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RoughFN -> Dealing with drooling (9/23/2008 8:37:45 AM)
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We tried out a new idea last night. It worked pretty well, but it needs some refinement. I'll explain what we've come up with in terms of the refined version. Then I'll ask for help with the one thing we need to deal with.
As we tend to gravitate towards, this idea is fairly simple, homemade, and cheap. But very effective.
To start, get a bunch of ratcheting tie down strips. By me, various home improvement stores sell 'em in 4 packs for $15. I'd recommend at least 8. While you're there, pick up a good sized hunk of plywood in appropriate dimensions as detailed below. Oh, and also get some rubber tubing (or a snorkel, maybe). You'll need that, too.
Then we picked up an air mattress (like for camping), but got a double height one for added clearance. The double height one is important. I think ours is a twin sized, which is about 72" long and 30" wide or so. I don't remember exactly off the top of my head. You'll need some sort of an air compressor to inflate it, too. The plywood should be about the length of the mattress, and just a little bit narrower. You the mattress about two inches wider than the plywood.
"Assembly" is easy. Lie out the tie down strips horizontally next to each other, fairly evenly spaced; and set the plywood down on top of them. Put the mattress on top of the plywood. The tie down straps should be stretched out along the left and right sides of the mattress. Done!
To use, inflate the mattress about 3/4s of the way. Maybe more, maybe less. We're still working on that part. Arrange your willing companion face down into the mattress, stick the rubber tubing (or snorkel!) in her mouth, and start attaching the tie down straps across her. Be sure to position the straps as required to get easy access to important parts. Ratchet them as tight as you'd like.
The plywood underneath should help keep the mattress firm and pull her down into it. Without something rigid underneath, you'll pull the mattress up around her and make her sink into it. It's a little more narrow than the mattress itself to help it grip around the edges.
Once done, finish inflating the mattress as much as possible. The stronger your compressor, the better you'll do. Inflating a mattress with someone on it with additional straps over the top isn't easy, but it's possible. So then you inflate the mattress as far as you can, pressing the girl up into the straps. Then you go to town.
It's quite quite restrictive. And, as long as she's face down, also quite tough to breath, hence the breathing tubes or snorkel.
And that brings me to my question, and the real subject of this post - in my case, babe drools. A lot. Especially after being put under for a bit during something like this. Normally it's not an issue, but due to the restrictions like this, it was. We had to stop a few times to mop her up and clear out the breathing tubes for her so she could breath properly and not drown in a 1/2" puddle of her own spit. Don't get me wrong - it was terribly hot, but just not practical.
So does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with drool like this? A towel under her helped, but not much. We're thinking about an additional tube, so she has two snaking up behind her head (maybe hooked in the back of her mouth?) and one coming out the front snaking down so hopefully the spit will drain through there. But I wanted to open up to the group to see if anyone else had any other ideas as well.
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