People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) spend a lot of time in the bathroom. We often make jokes that we should install cable TV, an Internet connection, or other comforts in the smallest room in the house. Here are some practical -- and some not so practical -- accessories and fixtures for your dream bathroom.
1. Powerful Commode
Photo © Kohler
A run of the mill toilet is just not going to do the job in the ultimate IBD bathroom. You don't want to have to flush multiple times, and you don't want to have to keep the plunger on hand all the time, either. What you need is a pressure toilet. It uses compressed air inside the tank, which works to turbo-charge the flush.
2. Mirror TV
Photo © Philips
Bathrooms are small, so you need to conserve space when you can. Why not have a mirror that turns into a TV? That way you can see your reflection when you need to, but you can also entertain yourself or catch up on the news on those days when you are forced to spend a lot of time in the smallest room in the house.
3. Toilet Seat Light
Photo © Johnny Light
Running to the loo in the middle of the night is a real problem for people with IBD. You can really hurt yourself if someone you live with has left the seat up (or down!), and you are half asleep and don't notice it in the dark. This toilet seat light runs on batteries and turns on when the toilet seat is up.
4. Hand Held Bidet
These little spray nozzles are great to have in the bathroom. If you have hemorrhoids, a fissure, a fistula, or have had surgery, you do not want to have to use toilet tissue. It is painful and can aggravate your skin. By using the spray nozzle, you can clean up easily and not cause yourself further pain.5. Shower Radio/CD Player
We have CD players in our cars, why not in our bathrooms? Think of it -- you could put in soothing music to help you relax. Or you could listen to the news and get caught up on current events.6. Automatic Air Freshener
A multitude of air-freshener products are on the market from sprays to candles to plug-ins. But for your bathroom, why not have something that freshens the air automatically at regular intervals? That way the bathroom will always smell the way you'd like it to, and you don't have to do anything except change the batteries.7. Artful Toilet Seats
OK, so you don't spend a lot of time looking at the toilet seat. Still, a unique toilet seat can brighten your bath, even if you only see it for a few seconds as you're dashing in and lifting it up.8. Glow in the Dark Wall Clock
Maybe you don't really want to know how much time you spend in the bathroom. But, if you do need to know the time, these wall clocks glow in the dark so you don't have to turn a light on in the middle of the night.9. Magazine Rack and Stool
Yes, you read magazines in the bathroom -- everyone does! This magazine rack is made of clear acrylic and it compact enough to fit in any bathroom. Plus, it acts a stool.10. Heated Toilet Seat
If you choose one item from this list to put in your bathroom, this should be it. The toilet seat is always cold. Particularly in the middle of the night. Yes, it will be warm by the time you get off it, but it would be much more comfortable if it were warm to begin with.
