Guest viewing is limited
Lounge Doctor

Rehab center or not

Status
Not open for further replies.
E

exjock

junior member
Joined
Jul 9, 2008
Messages
79
Location
United States
Gender
Male
Country
United States United States
I am having surgery next Wed. and will be discharged from hospital on Sat. I am told that decision will be made while I am in hospital whether I go home or to a rehab center. I am only having 1 knee done and I have a bedroom and bathroom on main floor. My gut feeling is that I will be going home but I attended a meeting that the hospital had for future joint replacememt patients and they made it sound like everyone went to a rehab. center.

What has been everyones experience with this?
Thanks
 
Exjock

A lot depends on your home situation. If you have people at home that can help you out than you might not need inpatient rehab. Also only having 1 done does make it easy. The hospital is pretty good at evaluating if it is safe enough for you to go home, i.e. you can left your leg from the floor to the bed yourself, you can get yourself out of bed and get to the bathroom. You can use the toilet. They have a whole list of things to check.

Make sure your home is ready for you, shower/bath chair, high enough toiler, height of the bed. Sometimes home health care will do a home assessment for you and tell you what you need.

I had a both down and lived alone so I went to rehab and it was very helpful.

Simon

Good luck
 
exjock said:
I am having surgery next Wed. and will be discharged from hospital on Sat. I am told that decision will be made while I am in hospital whether I go home or to a rehab center. I am only having 1 knee done and I have a bedroom and bathroom on main floor. My gut feeling is that I will be going home but I attended a meeting that the hospital had for future joint replacememt patients and they made it sound like everyone went to a rehab. center.

What has been everyones experience with this?
Thanks
Click to expand...

Hi exjock,
Good Luck with your surgery on Wednesday! I hope you have prepared and tried to strengthen your quads prior to surgery. It made a huge difference with me. I had BTKR on June 18, 2008. I am now 4 weeks post op. I was pre-approved by my health insurance company to go to the rehab hospital. I was in the hospital until 4:30 PM on 20th of June and transferred to rehab. I stayed 6 days and did well. I left with a ROM of 105 in each leg.
I have since gone up to 112 and 113, however my incisions split. I saw the OS yesterday and he said it will take another week to seal the incision with healing. I don't know how much range of motion I will be doing in the next week. I have been given my driving rights back, I walk without assistance and I do pace myself.
I do not have a limp or hitch when walking either... My heel strike and toe roll are good. I have even been walking on the uneven grass outside in the backyard.
I see the OS in another 3 months, in October. He said if I have no issues at that time to cancel the appointment. He will see me again at the 1 year and then every 2 years after.
If you go to rehab, work hard as it is rewarding to make good progress.
Best,
Crystal
 
I spent two weeks in the hospital on there rehab floor and I am glad I did!
I wasn't happy with the idea at first, but in retrospect, you can spend the rest of your life at home....take the assistance while you can! Doing even little things can be monumental those first few days. I was in good shape going into this, and I had seven arthoscopic surgeries prior. TKR is a completely different ballgame!
If you can stay....stay.
 
Exjock
OK - I just survive my first 22 hours at home. Suregery was Monday am for RTKR. Hospital Mon, Tuesday and Wed. pm. Home yesterday - Hospital is one hour away. Original plan was to stay til Friday but I was doing well so I was told I could go home. So I did! I am doing a Prs and Con list for you to consider. My situation is: 42 Year old control maniac teacher from LOng Island/Extremely bull-headed/9 year old daughter and husband who is a total meltdown at this time and who works shift (2 weeks on 1 off) - He is going back 7/23 for 2 weeks. Have a sister-in-law 30 -45 minutes away.

Pros for getting home:
No more crazy PT lady always standing there telling me to bend my knee further
No more Vampires at am pulling blood\
No more hourly/bihourly vital signs
No more hospital food
my own bed
privacy in my bathroom
my own stuff
my 9 year old
more tv stations

Cons for going home:
no really cool recliner
no really cool adjustable hospital bed
no more constant positive feedback from the staff
no more ring the nurse button to get anything you need
stairs
having to go down the stairs, back into the truck and out for pt and blood pull(pulls 2x a week)
fighting over the computer and tv with both hubby and kiddo
having to be the bad guy again with rules and my child
Family didn't understand the way this would hurt until they saw the staples - now they sort of get it.
Family responsibilities have returned
having to rely on family members who don't get it
no more intersting discussions with the super nursing crowd. My group was totally awesome

Ok - I am sure there are more on each side of the table. All I can tell you is that it is hard at home. I am glad I came home, but..... Its a choice only you can really make based on your own situation.

Good Luck in making this tough choice!
Marianne
 
I don't imagine I'll get a choice--insurance company will want me home and not creating more expenses for them. If I did get a choice, however, I think I might opt for rehab. My husband is a wonderful man, but I would like to be able to do as much as possible for myself when I get home. Somehow it is easier to accept help from the people whose job it is than from loved one. Weird, huh?
 
no more interesting discussions with the super nursing crowd. My group was totally awesome
Click to expand...

Well, now you have us instead!
 
Hi,
I had RTKR on June 12, spent 5 days in the hospital and came home. I have my husband and son to help me so it just seemed right. I'm glad I did and though going up the stairs was difficult, once I got up stairs, I stayed there till the PT worked with me about 10 days into therapy. I'm now driving and doing pretty much everything but cooking! Still "working it" so my husband does it. Gonna make a meal or two next week. Walking with a cane when I go out but no cane in the house. Doing outpatient PT twice a week and loving it.
Sorry to ramble but I really love the new knee. Hope this helps.
Dee Ann
 
Thanks for all the replys. I am hoping to come home unless there is a major problem. Master bedroom is on main floor and I have gotten all the things I think I might need ie: shower seat, raised toilet seat etc. I have a very large and comfortable recliner and a large screen HD TV in family room 15' from bedroom. My wife works but my son is home from college till the end of August and his job will be to drive me to therapy and whatever else I might need. Even with doing therapy 3 times a day in rehab. I think I would be climbing the walls. I am definately hoping to come home.
 
I wish I had gone to a rehab place at least for a few days. My family really wasn't prepared to handle my needs. They are used to me meeting theirs so I think this was huge. My husband helped me the first week I was home but then he went out of town the next week and I had to rely on my girls 18, 14 & 11. I found out I haven't taught them all that well on household management. My friends and church supplied meals the first two weeks and that helped alot.

I just think that if I had been able to go to rehab I would be farther along at this stage (4weeks)

My opinion only.

Good Luck.

Annette
 
Yes, people who offer to help often think it's a week or two's commitment at best. Perhaps we should make a little hand out for members to give their friends and family so they have a better idea of what's really involved.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antibacterial

Members online

Total: 1,466 (members: 3, guests: 1,463)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom