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jancat
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Actually it DOES sound exciting! I am a little to late to get one but I would have purchased one for sure if I was having a bilateral. What other goodies did you get? My friend who had a bil. 2 years ago lent me her ice machines, which were delightful to have. She said the raised toilet seat was helpful for her.
Jacky48
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Hi Janet, I got my wedge last week and I tried it. I got the Doctor Lounge wedge and it also has a curve for the calf, very comfy!:wink1:
Ya know I wondered how I was going to lift my legs too, so I went on Ebay and found a very inexpensive leg lift thingy and it works really good. I am doing a lot of leg lifts and exercises, but ya never know how those legs will react after being abused, so I thought better safe than sorry. I like to be ready for anything!:yes 4:
Ya know I wondered how I was going to lift my legs too, so I went on Ebay and found a very inexpensive leg lift thingy and it works really good. I am doing a lot of leg lifts and exercises, but ya never know how those legs will react after being abused, so I thought better safe than sorry. I like to be ready for anything!:yes 4:
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Janet2012
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Jacky, I can't ever fall asleep on my back, although I've been practicing. I tried out the wedge last night and did ultimately fall asleep, so that's encouraging. I have a leg immobilizer that really helped with pain while shifting around in bed right after my other surgery. If I think I'll use it, I might want a second one. But it's a trade off re: comfort.
I'll get or make a leg lifter. Also plan on a raised toilet seat and arms, shower seat, grip and hand held shower with a shut off, and a chair with extra seat cushions in the bathroom. I need furniture risers under my easy chair and furniture sliders under the feet of the foot stool. I still need to get the ice bucket with two cuffs. I need to get a TV into the bedroom! I already have my forearm cuffed crutches from Germany, which are much easier to use than the armpit variety. Better than a crutch, better than a cane. I'd like a table near the bed that can easily be pushed and pulled. Or something. My current bedside table is quite small, full, and has no drawers. I can't reach the floor to put the ice canister there. What else? One of those long handled hooks to pull up underwear and pants? I have a back scratcher, maybe that will work. I can avoid socks during the summer. And thank goodness I have a semi retired husband that does most of his work at home!!
Oh, and dry shampoo for the hospital, etc.
I'll get or make a leg lifter. Also plan on a raised toilet seat and arms, shower seat, grip and hand held shower with a shut off, and a chair with extra seat cushions in the bathroom. I need furniture risers under my easy chair and furniture sliders under the feet of the foot stool. I still need to get the ice bucket with two cuffs. I need to get a TV into the bedroom! I already have my forearm cuffed crutches from Germany, which are much easier to use than the armpit variety. Better than a crutch, better than a cane. I'd like a table near the bed that can easily be pushed and pulled. Or something. My current bedside table is quite small, full, and has no drawers. I can't reach the floor to put the ice canister there. What else? One of those long handled hooks to pull up underwear and pants? I have a back scratcher, maybe that will work. I can avoid socks during the summer. And thank goodness I have a semi retired husband that does most of his work at home!!
Oh, and dry shampoo for the hospital, etc.
bottomshollow
Former BoneSmart staff member
Janet, you will be able to put on underwear, pants, and socks without assistive devices. It's hippies (hip replacement) that sometimes need those because they are not allowed to bend from the waist more than 90 degrees for several weeks. I even managed to put on my TEDS by myself the week after my surgeries I spent in rehab. Dressing will not be a problem---you may be exhausted afterwards but you'll be able to do it yourself.
Jacky48
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:wow2: Janet, you sure do have a full list! By the time you get everything ready, your special day will be here and you'll be on the bright side of things!
Whaaat? We go through all this and we still have to pull up our own underwear and pants????:hysterical:
Whaaat? We go through all this and we still have to pull up our own underwear and pants????:hysterical:
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Janet2012
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That's good to know! You know, I was listening to a dvd given out by my surgeons office which covered both knee and hip, and it said not to bend the hip more than 70 degrees for three months. How is that even possible!
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Janet2012
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:wow2: Janet, you sure do have a full list! By the time you get everything ready, your special day will be here and you'll be on the bright side of things!
Whaaat? We go through all this and we still have to pull up our own underwear and pants????:hysterical:
Well, I hope it's too much and not too little.
Exactly true. One of the ways I noted my progress was as it got easier to get those socks on! :biggrin:
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Janet2012
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I finally made my first weeks appointments for presurgery physical therapy. I start Monday! I'm so excited to find out that they do have an aqua therapy pool (with a treadmill in it?) I spoke with the director, as he has the most experience, about their experience with bilaterals, their approach to physical therapy, etc. I'll have a chance to try them out and develop a relationship with a therapist before starting after surgery PT. he said they get a lot of patients fromt the orthopedic group I'm going to, that my doctor does a great job and that they also do a good job of pain management. So I'm encouraged! I won't need the aqua therapy before surgery, but I'm happy they have it. This is a local, privately owned place in my town, so that makes me happy, too. And it's just a few doors down from my favorite coffee/lunch shop.
Mimi
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"And it's just a few doors down from my favorite coffee/lunch shop." Now this might just be the best ting about your PT work!:th_heehee:
I scheduled my PT appointments so that they were over at lunch time. That way when my husband picked me up, we would often go to our favorite lunch place and have our main meal of the day. Then we could eat light for dinner and he didn't have to cook. It worked well for us and he was very happy with that arrangement.
Just remember to have your pain meds on you at all times and take them.:rolleyespink: We did not venture out to lunch for the first 2 months because I needed to elevate my foot to sit and eat.
I scheduled my PT appointments so that they were over at lunch time. That way when my husband picked me up, we would often go to our favorite lunch place and have our main meal of the day. Then we could eat light for dinner and he didn't have to cook. It worked well for us and he was very happy with that arrangement.
Just remember to have your pain meds on you at all times and take them.:rolleyespink: We did not venture out to lunch for the first 2 months because I needed to elevate my foot to sit and eat.
1ELISEA
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Sounds like a great spot. And the thought of an aqua therapy pool is heavenly! I'm looking for a similar type of PT place, haven't found it yet though.
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Janet2012
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You need to call and talk to them. One place that did list aqua therapy, it turns out they don't have a pool, but an arrangement with th local ymca. This place didn't list aqua therapy, and it turns out they have a pool.
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Janet2012
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Mimi, that's a great plan. All my appointments are scheduled between 10:30 and 11:30, so that would work. Our downtown area is an historic Victorian village, so there are lots of little haunts to go to. And then we live on restaurant row near the edge of the burb.
Jacky48
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Janet it looks like you have all your ducks in a row!
It feels good to get everything started doesn't it!
Yesterday we went to visit the rehab place and I was very comfortable with it. I got pre-administration done, she said I could have a private room and if the insurance doesn't cover it they would eat the cost. How kool is that!:yes 4: I met the PT guy and he was very nice. He said their main concern in doing PT is managing the pain level and not pushing beyond limits. He noticed that I had a hard time moving my neck and my arthritic hand. Very observent guy, I said. He said, that's my job. I like that in a guy!:biggrin:
We're heading down the stretch kiddo!
Speaking of stretch do you watch the Kentucky Derby? They have some funky horses name this year!
It feels good to get everything started doesn't it!Yesterday we went to visit the rehab place and I was very comfortable with it. I got pre-administration done, she said I could have a private room and if the insurance doesn't cover it they would eat the cost. How kool is that!:yes 4: I met the PT guy and he was very nice. He said their main concern in doing PT is managing the pain level and not pushing beyond limits. He noticed that I had a hard time moving my neck and my arthritic hand. Very observent guy, I said. He said, that's my job.
I like that in a guy!:biggrin:We're heading down the stretch kiddo!
Speaking of stretch do you watch the Kentucky Derby? They have some funky horses name this year!
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Janet2012
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Jacky, it definitely makes me feel things are more under control to start reigning in all those loose ends flying around. Did you contact your insurance company about coverage for the rehab place already or do you wait for the doctor to put in the order - or both (checking coverage and then it's up to the doctor after surgery to verify need?)
My tv watching chair butts up to the wall so it can't scootch around. I brought some extra paver bricks in today and we'll try out putting them under the legs of the chair so I can see how stable that is before It's critical. It would sure be easier than building a platform. I have long legs, especially from the knee to the floor, so I need a good height.
Is the Kentucky Derby tomorrow? My mom was from Kentucky and she used to like to watch it. I usually don't think of it or know when or where to watch it because for 18 years we didn't live here, so it was a non event. I'll have to look for it.
My tv watching chair butts up to the wall so it can't scootch around. I brought some extra paver bricks in today and we'll try out putting them under the legs of the chair so I can see how stable that is before It's critical. It would sure be easier than building a platform. I have long legs, especially from the knee to the floor, so I need a good height.
Is the Kentucky Derby tomorrow? My mom was from Kentucky and she used to like to watch it. I usually don't think of it or know when or where to watch it because for 18 years we didn't live here, so it was a non event. I'll have to look for it.
Jacky48
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Janet the rehab place will contact the insurance and get it pre-approved and will send me a card in the mail that I bring to the hospital with me. When they release me from the hospital they will know where I go and that way it's not left for the last minute and chance not getting a room where I want to go. If we wait for the doctor to put in the order at the last minute then it's left to the hospital staff to find you a place that is available, which might not be the place you want to be. And, your spouse won't know where your going to be until your already being transported. Plus you're all loopy at that point from the meds so you can't even make that decision.
The rehab coordinater says that this way I'll know what they pay for and what they don't pay for so there are no surprises!
Go thing you're doing the chair trial now to avoid an any mishaps.
The Kentucky Derby starts at 4 this afternoon. They introduce all the horses and their owners and backgrounds so you get to know them. Norm and I usually set ourselves for dinner, tonight NY loin steaks on the grill and a bottle of wine, then we pick our horses and root on for our favorite
one!:yes 4: Our big screen TV is mounted on the wall in the living room with a swing arm, which allows us to turn the TV toward the dining room. It gets pretty loud in here just the two of us, as we are pretty competitive with each other.:th_heehee: It's almost like we're at the race itself! Since I don't move around much, we get our fun where we can for now!:biggrin:
The rehab coordinater says that this way I'll know what they pay for and what they don't pay for so there are no surprises!
Go thing you're doing the chair trial now to avoid an any mishaps.
The Kentucky Derby starts at 4 this afternoon. They introduce all the horses and their owners and backgrounds so you get to know them. Norm and I usually set ourselves for dinner, tonight NY loin steaks on the grill and a bottle of wine, then we pick our horses and root on for our favorite
one!:yes 4: Our big screen TV is mounted on the wall in the living room with a swing arm, which allows us to turn the TV toward the dining room. It gets pretty loud in here just the two of us, as we are pretty competitive with each other.:th_heehee: It's almost like we're at the race itself! Since I don't move around much, we get our fun where we can for now!:biggrin:
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Janet2012
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Jacky, thanks for the advice re: the rehab. I'll get out this week and make the rounds.
Have fun watching the race! How nice to make it such a fun event! I think we'll be at my daughters trying to finish up building the kids playscape. i'm the official reader of directions and tell them what to do from my lawn chair. They are hopeless without me. :secretaea: i'll try to turn it on there. The boys might get a kick out of seeing it, although it's so dangerous for the horses and jockeys. :prayer1:
Have fun watching the race! How nice to make it such a fun event! I think we'll be at my daughters trying to finish up building the kids playscape. i'm the official reader of directions and tell them what to do from my lawn chair. They are hopeless without me. :secretaea: i'll try to turn it on there. The boys might get a kick out of seeing it, although it's so dangerous for the horses and jockeys. :prayer1:
Jacky48
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"They are hopeless without me." What a crack up, but soooo true isn't!:th_heehee:
Now seeing your daughter and grandkids does however trump the Derby by a wide margin! Have fun!
The track is really dangerous when it's wet and it seems this time of the year there is always a chance of rain in Kentucky. I was checking the forecast and they said this year there was a 20% chance of rain, so hopefully this will hold off. I've only seen one mishap which was a couple of years ago and that certainly take the fun out of it! Hopefully it will be a safe race:prayer1: the jockeys get such great elations when they win, it brings them to tears as it does us as well!:cry4:
Now seeing your daughter and grandkids does however trump the Derby by a wide margin! Have fun!
The track is really dangerous when it's wet and it seems this time of the year there is always a chance of rain in Kentucky. I was checking the forecast and they said this year there was a 20% chance of rain, so hopefully this will hold off. I've only seen one mishap which was a couple of years ago and that certainly take the fun out of it! Hopefully it will be a safe race:prayer1: the jockeys get such great elations when they win, it brings them to tears as it does us as well!:cry4:
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