to Peggy re. liquid portables

[Guest guest]

Hi Peggy.

Thank you for the lovely photos. Wish I could sit and

visit with you while you sit in your comfy chair.

I love your box... very special, and I'm proud to be in it.

I'm on straight liquid 02. I have two places in my house

where there are two 60-pound reservoirs, Y'd together

with a connector. (They can't bring me the bigger tanks

because of 7 outdoor steps.) They have to refill mine

every week at my high flow. When I'm home I operate

straight off the reservoirs. When I'm out, I take

Companion Ts. I am very fortunate that my supplier allowed

me four of them, after my rant about not being ready to

be housebound yet no matter WHAT my liter flow is.

It totally depends on how long I'm gone as to how many

portables I take, and what kind of help I have. When I had

lunch with Bruce, I carried one on my shoulder and an

extra in another bag. I rarely carry even that one extra

bag myself - I just get too sob - but this was a short

walk. I had a third in the car for backup, though. When

I'm sitting, one lasts me for about 1.5 hours or sometimes

2 (set on 5 or 6, occasionally on 4). If I'm going to be out

longer, I push a cart in which I put the one I'm using plus

up to 3 others, and my purse or coat or whatever. Sometimes

I use one and take two in a special sized bag that I have

someone carry in FOR me, if it's to someone's home or

someplace where I'll mainly be sitting. Heck, it's hard

enough just carting the one on my shoulder at 8.9 lb filled.

But I do that versus using the cart that comes with the

Companions, which I find more cumbersome than helpful.

My tanks don't last as long if I'm walking around (like

maybe 45 minutes), as I was recently at a museum. I

took my pushcart. When I'm set all the way up to 10 or

15 liters for very long, the cannula can and sometimes

does freeze to the portable, so I always carry an extra

cannula for the change-over. That has saved my neck

more than once.

When I'm at the doctor's, I always go on their e-tanks

as soon as I get there to conserve mine. They're used to

doing that - all of us ought to be able to request that.

But I usually use my own cannula, as mine is cut

specially to fit my OxyView glasses.

It's all a monumental pain in the butt, but it gets me

up and around or out of the house. Good luck

figuring out what works best for you.

Hugs,

Gwynne IPF 7/04 listed for transplant 3/07 Texas