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Miss Muffet wishes to ditch her tuffet and get mobile
- Thread starter Miss Muffet
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Just to update, I've downloaded Medisafe and it's very good. Onky thing I cannot fathom is how to get an audible reminder. Am getting told if I go over time, but will need something LOUD! Can you help please? 
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Miss Muffet
post-grad
Yesterday my new bed tray arrived. Obviously useful for food and drink, but I figured could be handy for working on iPad etc. I checked out a few on Amazon and read the reviews carefully. Some got bad press for various reasons - not tall enough (important if we have sore hips), legs not stiff enough (do not want a toppling tray of food/drink, or anything else) no lip (slippage and spillage not a good idea), carrying handles (useful point and appreciated by my Butler). So I spent a bit more but have a decent result - and a little bonus was the company add your name on the tray - sweet!
I also rang and arranged to pick up some crutches (as recommended by @Jaycey) and am SO pleased I did. They have helped enormously already by helping to take the strain. If anyone is in any doubt about going that route preOp I would urge you to sieze it. Don't wait until after surgery - anything that can ease things is definitely worthwhile. Yet more reasons why Bonesmart is the greatest source of support
I also rang and arranged to pick up some crutches (as recommended by @Jaycey) and am SO pleased I did. They have helped enormously already by helping to take the strain. If anyone is in any doubt about going that route preOp I would urge you to sieze it. Don't wait until after surgery - anything that can ease things is definitely worthwhile. Yet more reasons why Bonesmart is the greatest source of support
Well done Miss Muffet! I knew they would help. Just taking even a small bit of weight off sore hips makes all the difference. No one should hesitate to use walking aides pre-op. This is a temporary situation.
Rutabaga
member
Re: your question about drug management. You have had some good suggestions already, I used mobile phone alarms like Cynthia did. I also just used the simple "notes" app on my cell phone to record what times I took meds and how many. That was mainly to keep track of how much Norco I was taking so I could plan a tapering schedule.
The main thing I wanted to add is that it was really important for me to use a daily/weekly pill container. My first day home I was sitting at the kitchen table with the pill bottles in front of me. My friend who was taking care of me said to take two Norco. About ten minutes later she asked if I had taken them . . . and I seriously could not remember if I had or not! :rolleyes: We ended up having to count the pills left in the bottle and then adding how many we had already recorded me taking and subtracting. It was a mess! Turned out I had taken them, just couldn't quite recall. I was also taking stool softener pills and low-dose aspirin pills so I just couldn't remember which I'd taken already.
Anyway after that little incident I used a pill container with the days on it to separate out daily doses of everything so that wouldn't happen again.
The main thing I wanted to add is that it was really important for me to use a daily/weekly pill container. My first day home I was sitting at the kitchen table with the pill bottles in front of me. My friend who was taking care of me said to take two Norco. About ten minutes later she asked if I had taken them . . . and I seriously could not remember if I had or not! :rolleyes: We ended up having to count the pills left in the bottle and then adding how many we had already recorded me taking and subtracting. It was a mess! Turned out I had taken them, just couldn't quite recall. I was also taking stool softener pills and low-dose aspirin pills so I just couldn't remember which I'd taken already.
Anyway after that little incident I used a pill container with the days on it to separate out daily doses of everything so that wouldn't happen again.
Cynthia777
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Miss Muffet
post-grad
@Rutabaga and @Cynthia777 - gosh what a simple and obvious solution! 
On top of that who wants to be messing around with pill bottles in the middle of the night AND remembering to record that the correct dosages and pills have been taken?
To be honest only the other day I sat looking at my lunchtime dose of anti-inflams and couldn't for the life of me decide whether I had taken it or was about to take it ..... If I'm that fuddled now how bad can it get?
Thanks for sharing this. Off to do another Amazon shop to solve the problem (I really should have a loyalty card by now.
One day, after my second naughty hip has been dealt with I will be able to sell a complete HIp Replacement Survival Kit - or maybe that's a great business idea?
On top of that who wants to be messing around with pill bottles in the middle of the night AND remembering to record that the correct dosages and pills have been taken?
To be honest only the other day I sat looking at my lunchtime dose of anti-inflams and couldn't for the life of me decide whether I had taken it or was about to take it ..... If I'm that fuddled now how bad can it get?
Thanks for sharing this. Off to do another Amazon shop to solve the problem (I really should have a loyalty card by now.
One day, after my second naughty hip has been dealt with I will be able to sell a complete HIp Replacement Survival Kit - or maybe that's a great business idea?
Cynthia777
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@Miss Muffet, you're as precious as a new litter of kittens!
If you still have several items to purchase from Amazon, I think they offer a free Prime membership trial. I joined, ordered all my gear and cancelled within the time period (I think it was 30 days, but I can't be sure). I saved a ton of money not having to pay any shipping fees. I also purchased some of my items from eBay. I would read the reviews and check the prices on Amazon and then compare the price of the item on eBay. About 50% of the time I found that eBay had a better price and I got my items much faster from eBay.
If you still have several items to purchase from Amazon, I think they offer a free Prime membership trial. I joined, ordered all my gear and cancelled within the time period (I think it was 30 days, but I can't be sure). I saved a ton of money not having to pay any shipping fees. I also purchased some of my items from eBay. I would read the reviews and check the prices on Amazon and then compare the price of the item on eBay. About 50% of the time I found that eBay had a better price and I got my items much faster from eBay.
Rutabaga
member
@Miss Muffet Do you have heel protectors in your kit? I wish I had gotten them before my surgery. My heels have been so sore from laying on my back all the time.
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Miss Muffet
post-grad
@Rutabaga and @Cynthia777 - ok .... Scholarship Question coming back, so pin back your ears ......am on Amazon but I think some of the drugs are 4-hourly, so not sure how organise that? I can't see beyond ones which are divided into, at most, compartments for morning, noon, afternoon and night .....
How did you manage yours?
How did you manage yours?
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Miss Muffet
post-grad
Exciting shopping today (well practical is more likely the appropriate word) one stop Mobility Shop for raised shower stool and shower step. I will test drive these tomorrow. 
(well practical is more likely the appropriate word) one stop Mobility Shop for raised shower stool and shower step. I will test drive these tomorrow.
Rutabaga
member
I just have a simple one that has one compartment for each day of the week. As long as I count out all my pills for the day and have them in the pill box it works. So like my first week I knew I was going to take 2 Norco every 4.5 hours so that was 10 a day I think. This was another reason why I was also writing down the times right after I took the pills. I didn't have a fool-proof system but it worked okay.
Cynthia777
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So how's this for an answer....I can't remember! 
I had the one you describe with four boxes for each day. When I started the pain meds at home, I didn't need them every four hours (more like every 5 or 6 hours) and I never had to wake myself up. I guess I was quite lucky in that I never experienced a lot of pain while resting. I think rutabega's idea of jotting the times down would work well.
I had the one you describe with four boxes for each day. When I started the pain meds at home, I didn't need them every four hours (more like every 5 or 6 hours) and I never had to wake myself up. I guess I was quite lucky in that I never experienced a lot of pain while resting. I think rutabega's idea of jotting the times down would work well.
msmo
junior member
@Miss Muffet Thank you for this fabulous thread! You ask the best questions.
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Miss Muffet
post-grad
Thank you @msmo - I may be a bit OTT for some, but would rather be ahead of the game (!)
I've been drinking probiotic drinks (Actimel or similar) now for a week, and will continue to do so as anything which is a source of calcium and helps to keep my immune system on the straight and narrow has to be a bonus
Also just ordered 4 x large gel packs so I'll always have them frozen and ready to go and a 4-compartment pill organiser - but will print out a ready to use spreadsheet as well to keep tabs on what medication I've taken (Jaycey's suggestion). It will be a useful record to look back on as well, particularly when I have Hip #2 done.
How are you doing? Do you have a thread I can follow?
I've been drinking probiotic drinks (Actimel or similar) now for a week, and will continue to do so as anything which is a source of calcium and helps to keep my immune system on the straight and narrow has to be a bonus
Also just ordered 4 x large gel packs so I'll always have them frozen and ready to go and a 4-compartment pill organiser - but will print out a ready to use spreadsheet as well to keep tabs on what medication I've taken (Jaycey's suggestion). It will be a useful record to look back on as well, particularly when I have Hip #2 done.
How are you doing? Do you have a thread I can follow?
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Chihuahuan
graduate
@Miss Muffet For my knee I created a chart of what to take when and then checked off when I took it. Don't recollect what type of pill box I used.
I have a list of needed items in my Amazon cart already!
I have a list of needed items in my Amazon cart already!
dandy_candi
senior
I think I have a pill box somewhere- will have to dig it out. I might print up a chart too. I'm already getting one organised for my bills that hubby is helping pay while I'm off work. I worry too much about money but I hate direct debits coming out and there is no money in there!
Candice, 28 yo. Rheumatoid Arthritis. Australia. Sequential unilateral THR June 1st 2016 and July 13th 2016
Candice, 28 yo. Rheumatoid Arthritis. Australia. Sequential unilateral THR June 1st 2016 and July 13th 2016
dandy_candi
senior
Oh and my mum found one of these tables that my Nan used to use when she lived with them! Score! Haha freebie
![[Bonesmart.org] Miss Muffet wishes to ditch her tuffet and get mobile](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/imageuploadedbybonesmart-forum1459300968-941369-jpg.49806/ "[Bonesmart.org] Miss Muffet wishes to ditch her tuffet and get mobile")
Candice, 28 yo. Rheumatoid Arthritis. Australia. Sequential unilateral THR June 1st 2016 and July 13th 2016
Candice, 28 yo. Rheumatoid Arthritis. Australia. Sequential unilateral THR June 1st 2016 and July 13th 2016
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Miss Muffet
post-grad
@dandy_candi - you've got time on your side to get really organised. Brill find - that table eh?!@Chihuahuan - Amazon should be very grateful for my custom! Have you got a date for your next surgery (can you put it in your signature?) It's worth getting all this stuff together well ahead in readiness. I don't want to find I need things and then have to order and wait.
That's yet another BS benefit of information sharing.
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Miss Muffet
post-grad
My darling husband is now resident in another bedroom across the hall - I'm very restless at night and he is an Olympic snorer, so this is a good solution and all in readiness for a couple of weeks' time
However, as he is highly unlikely to hear me if I call out needing nightime assistance he suggested I ring his mobile but we agreed that's a waste of time as he could sleep through a nuclear explosion. So I dispatched him to the loft to dig out the walkie-talkies we used when skiing (to keep in touch with the rest of the group). New batteries installed and they work a treat. I'm planning a couple of tactical evaluations over the course of the next few nights just to ensure that he's on his toes. 
However, as he is highly unlikely to hear me if I call out needing nightime assistance he suggested I ring his mobile but we agreed that's a waste of time as he could sleep through a nuclear explosion. So I dispatched him to the loft to dig out the walkie-talkies we used when skiing (to keep in touch with the rest of the group). New batteries installed and they work a treat. I'm planning a couple of tactical evaluations over the course of the next few nights just to ensure that he's on his toes.
shirleyH
member
Hi there, This pill business is scary! How many will we have to take?, I haven't been given any advice on this, but presumably will when I go for my pre-op. Everyone seems to have a lot more knowledge than me, I shall have to start taking notes! I have got quite a few things together now too and have been using a crutch from a pair for a couple of weeks now, feels more secure than the walking stick. When I walk the dog I use two, it really helps. Have a wonderful framed toilet seat for the downstairs loo, so it can be moved out of the way for visitors, its really light, but we have a decent size loo it might not be so good for the small rooms. Do you have a call name for each other? Over and out.
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