The Situation
No, this is not a Jersey shore reference...I'm proud to say I never watch that show but my parents watch Dancing with the Stars and he was on there. I liked him, he was willing to learn, different from what I've heard about him. ANYWAY, back to reality or my reality. I have a new set up, a new schedule and new work to do! This is my disinfecting and sterilization set-up for my new nebulizer cups. I know, most 24 year olds brag about their new boss speaker set up or the amazing deal they got on craigslist...I had to figure out a way to do what is asked of me by the CF foundation to protect my health.
Yes, if you look closely that is a baby bottle sterilizer. No, my absence was not because of a pregnancy, lets remember how long I've been single. Other things besides baby bottles, can go in there. Simple explanation from the foundation, CF immune systems are like a baby's, they are weak and susceptible to microorganisms. Therefore, after using nebulizers to breathe in medicine they need to be cleaned. I received my baby bottle sterilizer with my new altera nebulizer cup for cayston as a bonus, I guess you could say. Cayston is the newest inhaled antibiotic and they want to be extremely careful with it. When working with antibiotics, there is the risk to cause multi-resistant strands of bacteria, which are altered strands of the already present bacteria. Since you have to use the cup three times a day, you are increasing the chances of contamination. Bacteria can grow on anything that is wet and in an oxygen environment. Until recently I haven't taken this type of infection control very seriously, but now with new antibiotics and feeling better, I am committed to completing this task just as often as I complete two breathing treatments a day!
In college between studying and having a grand ole time, cleaning my nebulizer cups was neither a priority or cool. At first I did what I had done growing up, rising them off and letting them swim in vinegar. Vinegar is a weak acid, bacteria has a hard time thriving in this harsh environment. I would leave the cup in there until the next time. This didn't last to long when my dorm room smelled funny and the adult clinic kind of laughed at me. They said the foundation has ditched that technique long ago, replacing it with clear dish soap and warm water. What's tricky about this method is you have to make sure the nebs are completely dry. You can use alot of paper towels, but I found having a little rack for the water to drain worked. As I excelled in college, my infection control declined as I used more nebulizer cups because I got on more medicine. Then the clinic told me I needed to sterilize my nebs in boiling water once a week. I lived in a sorority house..this wasn't going to happen. I was laughing at them when they changed that to once a day. Once I had access to a kitchen I did every so many moths. For the most part I've been rinsing them, sometimes washing with soap and then letting them air dry on a rack. Well, as if I haven't mentioned it like a hundred times before, I've been sick a lot the past couple of years and who really knows if I could have prevented some of it by being diligent and taking care of my nebulizers. I've raised my white flag and will meet the demands of disinfecting and sterilization seriously.
Here is the step by step process:
1. Rinse every piece for 10 seconds under warm water, places in plastic bowl
2. Add hot water to bowl and clear dish soap, swirl around for 30 seconds
3. Rinse off all pieces ad place into sterilizer, (brice's edit) if 1st and 2nd treatments of day, place on paper towels or rack and dry until next use. If 3rd treatment, place pieces in baby nuk and steam the bacteria away!
The sterilizing process takes 8 minutes, and it is hot when it is done. I'm surprised I still can feel the end of my finger tips because I have used some hot water and touched my nebs before they were completely cooled!
4. Dry them off. They go on the rack (that's a cooling rack for cookies b t dub) and dry overnight.
This process has been working out for the most part, I've felt rushed in the morning or too tired at night but I remind myself of the evil bacteria that could be lurking....Once I came up with this set-up everything has been going smoothly besides burning my fingers! Note to my future husband, I will need to take over the double sink....so you can use another bathroom. Ooh it would be so nice to have a man cave like room, my own cf fighting cave. Seriously I have dreamed about a therapy room. When I have a nice house, I will set up this awesome entertainment/breathing treatment room. I'll get cute storage boxes or baskets and plenty of storage space for EVERYTHING and when I'm done I can just close the door. Ooo it would be so nice to not have all this equipment exploding under and over my desk. I would decorate and paint with cheery bright colors and have lots of fun inspirational things. Probably would set up some exercise stuff too. Okay complete tangent...Time to go disinfect!
In college between studying and having a grand ole time, cleaning my nebulizer cups was neither a priority or cool. At first I did what I had done growing up, rising them off and letting them swim in vinegar. Vinegar is a weak acid, bacteria has a hard time thriving in this harsh environment. I would leave the cup in there until the next time. This didn't last to long when my dorm room smelled funny and the adult clinic kind of laughed at me. They said the foundation has ditched that technique long ago, replacing it with clear dish soap and warm water. What's tricky about this method is you have to make sure the nebs are completely dry. You can use alot of paper towels, but I found having a little rack for the water to drain worked. As I excelled in college, my infection control declined as I used more nebulizer cups because I got on more medicine. Then the clinic told me I needed to sterilize my nebs in boiling water once a week. I lived in a sorority house..this wasn't going to happen. I was laughing at them when they changed that to once a day. Once I had access to a kitchen I did every so many moths. For the most part I've been rinsing them, sometimes washing with soap and then letting them air dry on a rack. Well, as if I haven't mentioned it like a hundred times before, I've been sick a lot the past couple of years and who really knows if I could have prevented some of it by being diligent and taking care of my nebulizers. I've raised my white flag and will meet the demands of disinfecting and sterilization seriously.
Here is the step by step process:
1. Rinse every piece for 10 seconds under warm water, places in plastic bowl
2. Add hot water to bowl and clear dish soap, swirl around for 30 seconds
3. Rinse off all pieces ad place into sterilizer, (brice's edit) if 1st and 2nd treatments of day, place on paper towels or rack and dry until next use. If 3rd treatment, place pieces in baby nuk and steam the bacteria away!
The sterilizing process takes 8 minutes, and it is hot when it is done. I'm surprised I still can feel the end of my finger tips because I have used some hot water and touched my nebs before they were completely cooled!
4. Dry them off. They go on the rack (that's a cooling rack for cookies b t dub) and dry overnight.
This process has been working out for the most part, I've felt rushed in the morning or too tired at night but I remind myself of the evil bacteria that could be lurking....Once I came up with this set-up everything has been going smoothly besides burning my fingers! Note to my future husband, I will need to take over the double sink....so you can use another bathroom. Ooh it would be so nice to have a man cave like room, my own cf fighting cave. Seriously I have dreamed about a therapy room. When I have a nice house, I will set up this awesome entertainment/breathing treatment room. I'll get cute storage boxes or baskets and plenty of storage space for EVERYTHING and when I'm done I can just close the door. Ooo it would be so nice to not have all this equipment exploding under and over my desk. I would decorate and paint with cheery bright colors and have lots of fun inspirational things. Probably would set up some exercise stuff too. Okay complete tangent...Time to go disinfect!