Tilting shower chair

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Weltschmerz

Active member
Joined
Apr 14, 2019
Messages
57
Reason
CALS
Diagnosis
01/2019
Country
UK
State
SC
City
Edinburgh
Hi everyone. As veterans (of 6 crazy months...) my PALS and I have a dilemma based on experience so far. Our apartment doesn’t have suitable bathroom facilities and we rent so can’t make structural changes. We’ve been quoted for a fancy tilting shower chair and ramp to get into a raised shower area. All of this sounds wonderful but how does someone shower if they already need their ventilation support (Philips Respironics) almost 24/7? Is it stressful to be in a shower even if the chair works well? We have cover for the shower chair but are wondering if it will be the answer so desperately sought. These last few months have seen a number of items purchased and never/almost never actually used...

Thanks again for your tips and support. This forum is helpful to check in on.
 
We showered my husband while using the Trilogy non-invasively and as a vent with a tracheostomy. After watching our very experienced nurses handle the vent, I was eventually able to move and shower him by myself with the vent on. I think the hardest part is transferring a PALS while hooked up to a vent--we had a ceiling lift that made that easier. I assume you are already doing transfers, so sling that vent over your shoulder as you roll him into the shower. Then, sit it somewhere protected from water (we had space to sit it on it's own chair. You'll want a hand held sprayer, which you can install in a rental. Tilt him all the way back to wash his hair, using the sprayer. Actually, if there's room to tilt him, the entire shower may be easier on you if he stays tilted. If you are using a face mask or nasal pillows, just avoid soaking that area with he sprayer (wash it with a wash cloth). Once my husband was trached, we just saved changing the dressing for after his shower. Stepping around the hose takes a bit of practice, but once you figure out what arrangement works best for you it will soon become second nature.
 
Some people here have used mouthpiece ventilation during showers, if the PALS can still initiate a breath that way. That way, you don't have the hassle of the mask -- the 15mm mouthpiece plugs into the end of the hose (and note that hoses can be 8 or 10 ft., not just 6).

We rested the machine on the sink and did not lift it during the process.

See this thread also.
 
Thanks for posting that other thread; helpful to see others have tried what we are planning. At the moment it’s Trilogy as a non-invasive device so we might manage a minute or two without it, and then a quick burst using the nasal mask. Our transfers are with a sort of Hoyer lift so the plan is to use that from the bed to the shower wheelchair, and then wheel up into the shower in the chair. Our shower space has an overhead shower as usual but a handheld piece is already there, as is common in mainland Europe I guess. We haven’t tried mouthpiece ventilation but that could also be an idea. Again, thanks all.
 
As others have said, you don't have to remove the Trilogy even if a mask is being used. If it is uncomfortable for the PALS, I would not.
 
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