I purchased an xpen for Trixie at Walmart.com for $52.99 and had it shipped to my house for .97 cents.....it is the best. Her crate fits in there with her water/food and peepee pads. It is nice to have a safe place for her when I am not home or she cannot be watched. I would be nervous with a homemade pen....Trixie chews on her pen and jumps up and down alot in it....I wouldn't want her to get hurt on anything.
Sorry to hear that your bf hurt himself....hope all is okay.