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bag heating

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 12:51 am
by leroy0600
hi everyone had my catheter put in on 7-2-04 start trainng last week of july have a question i do a lot of camping where there is no ac power only have 12 volt in my camper no way to heat the bags anyone have any ideas[/b]

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 3:28 am
by gary in bc
Hi
I have the answer to this one. I have a heating pad, which I use on low. I have a cottage with no electricity, only solar and batteries. Get a 12 volt inverter, install a 12 volt plug in your camper, trailer, whatever you use. Even works for me when I travel. I just plug it into the cigarette lighter socket (most vehicles now come with extra plugs for things like laptops and cellphones. When I use one bag, I put in the other. Alway have one warm. It doesn't use much power at all. A normal heating pad, on low, uses about .25amps. I have kept one going for up to 3 days without starting the truck. With the solar panels, I don't even register usage. When I tavel, and I do a lot for recreation and work, I pull over to the side of the road, hook up(I use a handwash lotion) hang the full bag on a hook I have installed from the roof consol, and lay the bag on the floor. Then I continue on driving. When it is empty, I pull back over, and lock off the drain bag, open the full bag, and on my way again. When finished, I pull over again, disconnect, put the full bag in the back of the truck and continue on. I have a packsack with a lot of pockets, and I have a full travel back in it containing clamps, handwash lotion, sissors, extra bandages and cleaner, solution in case I contaminate the conector, basically everything you would stock at home. I have not had any problems while camping at all. If I feel it may be wet, I use a large sergical waterproof bandage. I also use this when kyaking. All in all, this has not severely limited me in my normal recreational activities. Has certainly, at times made it more challenging. There are always ways to do something if you want to bad enough. I am fortunate in the fact that I started dialysis early before I got too sick. In retrospect, I believe some doctors and esrf patients wait too long, and the road back is too hard. It is less depressing if you are still able to continue with a normal life.
Good luck. Contact me any time.
Gary

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 12:44 pm
by Andy
I went camping last year, and for most of the time i did manage to heat my bag using a warmer, but how about a hot water bottle, wrapped up in a towel, inside a cool bag!!! It does work!!! May not be as warm as usual but it does kinda work!!!

Andy

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 1:04 pm
by salew
I can vouch for the hot water bottle/towel combo.

I have often done an exchange on a 'cold' bag but I would hesitate after a night outside! When I camped I boiled the kettle first thing.

Gary, I like your get up go attitude. Kayaking no less. Must be great out in B.C. I remember changing bags in the most wierd places. Underground car parks in Spain with the police watching, wondering what on earth was going on. The bag was hooked up to the top of a raised trunk. On a weekend trip to Paris, carrying all the bags by hand, being stopped by xray guys and the customs. Whilst there I exchanged in the back room of a pharmacy as I had cheked out of the hotel and had to change before going home. I was at the Euro 96 football cup final and did an exchange at Wembley staidum. Invariably I didn't bother with warming the bag.

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 1:25 pm
by anne
hi, randy doesn't heat the bags at all. he did at first, but quit and didn't have any problems. he uses a cycler at night so that heats the bags for him, but when he does a manual exchange he doesn't heat them. have fun camping!!! anne