Did you recover alone - give me your advice

[nogods]

I live alone and enjoy living independently. I have 4 children but 3 live in other cities and the oldest has two pre-schoolers and a fulltime job. She'll stop over on the way home from he job my first week at home. I'm not the type to impose on friends and neighbors except as a last resort.

I've got about 24 shopping hours left to finish preparing my home for my recovery. I've stocked up on food, installed safety rails, have a shower bench, a rollator, a walker, two canes, a lift recliner, reacher sticks all over the house, and I have moved all the stuff I might use to higher shelves.

If you recovered alone at home, what were the three most important things you did in preparation.

 

[alexthecat]

1. Load the freezer with quick, easy meals.
2. Check out a bunch of entertaining books from the library.
3. Organize my Netflix queue.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

 

[Me2]

I didn't but . . .

1. lots of ice packs in freezer to rotate to keep iced
   
2. ipad, computer, laptop whichever to have access to internet from your main comfort spot
3. baskets set up at main comfort spots with healthy snacks, prunes, gum, mints, glasses, tissues, lotion, room freshener/candles, etc.

 

[shrinkette]

I didn't either, but...

1 - adult bath wipes for when you're too exhausted or fearful about showering
2 - charger(s) & doable connections for whatever devices you're using, @ comfort spots
3 - proper wedge pillow for elevating if you find stacking pillows annoying & too labor-intensive. Can find the perfect one @ Loungedoctor.com & can order according to your height!
4 - if you wear socks, a sock aid
5 - a leg lifter to get that leg onto/out of bed if necessary
6 - CHOCOLATE

 

[Mercy1]

1. Wet Ones (the Non-antibacterial kind) EVERYWHERE! I cannot believe how frequently I needed to wipe my hands!
2. Chap stick (the medications dried my mouth so. . .)
3. Bottled water with a squirt top!


Mercy1
LTHR 5May14

 

[ARHip]

Don't forget the stockpile of bran muffins with a chaser of prunes.

Be very careful about showering the first week or so. Being alone, you will want to sit, not stand.


ARHip

 

[djklaugh]

I had my cousin with me for about 10 days post-op and have a housemate but I was alone during the day after cousin left:

1- phone numbers for daughter, neighbor, doctor, pharmacy etc on speed dial
2- back scratcher - very very helpful for scratching itches without breaking hip precautions and can be used as alternate picker-upper if you drop the grabber. I once dropped both crutches and the grabber .... was able to use back scratcher to hoist crutches and grabber to where I could reach them without bending over.
3- some sort of carrier - backpack, tote bag, or something similar to carry stuff around - I had one that strapped to the front of my walker that was very handy
4- sports drink cup - with tight lid! Or travel coffee mug - or plastic bottle with cap that can be refilled - it's really hard carrying liquids when you're using a walker or crutches

 

[Me2]

More chocolate!!!!

 

[PuppyLove]

I didn't have this but it would have come in handy to carry food from the kitchen:
http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/mabis-universal-walker-tray/ID=prod6088866-product

 

[younghippie]

I found it most helpful to have all of my laundry completely done... came home to clean sheets and loads of clean towels/washcloths and enough clean clothes for a few weeks.
Stool softeners and laxatives in case you end up needing them... easier to go ahead and have that on hand instead of having to get someone to pick them up for you.
Best of luck to you! You'll do great.

 

[referee54]

If you have a smartphone, get an app for medicine---a timer that will help you remember when and what to take. the app really comes in handy.

Get those foods and meals cooked, prepared, and frozen, and make sure that the batteries to the remotes are in great shape, too.

some sort of carrier - backpack, tote bag, or something similar to carry stuff around - I had one that strapped to the front of my walker that was very handy

This is also an excellent idea.

Can you have neighbors,friends, or fellow church-goers stop by every now and then briefly to check in on you? That would be a tremendous thing, and they can help you out here and there.

 

[Yatteau1]

All of the above. These suggestions are really great. Don't be shy about telling people of your plight. If you do, you will have friends and neighbours popping in and offering to fetch newspapers and milk for you. Embrace this. You will welcome the company.

Over and beyond that, make SURE you have a decent pain management regimen in place when you get home and that you gave enough to hand. The meds they sent me home with didn't help much. I found out a couple of days after I got home that Tramadol worked best for me, but check with your doctor to see what's best for you and make sure this is stabilised BEFORE you leave hospital (mine wasn't).

Good luck! It WILL all be worth it. I had mine done when I was living alone with my 8year old. My friends were great and came to stay for the first couple of days. Then I was on my own with it all. I'm five years in, and cannot believe how my life has changed for the better. All best wishes. Xx

 

[nogods]

@Yatteau - Thanks for the suggestions. My neighbors and friends have already offered to do more than I would want. I told them I would call them if I needed them. My family members know that the reason I backpack alone in the winter is the same reason they shouldn't impose themselves on me unless I ask.

I have always healed best by reducing stress. Being by myself with support just a phone call away works best for me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk

 

[Yatteau1]

Hi there! Yes, i was on my own (largely) during my recovery. Exceptions of a short spell of a couple of days when my friend came to stay, and thereafter my daughter (8) who was great! She got used to my exasperated please to help me pick something up (the grabber - like the phone - is never quite where you need it!). It was imporant that i had someone around for the first couple of days (only), partly because general anaesthetics make you woozy and disconnected, so it's good to have a buddy for those days you are likely to forget in that post-op haze. The hosp will suggest you gave someone with you first 48 hrs anyway (or they SHOULD). Apart from that, yeah, i did it myself. Made sure i got up and hobbled about with my crutches every hour or so. Exhausting at first, but great to see yourself beating your own targets. You can - and will - do it, and will be sooooo happy you did! I now have my 'wiggle' back The suggestions made by others here were great and all valid (particularly silly stuff like a way of carrying liquids - i found a plastic bottle in the giant pocket of my kitchen apron was pretty handy, and i found i could carry heated food in a tupperware container in the same way....) Babywipes are a good freshener. Get some TV dinners in, and learn to chill out about your predicament. The not being allowed to drive was a nightmare.... I don't know if they do this in the US, but here in the UK they send you home with a pile of anticoagulent injections after a major op, with the idea that you inject yourself daily into a fatty part (tummy in my case) with a small amount of liquid to protect against thrombosis. I confess that i was VERY nervous about this. But, once i'd gritted my teeth and did it, it was no problem at all. Just like taking an aspirin. ... What ekse do you want to know?

 

[Josephine]

I did it alone and will do next time when I won't have anybody at all! You might like to read the potted version of my recovery to see how I did! Knee recovery - UK style

 

[Yatteau1]

Ha! I know where you're coming from! i growl at people when i feel crowded. Luckily, i had good friends who understand my tendency to growl, so growling was ok. Just make sure you have someone around for the first day or two. For safety. You're allowed to growl. They'll forgive you. Serious about sorting out the pain management. Look, you are going to be sore. I'm not going to lie. But pain management is something that does need to be MANAGED, and if it's done well, it will speed up your recovery. .... You know the very worst part? I was told under no circumstances, due to early risk of displacement, to sleep in any other position than straight out on my back. ...!!!.... Like- woah! Who sleeps like that, right? I was a foetal sleeper. I had to build up kind of 'banks' of pillows down each side of me, and a bolster pillow behind my knees, to keep myself in that position. Jeeez - no sleep till i got used to that. Guess what... These days i revert to post-op straight back-sleeping position.

 

[nogods]

Fortunately I was told by pt today that I could sleep on side she suggested a body pillow to keep both knees and feet apart.
But I am really tired or on pain meds I think I can sleep standing up with my eyes open if need be

 

[Me2]

I totally understand and agree with need to recover on your own. I requested (demanded) not visitors at hospital, family complied, and I am very glad I did. I was quite ok on my own when I got home. The only thing I needed someone else for was getting bag of ice to save myself trip downstairs but that was not "necessary" but more to give them something to do to feel helpful and not feeling like doing it myself. I think I would have been fine on my own. Maybe someone to call to say I was getting into shower first day or so. Making sure well-established drugs wise and no surprise interactions. You'll know how you feel before leaving hospital.

 

[Mercy1]

I also demanded "no visitors"! I don't want to see ANYONE when I don't feel well. I am a "people person". . . I want to enjoy a meaningful conversation or an outing with my friends!



Mercy1
LTHR 5May14

 

[Peaches]

Hi, @nogods ... I too live alone, am independent, and I also like to be left alone when I'm sick, not feeling well. But with this surgery, I really didn't want to go to the hospital alone, wake up from surgery alone, and get myself home alone. So my wonderful cousin accompanied me and stayed with me for 4 nights after surgery and I was very grateful. Turns out nothing went wrong (surgery was fine) and I didn't "need" her there after the 1st night, really. But I'm glad she was there. My biggest fear was being loopy (I was not) and lightheaded (I was) from the post-op pain pills and falling when going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. None of my fears came to pass, though, thanks to the walker. I think if you have someone who is checking in on you as you said you would, and those friends/neighbors really do follow through and help if you ask them to, that'll be enough. That won't really be "doing it all alone." Be sure to have your phone and charger nearby and phone numbers at the ready. You know, "be prepared" and all that. The reacher/grabber was the most important thing for me. I tend to drop things all the time, anyway. Keep reading and posting here and you will find it is really helpful. Good luck to you!