Billye:

Let me tell you how "handy" a beside commode can be, even for people who arent' disabled.

Years ago, (around 8 or so), our son was a bathroom hogger. Don't know how else to describe a person that stays in the bathroom for hours.

We went nuts. Alan had to get up to go to work, and of course he had to go to the bathroom. Well, Frank was in there and he wasn't coming out. And at night, if one of us had to go, well forget it. I was on Metformin at the time, and let me tell you, that stuff is murder on the gastrointestinal tract.

I had a 90 year old woman who lived across the street and she had two commodes. I didn't even know what a commode was until I was in her house and her aide said "we have two, do you know anyone who can use one?"

Well, she didn't have to ask me twice.

We put the commode right next to our bed. The only time we used it was when Frank was in the bathroom. Let me tell you, you have no idea how handy that darn little thing was. My son was about 18 at the time.

Now that I think of it, I should have boxed his ears way back then, but I didn't want to make noise. Alan used to get furious and say "why on earth should we have to use a commode?" Because my 90 year old neighbor was named Dottie, we called the commode Dottie's Potty. I kid you not.

For two years (until my son moved away), we used Dottie's Potty.

Saved my sanity, let me tell you.

Melody