One year in. Managing all the "stuff" with ADD.

Hi everyone



First, thanks to you all and to Jonny for this wonderful resource which I never take for granted.

In another thread I have narrowed down my current problems with cpap therapy to my difficulties in managing stuff, which stem from ADD.

I decided to start a new thread asking for help/encouragement as I struggle with housekeeping.

I need structure here, not ADD structure which seems logical at the time, but the sort of structure non ADD people use, only very simple and accessible. And dog proof!


Here is the post where the penny dropped for me

Moby wrote: After reading the responses since my last post, it seems to me that my main problem at the moment is organising the cpap stuff and the cpap routine. This is not suprising in light of my ADD which affect "executive functioning" (there is no "boss" inside my head to tell me what to do, when to do it and which is most important.) I work really well within an established structure but find it super hard to establish a structure out of nothing. I just get sidetracked and make things incredibly complicated.

So I think I'll start a new thread asking for help with getting-organised-ideas.

it was easy in the early days. There were other difficulties of course, but I took those pretty much in my stride. In the early days I just had the machine, humidifier, hose and mask to manage. My nursing background and the information from here helped me sort all that out.

Now I have a number of masks each with it's accroutements, several sorts of tapes, scarves, headbands, hairbands, headscarves, silicon earplugs, denture gel and paste. It's become a housekeeping problem and housekeeping is something I need a lot of help with!

I noticed last night when I went to bed ... I walked round and round the house getting ready, I had all my stuff stashed in different places - all for apparently good reasons. The hairstuff in front of the mirror, the mask hanging in a shady spot to dry, the tape under the bed, the headgear in the bedside cupboard.

My mouthguard was out of place, on the kitchen windowsill.

It has all got a lot harder since the dog ate my last mask, I have to keep everything out of his reach, and he is very tall when he stands and stretches.

Thanks again everyone. You are a tremendous support.

Di

Pineapple replied

Pineapple wrote:...

Have you thought about getting yourself a Rubber Maid type tub, or drawer units that you can put all your "stuff" in and place it where you get ready at night (one with a latch to keep the dog out ) I evacuated one of the drawers in our night stand for this. Of course if it's something that doesn't work, get rid of it, it creates "white noise" in your drawer.

These are the things I've got (most of them, I'm sure I'll forget some)

In storage

comfort curve
with headgear and spare mouthpieces.
hose and hose cover.
divided hose which connects interface to main hose.
spare "panty liner" bits for the padding.


Swift (what's left of it, more in the post)

nose pieces
little hose that goes from the interface to the main hose.


hoses
non heated hose and hose cover.

F&P FFM

This is very bulky in itself.
mask, foam insert, silicone face piece.

cases
one case for every mask
case for resmed humidifier
case for resmed machine.


scarves
Assortment of scarves to cover my hair as it gets tangled in the headgear in the middle of the night otherwise and if I have to adjust the straps it hurts.
I don't really use these now, but - I might need them in an emergency!!!?


2 Buffs which are okay but a bit too small. Can I cut a nick in them? they were expensive.


panty hose

lots of panty hose in various stages of dissamembly.

Oddments of stretchy fabric which I've used to make homemade headgear for the Swift

Oddments of fleece which I've used to make hose covers

Oddments of cotton fabric which I was going to use to make pads for headgear

Good quality cotton quilting as for above.


cpap stuff currently in use


basket of hair gear
I have long extremely thick hair which my husband loves and I'm quite vain about. I don't want to cut it. To keep it out of the way of the headgear I make a sort of bun just above my hairline at the front of my head at night. It makes me look like a Sikh.

I don't do my hair in the bedroom as there isn't really room for the stuff and also I often go to bed/get up when hubby is in bed (I work shifts) and I try to do as little as possible in the bedroom because he's a light sleeper.
So I do my hair outside the bedroom, but don't think about doing it till the last minute, just before putting my mask on. So that's a journey out of the bedroom.

There's all my stuff in the basket at the moment, not just the nighttime stuff.


Scarf
one charity shop muslin scarf which is ideal for the use above.

F&P 150 humidifier.
two tanks, one in use, one drying in another part of the house (no room in the bedroom)

resmed machine

Aussie heated hose hung from a hook on the wall above my head.

Liberty mask

This spends the day in bits scattered around. I am scared of losing the little attachments which join the interface to the headgear, so I dismantle it all when I wake up and secure the rigid mask piece,& headgear and the little attachments (and the "extras'' I've used to adapt it) inside my bedside cabinet. I put the scarf in different places, depending on whether it needs washing. I wash the silicon part of the mask and hang it up by a sunless window to dry. I also wear a mouthguard which i keep in the bathroom.

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If anyone has waded through all this, heartfelt thanks and congratulations for patience.

I'm sure I'm making things more difficult than they need be.

Any ideas?

The only ideas I'm getting are making things more and more complicated.

I can get shallow containers under my bed.

my bedside cabinet is fairly small.

We have a spare bathrooom I can use but it is in full sun most of the day.

I could also get ready in a spare bedroom but they are both in full sun most of the day. And if I used it then would need a "trouble shooting" kit at the bedside for the middle of the night.

We have a very small ensuite bathroom which gets very steamy and is in full sun most of the day.

Thank you all.

Di


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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): resmed, humidifier, hose, swift, Comfort Curve

I keep all of the 'stuff' that I'm not using at the moment in a rubbermaid container in a spare closet.
Would it be possible for you to keep everything but the machine, HH, and hose in the bathroom? Then you could just do your hair, put in the mouthguard, and mask up there. You would just need to hook the hose to the mask when you got to bed. (I did this every night in the beginning so I wouldn't wake my husband)I had a small shelf unit with baskets, I just kept everything in the baskets, easy to get to, looked nice.
Now I keep my mask hooked to my machine. If the mask has been washed, I shake it as dry as I can and hook it right back up(same with the humidifier). I place the mask in a basket under my night table, plenty of air to dry.I also keep some wipes in there to clean the mask each morning. I keep my tape, chapstick, and ayr gel in a little jewelry box on the nightstand. I fill my Humidifier in the morning when I make the bed(a bottle of distilled water fits in the basket under the night table), this way it is always ready to go at bed time. My hair is short so I don't have to worry about that at night. At bed time I tape up and mask up and go to bed, takes less than 2 minutes and I no longer need a light on to see what I'm doing.
I do keep a small rubbermaid container under the bed with extra filters, mask parts, etc. for middle of the night emergencies.
I hope some of this helps...

Brenda

I'm the same way. I don't really believe I have any attention disorder, I mean the huge sleep deficit pretty much explains it IMO. But I'm totally disorganized and everything around me is basically a wreck. I'll be glad if I can get my house cleaned up out of this.

Brenda,

Thanks, that helps a lot.

I have a "born organised" friend coming on Wed to help me sort stuff out generally (I pay her $50, otherwise she says I wouldn't take her seriously - she's right too! Paying even a nominal amount really focuses the mind)

I'll print your post off and show it to her along with all the stuff, which she does find slightly gross I'm afraid. But hey - I'm paying her!!!

She has already told me I need baskets for makeup etc in what used to be the kids bathroom, and to make it my own bathroom. I'll have to repaint it first though, it is a kind of orange.

She told me not to buy any baskets until she can come with me and help me choose. I don't think we have the excellent Rubbermaid here (spent a happy and envious hour on the web last night researching all the lovely choice you have in the US) But she will know where to go for the best choice.


The guideline you have given me is excellent. Also, just writing here and breaking things down into categories helps so much.

Thanks all. Thanks for your patience. It takes a bit of courage to admit to being so hopeless in the housekeeping area, especially as in other areas where I have had training I can function quite well. Thank God for teachers! I always thank them when I meet them. Without good teachers I would be lost.

So, any teachers out there -
thank you!!!!

and especial thanks to those teachers who make "individual tuition" time for the "inattentive slow learner" looking out the window or immersed in a book when she should be listening to you.

Di

I have a son (now 30 years old) and he was diagnosed at the age of 3 with ADHD. How he was diagnosed was I had contacted our local children's therapy center (deals in all kinds of disabilities) and told them that my son was unmanageable. They had an on staff doctor at the time and he had me bring him into their preschool for several mornings and he was then observed through a one way looking glass participating in the morning routines and play times.

The doctor's recommendation at that time was to place him on medication. I refused to do this and asked for other recommendations. I was told he could benefit from behavioral modifications and diet changes. It wasn't easy but well worth the time it took. My son is a hard worker and has never been in any trouble. He is a good family man and great father and husband. I attribute it to our early struggles.

A few years ago I had a mental breakdown and went into therapy. After a couple of sessions they doctor asked if anyone in the family had ADD or ADHD. I told him yes, my brother, nephew, my son, and some other family members. He stated that I was a classic example myself and told me that I had ADHD. He told me that I manage very well and asked where I had learned my strategies. I told him about my son and his behavior modifications that we had done and he said BINGO -- I had incorporated them into my routines.

It might be worth your while to go to counseling for some behavioral modification therapy to help you cope with your ADD.

Thank you Sleepy Carol,

I am lucky enough to be getting professional (clin. psych) counselling through my local ADHD support group. I'll definitely ask her about behaviour modification.
it's early days still for me coming to grips with the ADD thing. I think I was diagnosed about Nov last year. I'm gradually incorporating the understanding of how it affects different aspects of my life. So far I 've been concentrating on stuff like work and marriage and managing the usual domestic chores.

Realising that the cpap business is a category of its own for me to deal with is a bit of a bombshell for me.

Thought I was doing so well, and forgot my sleep clinic appt this morning (to finally return the loaner and buy my own Liberty mask)

It was written up BIG on my BIG calendar but I forgot to look at the calendar.

It is so frustrating. But when I rang to apologisen and reschedule the lady was nice and said it gave them a chance to catch on some stuff

Di

Moby,

I read your list last night. I decided I needed to look at it in print.

WHOA girl, no wonder your overwhelmed.

I'm glad you found someone to help you so I won't go any farther on the organizing stuff. One thought tho. While I think there are things on this list that can go, make sure you look at anything she wants to pitch - make sure it is easily replacable. (My outlet port for my CPAP is AWOL. "Somebody" thinks he just misidentified it and it is in one of his tool chests) Luckly I only need it when I don't need the humidifier.

Now after you get your stuff organized, may I suggest you need a routine to help you keep everything where it belongs. Mine is broken down into 3 parts - morning, afternoon/evening, and bedtime.

Morning - get up, the mask and hose go with me the the bathroom. Hang the hose to dry (I have a bad rainout problem) and clean mask - put it on my drying rack.

Afternoon/evening (this is genrally after work) - check if the hose is dry and if not swab it, Take the hose and mask and put the CPAP back together. Fill the humidifier. (Note: my daughter is real clingy, I have her help me with this so I can kill the "I want mommy" bird at the same time)

Bedtime - Get ready for bed. cuddle with hubby if available, tape mouth and slip on mask.

Keep as much away from bedtime as possible, you need to deal with as little as possible when you're tired. I hope this sugestion doesn't give you any more axeity. I honestly am trying to help.

Wowzee! You have a lot of stuff to keep up with. I have long hair, and I never do anything with it. I just plop my mask over it. I keep my cpap machine on the bed stand 24/7. I leave the top of the HH open all day for airing out. I drap my hose and my mask over the top of the pillow sham. It kind of hides it. My dogs don't notice it. Anything else, Q-tips, AYR Nasal Gel, Pur-Sleep, all go in the side table drawer. All of my extra masks are in my closet. If I feel the need to have an extra out, I lay it across the top of the small topiary hydrangea arrangement. I'm silly, I know it.

Treesap wrote:. If I feel the need to have an extra out, I lay it across the top of the small topiary hydrangea arrangement. I'm silly, I know it.

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That's the answer?

A topiary hydrangea arrangement

I *knew* if I could just find the missing piece it would come together!

Pineapple wrote:Moby,

I read your list last night. I decided I needed to look at it in print.

WHOA girl, no wonder your overwhelmed.

I'm glad you found someone to help you so I won't go any farther on the organizing stuff. One thought tho. While I think there are things on this list that can go, make sure you look at anything she wants to pitch - make sure it is easily replacable. (My outlet port for my CPAP is AWOL. "Somebody" thinks he just misidentified it and it is in one of his tool chests) Luckly I only need it when I don't need the humidifier.

Now after you get your stuff organized, may I suggest you need a routine to help you keep everything where it belongs. Mine is broken down into 3 parts - morning, afternoon/evening, and bedtime.

Morning - get up, the mask and hose go with me the the bathroom. Hang the hose to dry (I have a bad rainout problem) and clean mask - put it on my drying rack.

Afternoon/evening (this is genrally after work) - check if the hose is dry and if not swab it, Take the hose and mask and put the CPAP back together. Fill the humidifier. (Note: my daughter is real clingy, I have her help me with this so I can kill the "I want mommy" bird at the same time)

Bedtime - Get ready for bed. cuddle with hubby if available, tape mouth and slip on mask.

Keep as much away from bedtime as possible, you need to deal with as little as possible when you're tired. I hope this sugestion doesn't give you any more axeity. I honestly am trying to help.

Dear Pineapple,

Your help is much appreciated, and please believe me I certainly don't take offence at advice, especially when I have asked for it. Advise away, please!

Routine is definitely the way to go.

What sort of drying rack do you mean? One for the washing up? Or one for clothes? Or a special drying rack just for cpap?

Thanks

Di

Actually,

It's one of those small foldable cake/cookie cooling racks that you find in the baking isle. I think it measures 12 x 9 and origanally came in a pack of 3.

BTW Treesap - I think you need to post a picture your topiary hydrangea (with the mask on of course) as your avatar. The mental picture I have of it really brighted my day.

Wow! Brilliant idea! I can use a spare shelf in my wardrobe and do that!

Thanks, Pineapple!

Di

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your input.

I am managing so much better now.

I go a rack (put a mesh basket inside another basket) and put it on a high wardrobe shelf near the window out of dog's reach. I keep my mask there.

My friend came on Friday and we went through my cpap stuff. She didn't even comment on all the sewing stuff! I guess that is a sewing issue not a cpap issue.

She just went with me through all the stuff and put the sets together, ie Swift things with Swift things, and 432 things with 432 things. I had things grouped according to their function which wasn't really the right way in a home.

Then we put my current mask stuff in a basket in my bedside cabinet with one headscarf and the taping stuff. She let me keep two hairgrips on top of the cabinet but I had to fight hard for them lol.

We put my spare mask and headgear in a big plastic container and put that under the current stuff in the bedside cabinet.

Everything else was packed up in in a big box and went in the spare wardrobe along with the equipment travel cases.

And all the paperword to do with cpap went in a special cpap drawer of the filing cabinet.

easy!!!!

At work we keep equipent in bulk, and we store the boxes on open shelving "like with like" eg , all the diifferent sort of oxygen masks near each other, all the tubing near each other, all the connectors near each other. So we just grab what we want. I was trying to do that at home and getting in a right muddle.

It is all good now. I feel such a dork, but I am lucky to be able to admit it and get help. And now I know what to do. I can't believe I am so bad at this stuff. Sigh.

We also got rid of all my kids and guests and the kids girlfriends stuff from the spare bathroom and moved all my hair and cosmetic and bath stuff in their. It is really great. Except I keep forgetting it is in there!

There is nothing at all under the bed now, but I did find several books I had lost there.

I am so happy with the house and garden now we had the neighbours round for a 'drop in" yesterday and it was a really good party.



love

Di