New to Site

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi Everybody, Just joined today having been a secret reader for a few months as my pain has increased and movement decreased.

The site has been of a great encouragement to me for my future operation.

No date as yet.

Can anybody point me in the direction or supply me a list of useful items that I should start to accumalate for making life at home as comforatble as possible ie toilet seat, grab bars etc or anything please.

Good luck in the future recovery to all who have had an operation

Good luck to those who are about to have it - I know how you are feeling ......worried !

2

Hi Dave if u are in UK the hospital should arrange via ot all such things as toilet risers etc.  we had ours all delivered a week before my husbands op and recommendedc we use them before to get used to them and adjust to correct height etc.   best of luck with op 

3

Hi Dave!

I bought a sock aid, a grabber, a shoehorn and elastic shoelaces and I've been practicing using them.

I bought all of themm from Ebay

Good luck to you!

4

Hii Dave , as stated earlier if in uk hospital  and occupational health will sort things out for you . 

I would suggest you look at your arm chairs and see if they are too low . Mine were and difficult to raise so I bought  what I call an old ladies chair in a charity shop .

i had waited so long that I wasn't nervous when day came and it was my only surgery In cold blood , other was apendics about to burst . 

I must say I have recovered better than I thought . Am 9 weeks post op this week and the time has flown .

still got some discomfort , start physio this week but I can do most things myself now . 

No excuse for not ironing , shame!

good luck and don't be a secret reader any more join in .

good luck

Mary

South Wales

 

5

Hi Dave. I would check with your hospital before you buy anything as mine provided raised toilet seat, grabber etc. it's useful to have more than 1 grabber especially if you're in a house. I have one upstairs & 1 down. You can get them on eBay or Amazon. There's also long handled sponges etc for washing your feet cos you'll not reach them for a while!

i was scared stiff before my op but it's not as bad as you think. 6 weeks post op now & just had a day out at the coast, walking on the beach. 

Good luck with your op. Hope you get your date soon.x

6

Hello Dave.  Have no fear.  I have had not a moment of pain, from the time i was operated til now And that's 8 months now.  Loo raiser is essencial And a bar in the shower a must. AsVal says, Washing feet is difficult.  Sooooo, i bought a plastic "grasa" mat, And put it in the shower.  You Just drizzle soapon it, And , voila !!  its great.  I still use iteven though I can bend without difficulty now.  Hopethats helpful.  Pamela

7

Hi Dave. I'm just over 5 weeks post Thr. Had my op done in Salford / Mancheste. I think you will need to check with your hospital as it far from certain they will arrange or provide everything you will need. My hospital arranged with the council where I live to deliver a chair and the toilet seat. I spoke to the council before delivery and they said different councils offer different things and that was my lot. So from Amazon I've found the following useful- long reach grabber (essential), shower shoes, memory foam leg pillow, long handled shoe horn, long handled poop scoop (if you have a dog obviously.... ), sock aid (needed this well before op) and a strong suction handle which has been very useful on bathroom tiles in shower and next to toilet. An extra tip from me Dave would be to get some prune juice and lactulose in stock before your op! Best of luck.

8

In the UK, the hospital will supply you with a toilet raiser.  A grabber (or two) is extremely useful, a chair with arms, a sock aid and a long handled shoe horn.  If you have a walk in shower, a non slip mat for that and a handle in the shower is very useful.  Some people have a stool as well, but my en-suite shower is only small and not big enough for a stool and me sitting on it as well, but I managed easily standing up in it.  Remember to cut your toenails before the op as it will be difficult afterwards!

9

hi barara, i just read your comments on useful items, where did you get your sock aid from please?

10

Hi david i got a board that went across the bath that helped me alot as well as all the other items listed here that others have got..i found a big 6ft pillow helped me when i had both mine done at same time...try not to worry just think of the pain you will not feel anymore.....good luck..debs

11

Dave, I am 5 days post op.  As well as the good advice you have had here, I would add one or two plastic male urinating bottles too.  Getting out of bed in the middle of the night and making your way to the loo can be a bit of a trial so it is nice to have the comfort of knowing you have a bottle to pee in just in case.  I ordered 2 from Amazon.

12

What wonderful people we have here, thanks to you all for your replies, much appreciated.

I have had a very active life, 58 now and 59 in Sept. 22 years in the Armed forces, running up & down hills, field gun, portsmouth command rugby etc etc have taken the toll on the body and I am finding it hard to come to terms with the lack of my mobility at the moment and as my wife puts it my "quality of life"

My pains started way back in 2007 (right hip) when I had arthroscopy, I called it a "scrape clean and polish" and I was pain free with 100% movement until last Feb (2014) in the right hip when out of no where came the first signs of trouble.

Since then it has progressively become worse and I have had 1 steroid injection to date which was last July but I am asking for another at my next check up in 3 weeks time.

I am trying to be in denial - I am trying to delay the inevitable for as long as possible my aim is Oct this year follwoing my 25th wedding anniversary in Sept.

With the help of pain killers and anti inflammatory tablets I am still working offshore (hence my name) but I have my medical also in Sept which I will obviously fail.

I am now going to take the rest of this year getting everything in order, grabbers etc plus do what ever exercises that are required to strengthen the area, so hopefully ensuring as smooth as possible recovery.

I am based in the UK on The Wirral so I guess, thanks to your help, that I will be able to "ask" for some aids to assist when I get home, but it will be a question I ask next time at the hospital.

Keep you posted on my progress down the corridor to the op theatre and back home

Keep safe everybody and good luck with everything Dave

13

Hi aj60

Thank you for your time in replying, much appreciated

Dave

14

Hi miele55255ch

Thank you for your time in replying, much appreciated

Thanks for the items, will start looking

Dave

15

If you can make yourself as fit as poss before you go in its bound to help .

 I wish I had strentghened my upper arms before hand as crutches were hard work .

good luck

16

Hi Mary 8610

Thank you for your time in replying, much appreciated

I promise not to be a sercret reader anymore !!

Good to hear you are making progress, good luck with the physio

Dave

17

Hi val14381

Thank you for your time in replying, much appreciated

Thanks for the items, will start looking

I'm not sure if I am scared.......concerned for sure - I hope mine goes as well as the majority on here

Hope you enjoyed the walk at the coast

Dave

18

Hi pamela81726

Thank you for your time in replying, much appreciated

So pleased to read that you are and have been pain free, good on you

Thanks for the items, will start looking

Dave

19

Hi andy

Thank you for your time in replying, much appreciated

Thanks for the items, will start looking

Your comment about prune juice made me smile, but I guess when I need it I will not be smiling!

Dave

20

Hi barbara

Thank you for your time in replying, much appreciated

Thanks for the items, will start looking

Dave