46 replies to this topic

[Avocado Baby]

Hi there,

Me again with another question. What do you guys do when you need to get out of the shower and back into your chair and you're all wet?

I've tried transfering into another wheelchair first until I'm dry and then transfering back, but I've nearly done myself an injury quite a few times or fallen on the floor.
I've just resorted to getting straight from the shower to my regular chair but this just means that the cushion gets all wet and I have to change the cover regularly cos it starts to smell!


I'm sure you guys can come up with some useful tips.

Thanks in advance

Ali x

[Nichole]

I just dry off in the shower while i'm still sitting in my shower chair, but I'm really flexible and have good balance so i'm not sure if that would be hard for you or not. If you can't maybe you could at least put a towel in your wheelchair so the cushion doesn't get so wet.

[DaveP]

I put a bath towel on my chair so the backrest and cushion are covered, and dry myself on my shower seat before transferring back onto my wheelchair.

[SuperDaz]

When im in my shower chair,ill pop a towel on the the bed transfer onto bed then dry off get dressed and then transfer on to my chair..sod all the sliding every where..lol

[russ1]

I just dry off mostly while i'm on the shower seat and then put a towel on the wheelchair seat before I transfer back onto it, that towel drys the rest of my bum and slides out easily enough as I'm dressing in the chair if I don't get back onto the bed. Seat cushion stays nice and dry that way.

[hockeydahc]

i'm no help. I dry off standing. but I do lay down a towel.

[sweetie]

I get some pads from the nurse and put one of these on my chair with a folded towel on top, I also wrap myself in a towel when I am still on my shower chair then transfer back onto my chair then I wheel to my bedroom and transfer to my bed to finish drying and getting dressed. Hope this helps

[sjean423]

I put a large folded towel on my w/c. Then I dry off somewhat while on the shower bench, and transfer to my w/c. Transfer to my bed to finish dressing. Then back to my chair. My cushion stays nice and dry. (I don;t dress in my chair.)

[wheeliebear75]

I also dry the majority of the way off while still sitting down on the shower chair. I use more towels too get dry than ABs instead of the usual 1 or 2 I use 2 or 3 and if it it's super cold and I had to do my hair than in comes towel #4.

[Avocado Baby]

Thanks guys!

Looks like I might just have to invest in some more towels!!

[sjean423]

Yea, 4 towels is about the norm for me too!

[Elzeen]

Hi Ali -

My method is similar to others I've seen here. Do as much drying as you can while sitting on the shower chair - everything you can reach without jeoparizing your balance. I put a folded towel on my wheelchair cushion and one on the wheelchair footplates. This helps dry my butt and feet. By the time I transfer and get to my bed for dressing, I just need to do a little towel drying of my lower extremities. 3 towels does the trick. After drying off in the shower, I use that same towel to wrap my hair. The other 2 towels do double duty by sealing in the leaks around the shower curtain while in the shower. Good luck!

[Godsgirl151999]

i sit on the bath chair (leaning agianst the wall) and let myself drip dry for a little then i put a cloth bed pad on my w/c get in wheelchair and wait till after i am dressed befor twisting and turning to take out the bed pad. (most of the time i drip dry compleatly in the shower) my methode, by the way, does take a VERY long time

[Dima G.]

I actually sit on the bathtub floor (on a 1 inch cushion) when I shower. Then I grab the metal handle on the right wall and the chair with my left hand and lift myself out of the bathtub. When I travel though, and the hotel has the bath chair, I just dry myself in the bath chair and then put the towel over the cushion so it does not get wet, but even if it does, it dries by the morning.

[Mikerowaved]

I can dry myself enough in the shower chair to actually pull my boxers on, THEN transfer to my regular wheelchair. Makes transferring a whole lot easier than "bare buns" style. Of course, with our dry Utah air, a towel is sometimes optional.

I then finish dressing on the bed as others here do.

[HCHC]

I put a towel on my chair and dry myself with another towel

[Edtezky]

I use a shower wheelchair. I took apart a regular wheelchair and put a hard seat on it with a small roho cushion. And i am able to roll around the shower easily. I had the bathroom torn apart so i can roll in a out. Then i transfer to the bed with 3-4 towels and dry my self off then get dressed. then get into my regular wheelchair.

[Texaswheelz]

I have a normal shower with a tub in it and the shower chair inside the tub, i dry everything but my ass and feet while still in the shower chair, then put the towel on the side of the tub and transfer onto it to dry my ass and then i transfer into my chair and then dry my feet as i get them out of the tub.

[Murray]

similar to Tex - shower on shower chair in tub; dry as much as possible there; place small towell on transfer board (fold trailing edge under board); transfer from shower chair to w/c, drying legs and feet along the way; leave the t/brd in place, wheel to the bed, transfer and finish drying. Good luck.

[Ches]

Ali do you use a bench? If so, try leaning to one side, getting an ass cheek off the bench, and putting the towel under there to sit on. Do it on both sides and before you know it your ass and bench are drying all while your drying yourself. Once your done with the upper body, just start drying your legs and putting your pants on.. and just pull out the towels as you pull your pants over your ass. Your tush should be nice and dry by then.. and not like that soggy dry... BUT DRY!

[Murray]

Ches, on Jan 12 2008, 09:37 PM, said:

Ali do you use a bench? If so, try leaning to one side, getting an ass cheek off the bench, and putting the towel under there to sit on. Do it on both sides and before you know it your ass and bench are drying all while your drying yourself. Once your done with the upper body, just start drying your legs and putting your pants on.. and just pull out the towels as you pull your pants over your ass. Your tush should be nice and dry by then.. and not like that soggy dry... BUT DRY!

Aw, come on, Ches - give 'em the rest of the story... ha!

[Ches]

Haha Murray, SHUT UP!! I tell you these things in confidence.. just kidding..


Ok so, I completely BUSTED my ass in the shower the other day! I feel as tho I have been initiated.

Easy on the soap!

[KimAndSophie]

Mikerowaved, on Jan 12 2008, 06:14 PM, said:

"bare buns" style

LOL! That's all I'm going to be able to think about now whenever I transfer to or from the shower!

[hanguk]

These days I sitting on the bottom of my tub (no shower chair). I find I can wash myself easier that way and shave my legs. Sometimes I take a bath. When I'm done I dry off a little in the tub. I put a towel on my chair cushion or a bed pad (Chux) so it doesn't get wet. That is, if I remember to bring the towel with me. Sometimes I forget and I get a wet chair. I usually dress in bed and finish drying there more thoroughly.

[kewlcatkez]

Hi

I try and vary things a lil bit every once in a while to see if I can find a better way. Transferring is much more difficult when wet as my hips and shoulders dislocate much more readily ( they happen not b/c I am huge, far from it - have connective tissue disorder as well as paralysis). Our shower is over the bath tub and I have a bath board over the bath itself. Sometimes I transfer onto the bathboard sort of side on and then lift my legs into the bath. However the 'swivvel' motion is enough to pop out my hips etc. So other times I place my legs into the bath first and then use the handles which are intrinsic to the bath, to pull my bum onto the board. It still makes my joints pop out, but isn't so bad). Getting off is a lot more difficult due to the dislocations.They trigger massive spasms ( which mean my legs haven't lost much mass) and so the whole experience takes time. I try and dry off on the board as much as possible ( ie my legs and body barring my bum and nether regions, and then finish that off in the bedroom or when I have transfered off the bath board.

Like I said I am always looking at finding a better way and trying a new way, but ensure that hubby is at least in the house if that is the case!

With regards to a "Bath" ie a soak in the bath ( which sounds fabulous!!), I could 'plop' in, but getting out is too difficult as my shoulders and elbows dislocate against the pressure and force of pulling to transfer. Hubby would be willing to help oink me out ( LOL!!), but I am not comfortable with the whole beach whale feeling it gives me!


Like the others said, you find the best way to suit you

Take care,

K

edited typos

Edited by kewlcatkez, 14 January 2008 - 11:22 PM.

[Brokeback Brenda]

Ches, thanks for your tips about getting dressed right in the shower, I tried it for the first time yesterday. It's a lot easier than I thought it would be and it makes the transfer out SO much easier, and you don't have the hassle of making a bunch of other transfers just to get dressed.

[KarenFerguson]

I place a towel on my chair before taking a shower, usually by transferring on to the toilet then back into my chair . Then I turn the shower on, scoot up in my chair and grab another towel and place it behind me. I transfer onto my built in shower bench (thank you bathroom remodel) and shower away. After I'm done I grab the second towel from my chair, dry off then transfer onto my chair - for the most part dry.

[Murray]

Hey, Ches -

Anymore shower incidents? I mean accidents? HA! Couldn't pass it up, kid. You're too easy... I mean too much fun to tease. OK - I'll shut up... and just talk about ya' behind your back with nomis. (Old men are such____!) Have a good one!-L

[KimAndSophie]

I just realized I didn't write a comment here explaining how I transfer. I thought I did, but oh well, I will now.

I have a transfer bench and hand held shower. The bath bench is quite tall because we have those really deep soaker tubs. I didn't realize until after we moved in, but the legs on my bath bench that are ourside of the tub aren't even long enough, so I had to modify them. Luckily my new wheelchair is taller than my old one, and I can use the bath bench at this height!

I usually take a couple of towels, put the toilet seat down and lay them there until I transfer to my bath bench. Then I put one of the towels on my chair to cover the backrest and cushion. I lay the other folded towel on top of this towel so I can reach it when I'm wet without slipping. I don't turn on the shower until after I have transfered.

Once washed I dry off as much as I can while still in the shower. I use huge towels so I usually dry most of the water out of my hair with one end, and my body with the other end. Then I use the same towel and lay it on my bath bench beside me. pull myself towards the wall using the arm of the bath bench and get the towel under me a bit and then I transfer back into my chair. My butt and under my legs pretty much gets dried by sitting on the towel. I then finish drying anything that is still wet and put on my shirt, socks etc. I pull the towel out from under me and pull my pants on and I'm done. It's so much easier for me to get dressed in my chair that I quit getting dressed in bed a loooong time ago. I comes in handy quite a bit. I can go swimming downstairs where there are only benches with no back and get dressed in my chair. I wouldn't be able to get dressed at all if I couldn't di it in my chair because the benches are small an I have like no balance.

[Ches]

Brokeback Brenda.. I love the screen name! Loved the movie.. Cant believe Heath Ledger died! What a waste of a hot and great actor..

Speaking of Brokeback....... HEY MURRAY SHUT UP! Why dont you and Nomis go bathe each other, since you're such B.F.F's and let me watch..