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post-op personal cleaning

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kktoland said:
Yep, its that final drop to a lower seat that hurts LOL! And then .... try to manage a shower without a shower seat (another luxury), towel off their lower regions without a dressing stick (yep, luxury) and wrestle into those compression stockings without a sock aid!

Oh yeah, another item that was very useful the first week or so was a leg lifter for the ol' log leg. Well worth the $10 I spent! Too bad they don't make a butt shifter. . Really could have used that one! Those staples tug when shifting trying to get comfortable in bed, on the couch etc.

@hippywoman, I'm just the opposite. I'm an xray technologist so I've been in the OR during hip replacements but not close enough to see much .. smell and hear, yes, but not see. I won't elaborate on that unless someone wants to know. Anyhow, before my partial knee and this hip replacement, I watched YouTube videos of the surgeries. Neat! Only a couple of things made me cringe. Again, won't elaborate unless someone asks LOL!

Kristi
Click to expand...
Smell? Oh my now I have images of burning bone from a saw. Giggle

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@lillibet123, gosh, I apologize. I was rereading my response to kktoland about the insurance people who make the determination about what is a 'luxury' item and what's not, and realized that my comments about the surgical procedure were not terribly thoughtful.
It honestly is not a bad experience and recovery is a very manageable process. I didn't mean to be so thoughtless.
Again, I'm sorry.
 
DeepBreath said:
It honestly is not a bad experience and recovery is a very manageable process.
Click to expand...

Very true .. that is what is so wonderful about anesthesia and pain meds. There is a process to go through (of which the patient feels and remembers nothing) but it is so worth it in the end! @DeepBreath, you can thump me on the head for starting the topic! :swoon:

Kristi
 
Not at all, @kktoland. You didn't say anything wrong. I was trying to be funny, but my remarks were careless and flippant. It wasn't so long ago that I was on the other side and was so anxious and fearful. I would hate to think that anything I said would add to another's pre op concerns.
I do tend to suffer from Foot in Mouth syndrome. :blush:
Anyway, I know that lillibet is going to do just great and will be on this side of the fence giving her own perspective and helping others. :)
 
@lillibet123 ..... I have moved your thread to the hip pre-op forum since you have not yet had surgery. It's more appropriate here. Members frequently discuss helpful aids or concerns about how they will do things in recovery here, so don't worry....you'll continue to get posts!
 
Hi @lillibet123 I asked this question when I was in the hospital and again at rehab (to make sure I got the same answer - I am OCD that way, haha). I was told it is best to take care of this standing up. What I will do is tear off the toilet paper and put it in my pockets if I have any, so that when I stand I do not have to turn around and twist & bend to reach the toilet paper dispenser.
 
I bought stock in baby-wipes, and a long sponge, as well as a few grabbers. I'm 4 days post-op, and quite surprisingly, I can reach places on my body now, without any aid that I couldn't reach before surgery. The baby wipes help dramatically though for a quick refreshing, then a simple wash rag around a sponge stick, etc..


My insurance paid for my walker, and we were loaned a raised toilet seat.. and FYI, most raised toilet seats serve well as shower stools also, so there's possibly a dual purpose in that seat/stool if that might work for you.

I don't know if I get a "hip kit" or not, or if I might have gotten one already, as they'd only given me a few things really, of which I already had. Most of what I needed just came from my house after I could think straight.. One example is ICE... I just use a quart bag pf ice with a towel around it.. works great..

Here's another tip maybe too, I found the best grabbers at a place called "Harbor Freight Tools". Most larger cities have these stores. The grabbers though are only $3 a piece, and although they don't work very well when new.. a tad of oil makes these $3 grabbers better then some $20 grabbers I've seen. Its hard to plan when there seems to be so much else going on... Hang in there.

Good luck with your journey.
 
I'm fine. I'm not as scared as i once was after reading all your comments. I bought the baby wipes. I have the potty chair. I can stand to clean behind. I'm a little laughing at myself even to worry.
 
@lillibet123, I'm glad to hear you're less anxious and that you've gotten post op aids to help you. It really is not as daunting as one can imagine it to be. I had all sorts of scenarios cooked up in my mind and only a few of them surfaced and even then they weren't anywhere near what I had feared they would be.
You're going to do great. Sending good thoughts out for you.
Enjoy your weekend. :)
 
@DeepBreath . Thank you. I think I'm getting more excited happy. To be getting st least one pain free joint soon. two knees in the new year next. I hear the hip is the easiest to get through. Its tough
 
@lillibet123, you'll be so happy to have that hip joint pain gone. That can't help but make the knee surgeries easier.
You're going to be a whole new woman by this time next year. :)
 
I love this thread even though I had TKR! I am a long legged 5'8" and I just wanted to add to the conversation about "the final drop to the seat"..... After three knee surgeries, that can be the longest few inches. I have found putting my hand between my legs and reaching the seat with my hand and easing myself down has saved me many times. I am not sure about hippies bending and such, but if you can get down and up from a low toilet-I will try anything. It is a little gross in public, but sometimes a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do.
 
My husband put in a bidet for me today. We ordered it from Amazon. Around $40.00. I couldn't wait to try it. :wow: It seriously was a gusher. :yahoo: Once it was adjusted, it still was rather strong, but certainly gets the job done! :tada: We're going to order another one. Never can be too clean, and this could clean me from a mile away. :bath:
 
When I was in the hospital after surgery an Occupational Therapist came to see me every day. Her job was to make sure I had a way of doing all the awkward things, including butt wiping. At first I thought it was silly, I thought, of course I can wipe my butt, but then I realized there were some finer points to doing it without breaking any postop rules. Luckily I can twist pretty well and have longer arms, but if I wasn't able to do it she would have found me the needed tools/extenders/techniques needed to accomplish the tasks of daily living. That's her whole job. So ask to see the OT if you find there are things you cannot do.
 
Really super helpful thread here....thanks for all the sharing.....but there are a ton of different sock assist devices
On Amazon. Santa gave am a hard plastic one in my stocking this year and after trying it.....gave up. It's going back t Amazon !
It's a huge hard plastic cup...which other one is the easiest to use for me5'4" size 7 shoe? Not sure what I'll end up with the hip package from insurance?
 
Well...i didn't need to worry. .i can wipe down there pretty good. I have a foldable sock aid that works great. I can get in and out of my shower alone as long as my walker is right there to help me out. By two weeks after I'm almost human again. Not much pain. Most all my mobility. Glad i did the surgery
 
Now I'm 3.5 weeks after new hip. I'm doing well. I'm walking with my cane. I can take some steps without. But it hurts more without. My incision is healing very nicely. Its fading. I'm resting lots. My stretches are going well. They don't hurt to do them now. I will see my doctor January 28 to see how good i am.
 
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