Help post-op

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi Hippies

Can anyone give me some advice on how long and how much help I will need immediately on return from hospital? My husband will be my carer but will he need to be by my side 24 hours a day? If so, for how long? I appreciate that this is like asking "How long is a piece of string?" but he needs to be able to make plans regarding his work. I am 61 and although I'm overweight, before this I was quite fit.

2

Hi Rosie....from my own experience, after the first week or so you only need to be watched going up and down stairs..if you have everything to hand like coffee, some food, tv remote etc you should be OK...to be honest my partner just got annoying by fussing around when I didn't need it! Make sure you have a grabber and dressing stick so you can pick stuff up and dress yourself...

3

My husband has been brilliant. He took 3 days of work, then did a couple of short days. Keep everything you need near you, so that he can have a bit of freedom. Mine is still doing all washing and cleaning but I beginning to cook again. I am 15 days post op 

4

Thanks for your help Maggie - its so difficult to know what to expect and plan for!

5

Thanks CHrissy

6

I live alone apart from my 94 year old dad who can hardly walk and thought he was looking after me , bless him!!!

so I had to do most things myself , family and friends brought meals first week and we relied on Wiltshire farm foods . Red Cross came twice a week to change ted stockings .

ust make sure everything is to hand before he goes to work and enjoy the peace . 

Goid luck 

mary 

South Wales

7

Hi Rosie,

My husband only stayed home 1 day with me. After that he just made sure I had everything I needed close by & made sure I was washed & dressed as even with the aids it's pretty hard at first.

I was told not to sit still for longer than an hour , so once I was confident on crutches I would potter around doing the veg for tea & washing a few pots up. Basically anything I could do without bending or stretching! I had a couple of grabbers so if I dropped one I could use the other to pick it up. 

 

8

Hi Rosie,welcome to the wonderful hippie forum! Its a lovely forum here! I would suggest that you get easy meals in and a grabber to hand! You will need watching on the stairs. I had to get carers in to care for my husband! As he's disabled! We are still having Wiltshire farm foods! Which are so easy! Make your life as easy as you can! Regards Amanda

9

Hi Risie 66 live alone had a friend stay for my first night to give confidence. Have a split level house with 2 sets of stairs. Family dropped in daily when work allowed and I was fine on my own. Did cook for freezer before op. Online shopping organised and practised for a few weeks in advance. Asked visitors to always bring a pint of milk. Now just pat week 5 and doing well.

The thought of being alone was more worrying than the reality. Occupational therapy were great in the preparation

10

Thanks Mary - that's very reassuring

11

Good tip - dropping the grabber would be the very thing I did!

12

Thaks Ann. Sets my mind at rest. Thought I would be totally useless for weeks!

13

I was able to do most things after my first weeks home. My husband is retired so he was on hand if I needed anything. I,had prepared meals and put them up in the freezer so I could microwave later,that was a,big plus. About the only real,help I needed was putting on my Ted socks, impossible to do alone.

14

My husband worked shifts so he had three days off with me and made sure that I had what I needed,am lucky we have tort downstairs and wen he was on nights I made sure I was upstairs with drink etc as have telly upstairs so worked out ok. Yu soon get the hang off things just be careful bending. Hope Yu go on ok xx

15

Toilet that should av said

16

My husband is retired so I was lucky but really the first week was when needed most help but we were both amazed how independent I was quite quickly. You learn to make sure things are in the right place so you don't need to keep asking for help. Good luck x

17

Hi Rosie

Im 64 (relatively fit but overweight pre-op) and now 13 weeks post op and doing well. My husband took a week off after my op and then I managed by myself during the day until he got home from work. He was marvellous doing all the day to day things around the house inclding bringing me breakfast in bed 😁 and cooking dinner in the evening and not forgetting putting on the dreaded TED stockings!

I would advise you to plan and organise before your op as much as you can for those first few weeks when you are by yourself, it will make your life so much easier.

DawnDee perfectly described it as setting up your "nest". So you have all the essential things around you.

Best of luck, when is your op?

Linnet x

18

Thanks for the advice Linnet. I don't have a date yet Which is making my husband nervous about getting time off when needed, hence the question.

19

Hi

Advice from everyone on here is correct....grabber is essential ive got two one downstairs and one upstairs as i kept forgetting to bring it up

all the best

Dee xx