Rehab

[Celle]

If anyone can think of any must haves that helped them please let me know.

These articles might help. You don't need to go buying everything that's suggested.
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery

 

[newlybionic]

I love the beach. That truly is the best scenery for a recovery.

 

[linney619]

rehab or this

 

[Josephine]

you need to ask?

 

[Celle]

Unless you have both knees replaced at the same time, and consequently need more time to learn how to do your activities of daily living, I think rehab is unnecessary.

Even if you're going to be on your own when you come home, you should still be able to manage.
We have a thread here that talks about being home alone:
Home Alone After Surgery

 

[linney619]

My husband will help, I hope I won't need him too much. I like to do things for myself. I'm sure I don't know what I'm getting onto.

 

[referee54]

Unless you have both knees replaced at the same time, and consequently need more time to learn how to do your activities of daily living, I think rehab is unnecessary.

:iagree: I concur. I did have a BTKR, so I did need to go to a rehab unit for a week to get things situated as to how to do things---but if you only are having a TKR, I would think that a rehab unit or facility would be unnecessary.

 

[shrdlu]

I would avoid crutches. You need both hands to use them (think about standing in front of a fridge with a walker versus crutches). They offered me crutches, and I would have been dropping them all over the house. A walker stays put when you need it to, unlike crutches. I used the cane around the house (after the first 2 weeks) and a walker when going to physical therapy the first month. After 1 month, I was told a cane was okay outside the house. I was very stable on my feet, but I discovered that I had a tendency to rotate on the ball of my foot when turning corners, which was bad for the knee's healing.

I went to an outside physical therapy place the day after I left the hospital, so you also have outpatient physical therapy as an option. I enjoyed getting out of the house, and a lot of the repeat knee patients there said outpatient was the way to go.

 

[newlybionic]

I had an easier time with a walker than I had when I had used crutches for other surgeries. It's stable and as @iamshrdlu states it stays where you put it. You can also attach a bag to it to carry things.

 

[linney619]

I would never do well with crutches, I would fall on my face. I already got a basket for a walker so that will be my guide for a few weeks, I already have a cane.

 

[referee54]

I began on a walker, then I went to crutches (which the PT taught me to use as two canes) and then finally to a cane for a brief period of time.

The walker was a big, big help in the early days of recovery.

 

[sharonc60]

Your view is lovely. I went from a walker to a cane and did fine. A basket for your Walker is a great idea. I'm going to be fending for myself a lot too. You have a lot of good suggestions here. I'm not much for adding waste to the environment but I'm going to use bottled water and plastic and paper cutlery, cups, etc for a couple weeks.

 

[shrdlu]

Tip: Set up the walker for your height *before* surgery. If you get a walker from the hospital after surgery, request that they send it up the day before discharge and get the hospital physical therapy staff to set it up properly. My hospital tried to send me home with a walker that hadn't been set up, which would have made it almost useless (or worse, dangerous).

My hospital warned us that insurance usually does not cover rehab facilities unless there are complications. So check with your insurance before surgery if you are considering using one.

 

[referee54]

Normally, the PT folks or the OT folks will set up the walker and have a few training sessions for you as to how to use it properly.

If they do not, ask for somebody to get you set up so that you are using it correctly---your knee may be a little wobbly at first, so you will need the support and the walker to be at the correct height for you.

 

[linney619]

I was told I'll be sent home with walker and what ever I need. Thank you for advice on having it set up already. I was assuming It will be the same one I'll be using at the hospital. this is all new to me first time having TKR.

 

[referee54]

One point that the OS's office made was to tell me what insurance would provide, so that I did not have to duplicate purchases---and what insurance would not provide---so the office suggested what I should get and what I may or may not need, depending on my preferences.

One purchase that I made that I never used was the "Grabber-Thingy"---it is underneath my bed as I rype this protecting all of the dust-bunnies.

 

[newlybionic]

I loved my grabber thing. It made it possible for me to reach things around the furniture that my dogs decided to leave them. I wouldn't have been able to get them any other way since I live alone and I didn't want their toys all over the place. The hospital gave me one plus wrap around ice wrap, an extra long shoe horn and a thing to put socks on that I could never get the hang of.

 

[linney619]

I will take home whatever they give me at the hospital. I know at some point in my recovery I will need it. I know my ins. didn't pay for a basket for the walker I bought one. I only have a cane right now.

 

[theresav]

One point that the OS's office made was to tell me what insurance would provide, so that I did not have to duplicate purchases---and what insurance would not provide---so the office suggested what I should get and what I may or may not need, depending on my preferences.

One purchase that I made that I never used was the "Grabber-Thingy"---it is underneath my bed as I rype this protecting all of the dust-bunnies.

I use the grabber a lot. To reach for things..pull blankets over or off my feet, etc. It's easy to bend down to pick things up if I'm on my feet..but not if I'm on couch. Etc. I had a friend lend me hers.

left knee 9/21/15
right knee 11/30/15

 

[newlybionic]

If you have Medicare it will only pay for a cane or a walker. I got my walker at OS office for a reduced amount. I also helped some of my home patients find them at Salvation Army occasionally.