Travel Tip: Clean your machine to avoid embarrassment

Caroline,

I've stayed on the sidelines and avoided jumping into the fray on some of the other threads, especially the ones about spam. But, since this is one that I started -- partially as a joke -- I feel the need to make an observation.

My mother always said that "it's not what you say, but how you say it" and I believe she was right. Lord knows that it's easy enough to read inflection into written posts, but I've got to say that yours, most especially the comments made on this thread, have a real edge to them. You jump down my throat about caring what an airline security officer thinks of the condition of my equipment and then you accuse roadwarrior of judging others when he expresses an opinion. Not that she's a saint, but my mother had another favorite saying that I think applies "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all."

I hope that this is a place to offer advice, make observations and debate issues without getting nasty and I apologize if my comment comes off as anything other than constructive. Just thought you might not be aware of the implied tone of your posts.

Kurtchan

chdurie2 wrote:very good, roberto. very good.

caroline

Initially, I wanted to respond to this but then thought it best to just let it fade away into cpaptalk history. However, since the thread has now resurfaced I would like to clarify and amend my previous post.

While my previous post was in jest over the toilet contamination remarks by roadwarrior, it was not intended to take sides over whether cleanliness and appearances are important. I do believe that a person’s appearance does reflect upon some degree of their personality. It comes down to our basic human nature to do so regardless of whether it is right or wrong or important.

In addition, I also feel that cleanliness is next to healthiness. On the other hand, I do not believe that a person’s preferred hygienic standards makes that person good or bad and that everyone has a right to set their own standards.

Back on the thread topic … I just don’t understand how a CPAP “machine” can get so dirty that an airport baggage technician complains about it … just not possible in my opinion. Now a mask is another matter … if a mask is so disgustingly dirty and grimy that a technician fears touching it, it must definitely be unhealthy.

Sorry for any hurt feelings about my toilet humor … I know there are automatic flush systems for some toilets.

- roberto

I can easily see why a security screener checking Cpap machines can complain about a Cpap being really dirty. Some people are still using their really old machines that they got years ago and have not replaced because they either cannot afford a new one or are fine with what they have. A majority of people on this forum on the other hand want to improve how they feel and upgrade when possible to a better device/mask that will work better then what they were using before. There are also those people that are unable to clean their machine or plain do not know how and are afraid of breaking it.

Although I am not a “neat freak”, I still want to keep my machine in good working order and as clean as I can get it so that it will not affect my allergies and such. I also do not have any problem with people who clean their device/mask very regularly (more my once a week when I can).

I have worked at two different wheelchair manufacturers and the condition of some of the wheelchairs that come in sometimes for repairs is really scary. I have seen wheelchairs where the people working on them do not even want to touch them to work on them. So as I stated before I can understand the reason the security screener would have reason for making such a comment.

I have seen some very horrible CPAP machines find themselves in my office. I have had cockroaches crawl out of a CPAP machine when I took it out of the bag, I have cleaned was smelled like fish tank scum out of humidifiers, I have used a vacuum to clean filters that disinigrate when you try to take them out of the machine. I have smelled masks that patients have had for 7 or 8 years and it seems like they have never cleaned. ( I will have to say that I am pregnant, so smells REALLY get to me right now)
I have seen masks that the clear silicone seal is brown. It just goes to show that there are two types of CPAP patients. The ones on this site that are proactive about their treatment , and I have not met anyone in person from this site, but I would bet that a quick CPAP check would turn up alot of clean, healthy equipment. These are the patients that I would not have a problem with changing their own settings, or turning on or off alarms, etc. Then there are the other type of patients that no matter how many times you educate them on cleaning their equipment still manage to grow mold in the humidifier. These patients cannot manage to keep their equipment in good working order, much less change their settings or monitor their treatment. I am sorry to rant, but this is a hot topic for me. I am somewhat of a neat freak and it really is yucky to clean icky machines from patients that don't really care about their own treatment.

I should probably let this thread fade away, but...a few days before my post to this thread, I was going through security at 5:30am with my CPAP. The screener holds my machine up in the air and says, "Boy! You sure have a big CPAP machine!" The thirty people in line behind me became very curious about what I was taking on a plane with them. I was a bit sore at screeners for a few days after that. Fortunately, my CPAP was squeaky clean so the screener didn't have to get grossed out by anything.

hornplayer wrote:...I was going through security at 5:30am with my CPAP. The screener holds my machine up in the air and says, "Boy! You sure have a big CPAP machine!" The thirty people in line behind me became very curious about what I was taking on a plane with them. I was a bit sore at screeners for a few days after that. ....

What type of machine do you have? I would hate to see what they would say about my Respironics BiPAP STD I have as a backup & for travel. That thing is built like a tank and looks more like something you would see in a hospital then on a nightstand

I just posted my equipment profile. I have a Remstar Plus.
This machine takes a beating with all the traveling I do.
It is built like an old Volvo- not much to look at but it hasn't failed me yet.