good evening peeps! I'm slowly purchasing things to help me both pre and post op, I'm looking at grabbers at the moment, as most people on here use and recommend them, now ones I'm looking at come in different lengths! I'm 5'4" tall what sizes have people got? Thank you
I didn't know they came in different sizes. The two I have are the only size available to me. They have been my best friend! I'm so thankful for it everyday!! I recommend at least two of them, because when you are unable to move very quickly, it's great to have one in two different rooms!
Are Yu in uk linzh. I had mine done nhs but in a private hosp and was called by the physio before regarding surround for toilet to get up and for dining chair as mine don't have arms, grabber, long shoe horn and step up into my shower for after my stitches were removed so contact hospital where you having op xx
Hi Linzh!
I also bought some of my items ahead of time and have been practicing with them. I have a sock aid, a 29" grabber (I'm 5'3" and it's the perfect size) a 28" long handled sponge (kind of disappointing cause I still can't reach my toes with it) a walker and a cane. I figured the earlier I start practicing, the easier it may be. Good luck!
I forgot to tell you that I bought the grabber, the sponge, elastic shoelaces and long handled shoehorn on ebay.
Hi Linzh
I'm same height and bought 2 x 30" grabbers. One for up and one for downstairs they have been so useful.
Linnet x
Hi Miele
I used to soak my feet in a bowl and bought this foot scrubber (with suction pads on the bottom) which I used in the bowl. I then used it in the shower once I was stronger and could easily stand or you can get shower stools.
Linnet x
Hi. I'm also in UK, and the grabber and my leg length was measured and sold to me in my NHS bed by the hospital physio. Excellent! Yes buying two would have been good and also two shoe horns.
The shoe putter on tho was pants. Hopeless! Unless you have very loose sox which i don't. Luckily my wife puts them for me...I can gently n carefully bend enuf to take them off by the way at two weeks post operation.
Ooops i meant sox putter on!
I had a sock aid and a grabber (don't know what size that was, anyway it was okay). Hospital provided me with a toilet seat raiser. Our walk in shower in the en-suite was too small to put a stool in but I managed that standing up quite easily, but we do have a handle fitted in there which was a help. A long shoe horn is helpful.
Linzh,
Besides all the other advise given here, I rearranged my house a little before surgery. Like moving a few peices of furniture so I had room to walk with my walker or crutches, I moved pots and pans to a higher cabinet so I didn't have to bend to get them. I even tied the cord of my hair dryer to the cabinet door handle so I could just pull it up without bending to get it under the sink. I put the no-slip strips in my tub/shower to make sure I didn't slip or fall, and purchased a hand held shower head, I would stand in the shower with my walker to bathe since there wasn't room for a shower chair. At night I kept my walker next to my bed for when I had to get up to use the bathroom. I'm sure you will learn some tricks of your own so good luck with the surgery.
Kathee
Hi Linzh
just read your comments regarding grabbers. etc., what exactly is a sock aid and where did you get it from (i could do with one)
Thank you all, i will have a look on ebay for some items...
I think Amazon do something called a hip pack which contains a grabber and other stuff
Hi, I had my thp in October and still use the long handled shoe horn , which I got from Boots and I find this very useful. I also bought a grabber and again in the early days it was very useful as you always drop things when you know you can't pick them up again!! I also bought a long handled sponge which was good for legs and back but all the rest was given to me by NHS, ie Crutches, trolley for taking food into the dining room, perching chair which was the correct hight to help me when dressing or washing, and two toilet seats with a frame around again the correct hight and had arms so that I could help raise myself. I am told that once you have finished with them you can return them but they just put them in the recycling and don't re-use which I think is a waste, so anyone looking for toilet frame and seat if you live near Bedord you are welcome to mine, I will keep one for the next hip I have done but won't need the other one.
I also bought a swivelling seat for the car to enable me to get in and out very easily on Ebay, £10.
Hope this helps.
who did yours valerie having mine done by mr sood at bedford next month
at pre accesment they asked me what i got the physio.gave me mine ,i have had both knees done and hips and never used grabber or shoe horn you can get elastic laces for your shoes , if you do not like you cruchers when you go see your doc ask if you can have fisher cruchers they grip round the top of you arm and were you hold it is more comfortable to hold , , you can buy them from things from disability shops
Hi dene
i had never heard about elastic laces do they work well?
Linnet
Hi Linzh
Are you in the UK.....you shouldnt have to buy equipment.....well a lot of it anyway.
I was given mine {dont know what size} by the hospital, along with, a chair for 6 weeks, toilet seat raiksers, trolley, thing to put socks on, long handled shoe horn, perch stool et cetc.
Love
Eileen UK
Hi Eileen,
Well it guess it depend where in UK, which hospital trust:
in Exeter my crutches free, raised loo seat free, but paid £12 total for grabber, shoe horn and sox putter on, sold by the hospital physio.
All in all tho, I got seen a month after doctor referall to senior physio produced a strong letter requesting my op, and indeed an op I'd probably pay ?£8,000 for in USA, so not complaining....NHS is OK, very
Mic
x