Scared getting hip replacement in 17 days Some questions

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi thank you all in advance. I am so scared. First do I need to rent a chair for my bedroom ? I don't have any chairs with arms . Also should I get a cushion for my bed.. As it is a bit soft.. And How do I get in and out of bed if my bed is high!? I am having my left hip done .. Should I switch sides of the bed with my husband so I get on the bed on my right side first? Sounds silly but these are the things I seem to be worried about now. Thanks

2

Hello,

I live in Ontario, Canada and we can have an OT do an assessment of our home to see if we have everything we need before surgery.  Do you have this where you are?  My bed was a bit high too, however this is not a bad thing, it will make it easier to get in and out of, rather than the bed too low. My hip was done on the right side so I found the left side of the bed easier. so you will be the opposite.  I got a little bed side rail that was only about a foot long, and this really helped me getting in and out of bed.   I didn't have an appropriate chair either.  I bought an inexpensive shower chair from amazon, with arms, and used it all the time since I wasn't in the shower very much.  It was very comfortable.  I also had my husband go to a rehab equipment store and had them cut a cushion-actually is was very hard black foam used for wheelchairs and I put this in the shower chair for a change, and also brought it with me to places so I woundn't be sitting too low.  You might want to have a few big disposable blue pads on the bed in case your incision leaks or you don't make it to the bathroom.  You will need a raised toilet seat with handles as well.  Do you have a walk-in shower? How many stairs in your your house? these are considerations as well.  I needed to have a walker- no wheels and crutches before I went home.  The PT at the hospital made sure that they were set to the correct height. 

Good luck with your surgery, we were all a bit scared before hand.

Leah

3

Hi Gigi, 

warm welcome to this wonderful forum of hippies - we come in all ages and stages of this journey and share our personal experiences and stories -

Were you given any information at all? Where do you live?

Please refer to:

A laymans guide to Total Hip Replacement from one of our users - Rocketman54

Graham has created a brilliant website for us with practical tips and suggestions -

You will be taught in the hospital how to get in and out of bed -

Please come back here if you have any questions or concerns, okay -

for now, try to relax a little -

you are not alone anymore

big warm hug

renee

4

hi gigi, 

oops .... I did something illegal -

Have a look here https://patient.info/forums/discuss/thr-useful-resources-487147

If you scroll to the bottom you'll see 'A laymans guide to Total Hip Replacement from one of our users - Rocketman54'.  A very useful website.

Warm welcome to this wonderful forum -

We are here for you so come back when you have any questions or concerns, okay

big warm hug

renee

5

You will need a chair with arms to get in and out of.... have you had a OT assessment?

Raised WC seat needed

SOmeone should go through all the requirements before you have surgery.  

You may need to have cushions on your bed to in and out but one thing I found is sleeping with cushions under my legs helps. 

6

Hi gigi dont be afraid , I had my left hip done six weeks ago, im going back to work for a while, then have my right hip done. Its so nice not to have all that pain. By the way my husband and I swapped sides in bed, now he is reluctant to go backto his side lol. Oh but he is, I want my side back. Seriously its the best thing that's happened to me. Love hugs to you. Im forty nine. By the way I needed to get a little normal lol xxx

7

I too have a high bed. I have a little 8 inch high stool I just stepped on with my good leg and got in bed no problem. I'm a short girl too. Only 5 feet. Also I have a thick bed pillow I put under both knees to sleep. Had my walker at bedside for when I slid out of bed to hold onto. 

8

Thanks so much.. Going to call the Dr office / hospital to see if I can get a full list! You are all so kind and helpful! G

9

Thanks so much ! This forum is a life saver! Xxg

10

Thanks so much! All info is so helpful!

11

I am short to! Thanks for the idea for the stool! You are so helpful! Feel better! Xg

12

Gigi, a few thoughts from a RHTR 17 weeks ago. The first six weeks: a sturdy chair with arms is essential especially to maintain the 90 degree post surgery angle for sitting and most importantly for standing; a small stool would be ideal to overcome the high bed hurdle; I highly recommend using two pillows for sleep, one between your knees and the other for non surgery leg to rest upon if your are a side sleeper, this will prevent your legs from crossing during sleep and potentially dislocating the new hip; a walker; and of of course a very sturdy walking cane. At 17 weeks I am extremely happy, pain free and have returned to full activities including bike riding, speed walking and weight lifting. Best wishes for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery to full health.  Regards, RJ 

13

I slept on the sofa. I have a chaise that had rarely been sat upon, so it was nice and firm. I could also put all of my stuff on the coffee table within easy reach, plus have the telly on for when I couldn't sleep. Cushions were definitely a big help. I lined my chaise with them and was able to rest my op leg against them for support.

I didn't get much notice of my op. Broke my hip and they told me the day before that I'd be having the op. I worried that night and thankfully not for longer. You will be fine.

14

I found Same side of bed as surgery leg was best. High bed definitely better, if it's too high get a platform of some kind to step on. The bed was the only comfortable place to sit for the first week. Bed is about 24" off floor. I used an yoga strap to pull the operation leg up onto bed. Really hurt to lift it for first week. Lots of pillows and try to get comfortable because sleep is a problem for most of us at the beginning. Relax worries solve nothing. The surgery is not bad compared to the pain you live with now. I figured all I had to do was show up and they take care of everything else. Of course it's scary but you will do fine.

15

Thanks so much! I just ordered some things in Amazon. No one will come to my hous from the hospital but they did tell me to get a toilet riser a recher a front wheel walker. A shower chair and I think I am going to rent a electric chair for a month! I also got a bedside rail that has a pocket for easy treach . I have 14 stairs to get up to my bedroom! Ugh. They will teach me how to use the stairs in the hospital but I am still scared and I don't think o am supposed to go up and down right away.. Just have to get up to my bedroom after surgery! Thanks again for all of you help! If you have any comments in what I said.. Please respond I could use all of the advise o can get! Xxg

16

Just FYI. As a short person, I found I did not need a toilet riser. Regular seat suited me just fine. 

17

I used to get in right side of bedop on left hip in order not to strain leg getting into bed I moved to left side so that right leg enters bed first and is therefore strong enough to support and assist left.

18

Good little exercise to practice before surgery is NO TURNING at the waist and hips, you must use your feet to move around 4 little steps rather than twist. Imagine you have a stiff neck.

You must stay square to everything you do, from sitting on loo to getting in and out of bed, even adjusting pillow on bed is a NO NO, I nearly came to grief and dis-location doing just that at about 14 days post surgery.

Getting into bed, back yourself up to side, sit yourself down, not on edge but as far back as you can, remember 90 degree rule, no bending past 90 degress, doesn't matter if you overbalance as you do this, then tuck you good foot behind your heel of your bad leg and swing in one action around and straight into bed, don't use your bad leg, just completly relax your bad leg, you are not going to be able to use the muscles, will hurt too much the first few weeks.

With a little practice you can become very good at this before you get to the hospital, and can do it all in one very smooth action, very useful little trick, even the nurses can't be there all the time.

Other little trick is if you are too sore to do the getting in and out of bed, same action back yourself up to side of bed, sit back as far as you can, , and get husband to pick up your legs by ankles and swing you around, until in normal position, stay straight and don't let him wrench you.

Get the nurses to teach you husband how to put on those awful pressure stockings, and then get him to do it while the nurses watch they will correct him when he does it wrong, and teach him the correct way to do it, you cannot do it yourself, again the 90 degree rule.

19

Thanks so much.. going to start practicing tonight!   

20

my left hip will be thr bad one.. so I have asked If I could have the left side of thebed is that riight?  Thanks