THR I actually went through with it!

[Chihuahuan]

@FraidyCat You are doing a huge amount of energy intensive activities. In comparison on a daily basis at your point I stayed in pj's, rested in bed, and only got up for my required walks around the house and bathroom trips. Think about how you can cut down any part of your routine and rest more. Not sure why you are getting dressed each day....Can a friend get you more cheap pillows so you are not hauling them around?

 

[FraidyCat]

Problem du jour: OT was here today and pointed out that the raised-toilet contraption should have been fitted with a splash guard. (Yes, not having it was causing unwanted leakage on floor.) I found it and she put it on. But how the heck can you clean this thing without bending down? My housekeeper comes on alternate weeks; however, I hate to give such a personal task to someone else, plus I think it should be cleaned at least every day.

 

[Jamie]

FraidyCat, I know you feel like the raised toilet seat might need cleaning often. But in reality if it's working as it should, you don't need to clean it every day. Get some baby wipes and do a quick wipe of it if you feel you must. But it does not require extensive cleaning frequently. Have your housekeeper do it and pay her a little extra. After all, she cleans your toilets, doesn't she? I'm pretty sure she'll help you out here.

 

[FraidyCat]

Had my one-month follow-up today with surgical nurse. According to her, I am doing great ... so much so that I am cleared to drive if I can brake the car on short notice without discomfort, allowed to lean down to retrieve/refill cat bowls if I hold onto something for support and stretch operated leg behind me (a kind of tricky maneuver; may continue to use reacher for awhile), and also cleared to dispense with toilet commode. I no longer need any walking aid, most of the time, inside the house, but will continue to use one crutch when I go out for awhile. Still troubled by some arthritic-like stiffness upon arising from bed or chair and from some low-back pain. Guess time will tell if one or both of those issues will improve.

 

[SwimGirl]

@FraidyCat I do not bend to feed my cats even though I can. I drop the canned food on a paper plate right on the floor and they lap it up. I use tongs to pick up paper plate and discard in trash. I never have to wash a slimy plate ever.

I know it must be so difficult for you Doing things by yourself. @gertie has probably been sharing her ideas of how to manage things by yourself. Cat care being one of those things I see. Not everything has to get done. I have people living with me and still some things don't get done.

 

[FraidyCat]

@FraidyCat I do not bend to feed my cats even though I can. I drop the canned food on a paper plate right on the floor and they lap it up. I use tongs to pick up paper plate and discard in trash.

@SwimGirl, I like the paper-plate idea; would probably use a paper bowl, but still that'd be less unwieldy than maneuvering heavy ceramic bowls with reacher tool. It's filling the cat's water bowls that doesn't seem to lend itself to any posture other than bending. Most days, someone comes to the house for one thing or another and I enlist them to refill the water bowls, but on days that this doesn't happen have had to pay one of the catsitters to drop by and do this chore. I'm to be evaluated for outpatient physical therapy (have been receiving PT at home so far) the first week in December, so I may gain some flexibility from the enhanced PT plus passage of time.

 

[Jamie]

Well, that's a really good progress report, FraidyCat!!! I'm so happy for you. Things will continue to improve with more time. You're still in the early days of recovery yet.

 

[gertie]

@FraidyCat Sounds like things are moving forward for you!

Squatting/bending was painful pre-op so I got pretty good at putting water in the cat's bowl by just bending slightly and pouring water into the bowl from a glass--I really perfected my aim! It doesn't solve the problem of cleaning the water bowl but does keep it filled on a daily basis.

The in-home PT was encouraging me to do that "golfer's reach" move--I can do a modified version to get things out of the bottom loading freezer or off a low shelf but don't think I could pick something up off the floor--too much stress on my arthritic right knee (and a lot of balancing involved).

Sounds like working with PT to increase flexibility is a good plan--I'm going to ask about that at my follow up appt next week. I've been discharged from in-home PT since I'm ready to drive and therefore no longer "homebound".