I am an otherwise healthy, active 66 yr old woman. My surgery is scheduled for 12/26 and my pre-op is this Wednesday. I live with my 2 dogs, have 2 adult sons in Brooklyn and Philadelphia. My son in Philly will take my dogs for a bit and I have a great petsitter. Being that I live alone, my surgeon is keeping me in the hospital for 2 nights. My bedroom is on the second floor, but I have a big reclining chair in living room and a powderroom on main floor. A few folks have said that I should be going to rehab. Anyone living alone in this group,have you gone to rehab? The surgeon is planning on sending a pt therapist to my home.
Thanks in advance! Any advice, recommendations are appreciated.
Georgette
Hi Georgette
You can coup on your own at home as long as you have prepared before and you have someone coming into your home to help you dress/undress a bit.
Preparation:- Get two of those pickup sticks , 1 upstairs and 1 down.
Check height of chairs & toilets up & down stairs and arrange a loan of raised toilet seats if not.
Check height of bed.
Get a cord from a dressing gown or similar to put under your operated foot, this will help you lift that leg into the bed.
Look around a do all those jobs that you will not be able to do after Op.
Place things you will need at waist height, also think about what you may run out of.
Hope this helps, you can get about the house on crutches, just takes care and longer so just take your time.
Good luck, here’s hoping all goes well.
John
hi georgette..
def prep your home .raise your toilet seat…remove throw rugs..i woukd consider sleeping on the recliner for a few nights..you will probably sleep better anyway .the only issues I ran into was dressing .basically removing the teddy socks.(i think thats what they are called
)…after a week i removed and put them on myself ..they do sell devices…where are you having surgery done? .just curious .I live about 2 hours from philly..and 2 hours from NY .
hi georgette..
def prep your home .raise your toilet seat…remove throw rugs..i woukd consider sleeping on the recliner for a few nights..you will probably sleep better anyway .the only issues I ran into was dressing .basically removing the teddy socks.(i think thats what they are called)…after a week i removed and put them on myself ..they do sell devices…where are you having surgery done? .just curious .I live about 2 hours from philly..and 2 hours from NY .
Hi Georgette:
I’m ten days post op from left THR, healthy 51 yrs old. I can’t imagine doing the first 5 or so days alone. Really needed help dressing undressing for showers, especially the TED hose. Needed mom to help me with getting comfortable in bed, arranging pillows around my legs and such. Although my stairs to the kitchen upstairs had railings, I didnt even attempt them alone until DAY 3 or 4. If you don’t have someone in the house to help, rehab would probably be a good idea for at least the first 7 days. i began dressing by myself around day 7 but it was still pretty painful. Hope this helps! Sending good thoughts for a speedy recovery!
Recliners are out due to usually being too low. I made a big base to fit under mine before surgery (simple DIY project), and have used it for 3 recoveries now!
See my website for tips from hippies on this forum, the address is in my personal info here …
Patient Communities - Our community of patients, carers, and health-conscious individuals is here to help.
and at the bottom of the moderator’s “useful resources” page at
THR - Useful Resources - Bones, joints and muscles - Patient Communities
Best wishes
Graham - ¯_(ツ)_/¯
HI CONNIE - I LIVE IN MORRIS COUNTY NJ. HSS HAS AN ANNEX IN STAMFORD AND THEY PURCHASED THE 5th FLOOR OF STAMFORD HOSPITAL. ONLY HSS IS ALLOWED ON 5th FL AND ALL ROOMS AND EQUIPMENT ARE BRAND NEW. MILEAGE WISE THE MAIN CAMPUS IN NYC IS CLOSER BUT BETWEEN 80, THE GW BRIDGE AND FDR DRIVE ONE NEVER KNOWS HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO GET IN AND OUT. THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK! WHEN I HAD BOTH KNEES REPLACED I WAS NOT EVEN NERVOUS BUT DID 2 WEEKS IN PATIENT REHAB
HI JENNIFER - THANKS SO MUCH!
WILL CHECK IT OUT - THANKS SO MUCH!
hi… im planning on going to HSS in NYC for my THR surgery. can I ask what doctor is doing the surgery? My son has has neck surgery and loves hss. thanks
DR MCLAWHORN, HE DOES WORK OUT OF NYC AND STAMFORD, CT. I’M HAVING MINE DONE IN CT BECAUSE ONE NEVER KNOWS HOW BAD THE TRAFFIC IN NYC WILL BE
HI GEORGETTE! I HAD a hip revision done at Hospital for Special Surgery OCT. 24. I received excellent care from staff! Everyone I encountered was friendly professional & helpful. As a retired RN I would highly recommend this hospital. I Think it would be much easier & less stressful to go to a rehab hospital for a week especially since you live alone.. I agree with all the house prep suggestions. Raised toilet seats, elevated on a platform recliner, grabbers for items on the floor, socks helper Good luck!
Who did yours? I had both knees replaced in September 2011 and they were great. Dr. Nestor was my surgeon and he has since left. I was sent via ambulance for a 2 week in patient rehab. My surgeon now, in the Stamford annex said they would keep me for a 2-night stay and send someone to my home for in patient pt. I go for pre-op this Wednesday and will see what I can do about pushing for in-patient. I’m a widow with two dogs and my son in Philly offered to stay with me or bring my dogs back home with him. His dog is a bit of a nut and I can’t ask him to leave his dog at home, so I’ll send mine with him for a bit. But he does have a f/t job. I have a good petsitter. My grandson also said he could stay for a few days. My other son lives in Brooklyn and he’ll bring me home and I’m sure he’d stay a night or two.
If insurance will cover it, would be good idea to go into a rehab for a week or more, depending on your recovery needs. Being alone and having to deal with stairs can be challenging especially if you are alone.
I was fortunate and had my husband at home with me, no stairs (in our Florida home at the time), and easy to get from recliner (I could use that as I had anterior method) to nearby bathroom. I used a walker in the beginning and it helped a lot with getting around.
Did you ask your doctor about recommendation?
I would definitely accept any offers of people staying with you over the first week or two. I was fine by myself after that. If you can have rehab somewhere that would be fine too.
Hello Georgette
The physio should show you all hints and tips for managing post op. I am on a low income and received a mattress topper to raise the height of mattress as I have a diva bed. Two over toilet chairs and two perching stools, one for the kitchen, one for the bathroom, a long handled shoe horn and litter pickers. Also a board for over the bath, to sit on, to shower. The litter picker is handy in helping put on my lower clothing (wear loose soft clothing, with wide legs, makes it easier to get over your feet.) I bought elasticated shoe laces and a sock putting on device. Buy a bath mat and a long handled bath brush or sponge. I was given a commode to have by the bed because I was worried about not making it to the bathroom in time.
It is possible to climb stairs. In order to be discharged from hospital here, in NE England, a stair assessment is done. You use your good leg to go up the stairs, and the operated leg goes first, when going down, one step at a time, while holding on to the banister. They will show and support you, so don’t worry. I had great support before the operation, they rang me and asked all about my situation. It was suggested to use the handle of the walking stick to support the foot getting in and out of bed or into the bath to shower or car. There are lots of videos on YouTube from various hospitals in England and America, with physio exercises or ways of managing following your op.
I had my op on Nov 6th, 5 weeks ago today. I was home 11.5hrs after entering the hospital. I didn’t have to wear stockings. I was given 10 days supply of Tinzaparen injections and aspirin to take following that. The morning after my operation, I got up and made my own breakfast and then put a load of washing on. (having washed rings round me the day before going into hospital) single Mum to 2 teenagers here !! My daughter stayed with me the first night, but she has her own life, so I have managed by myself. It has been very stressful trying to get my boys to help. Their father would not have them and there is no family nearby. I have done what household tasks I could manage and as my mobility has improved, the more I am able to do around the house. Wish I had the funds to pay for a housekeeper for a few weeks!
Best of luck with your operation. Wishing you a speedy recovery x
Wow - you sound pretty amazing! I wish you could afford a cleaning lady too - you deserve a break! Thanks for reaching out 
I’m going for pre-op tomorrow and called the social worker. She was very kind and I explained that I’m 66, live alone and a widow. My townhouse is 3 stories high. I told her that I was concerned about being alone - my son will take my 2 dogs. She said they would do an assessment in the hospital, I’ll be in for 2 nights. She also asked if I do go to rehab, which one would I prefer.?
I spoke to my older sister and when she had her second hip done, she felt no pain and was back to work immediately.
i was happy to be in rehab. everything is right at your fingertips. all the hip aides needed helpful pt instructors and food is never a issue a menu is given and checked off what you likes and snacks brought to you. lots of nice people to talk with after the first week or so when strength returns walking was always done with a aide to be sure no falls and walking correctly with walker . the zero gravity treadmill and recumbent bike is helpful slow slow slow… we are given instruction on stairs, getting in and out of cars, up from bed and the beds are adjustable to your proper height. walkers and so much more. i brought mu iphone and ipad. easy on off over the head clothing long shirts dress so much easier than trying to get a leg in…that is the biggest tip for a easier recovery, elastic waists and over the head clothing . after 25 days went home and the rest was so much easier after preparing yhe home properly . hip school from your surgeon will help you with home preparation. or just google on youtube. hqve had both hips replaced and a revision last year.
Dr. Padgett did my revision. He did a lateral posterior approach. Which approach sre you having?