see if they might have a box large enough that you could buy.  Their boxes seem to be well built and sturdy which you'll need because of the weight of the machine.

My dialysis unit has a suitcase from Fresenius that they loan out to patients but the problem there is that the case is for the machine only and not the stand.  Doesn't make much sense to me since you can't use the Newton without the stand.  We had found that out during training so we knew to save the original box when my machine was first delivered.   

My husband and I were in Vegas in Feb but we flew there so I had made arrangements to have Fresenius ship a cycler, dialysate and tubing ahead of time.  Their travel department has been really wonderful to work with. 

[Savemeimdtba]

Oh,  I didn't realize the Newton was so non-portable... well, hopefully you will get a Liberty soon!  That will be a great upgrade It's extremely portable and easy to carry/move and store in the car!  No boxes needed. 

[Restorer]

I got a 24" x 24" x 16" box. Along with the cycler, I'll be bringing two boxes of 2.5% fluid, one box of 4.25% (this is a two-night stay, and one box covers me for one night), 3 cycler tubing sets, two drain lines, three drain bags, 3 caps, and the other incidentals I'll need. Whew, lots of stuff. 5 boxes. But I'll be covered for whatever happens.

[MiSSis]

Hi Restorer,

Do you use the 10' Patient Line Extensions (Fresenius Cat #029-11000)?  These are attached to the patient line on the main tubing and obviously gives you additional length to get around.  I still have some kidney function so I need to be able to reach the bathroom whenever I'm hooked up.  When I go on vacation I actually take two of these extensions for each night I'm there since I don' know how far the bathroom will be from my side of the bed.   

Another thing that I've found to be really helpful is a checklist of items I'll need.  I have two lists that I made; one for dialysis stuff including my bandaging supplies for each day and the other for my regular packing.  Over time, as we've traveled more and more while I've been on dialysis, I've been able to refine these lists to where I'm confident I'll have everything I'll need (and then some!).  I've also found that having these really has reduced my packing time.   

[Restorer]

I got back from my trip last night. The Newton cycler is definitely not portable. Sure, you can get it from place to place, but it's a big hassle. Maybe if there's a custom-made suitcase for transporting this cycler out there... but I'll be switching to the Liberty soon anyway.

Didn't have any problems, except that the expected room with two queen beds wasn't available, only the room with one king bed, and the layout of that room put the bed far away from the bathroom - too far for a drain line. But since I was sharing the room with my brother, we got a rollaway bed and put it next to the bathroom, and I was able to set up my drain line to the bathtub.

I don't have any patient line extensions, but I haven't really found myself needing them. I still have some kidney function, but not enough anymore that I have to go to the bathroom while I'm connected to the cycler.