Hi, @
shrinkette ... I did an update on my pre-op thread. I gather you are wondering about what to take to wear to the hospital. I puzzled over that one, too. This is how it went for me: I did bring soft (soft on the inside, too! to not irritate my skin) sweats; oversized; and soft (inside & out), oversized, lightweight cotton PJs. But never wore them! Instead I just kept the hospital gown on ... BUT I insisted on another gown, to wear around the backside, like a jacket. To cover my bum. I am short, so of course the gowns were more than long enough to cover me up (below the knees) while doing PT walks, stairs, and in the chair and bed PT too. None of which was much, anyway. They gave me nonskid slipper socks to wear. I brought these slip-on clog type shoes (EasySpirit) that I'd bought prior to surgery for just that purpose. they were really easy to slip in and out of. Not really clogs in the scary sense. A high enough back to be stable. Also, I was warned in the pre-op surgery class that your feet swell and you should really get a bigger size shoe than normal. This was worth that class's weight in gold. I like many others here did find my feet got very very swollen. I bought at the last minute a pair of my favorite sneakers in a half size larger and was so happy I did that. I had the elastic shoelaces too, so they could be slipped on and off. And the long shoehorn. All of this helped as soon as I got home from surgery. But really, in the hospital, those slip-on socks and the two gowns were all I needed. I was kind of happy about that.
I don't know about rehab. My surgeon was against it since I had someone to be with me for the first 3 days. He said for a hip, the purpose of going to rehab is NOT for PT purposes. Because that first week you aren't doing arduous PT, anyway. They gave me a handout of half a dozen easy, sitting, lying down, and standing up exercises to do. My surgeon was really pretty firm in his belief that I should not go to rehab. But, his other reason was that nowadays (meaning, 2013 -- he was not referring to the new health care laws in the U.S.), most ins. companies only pay for "subacute rehab" for a single hip replacement--and that translates to basically a rehab floor in a nursing home, where he worried about me catching an infection. He said in the old days, when ins. paid for "real" rehab facilities (don't know the term for them; maybe it's something like "acute rehab"?), he said those were great. And I gather he meant for really good quality (which is not the same things as "arduous" or "no pain, no gain" stuff) PT.
All of this is my own surgeon's opinion and may or may not gell with all you've heard here. Though I don't think his opinion is out of left field and unique.
I too worried how bedridden and all I'd be right after coming home. How much of a pain I'd be for my relative staying with me those 3 days. But I really was okay. I remember even having to serve tea to a visitor a time or two (and not liking to do that ... because they were kind of demanding visitors, who assumed I was totally well since I was not in a wheelchair) and kind of being a hostess. The main thing is that you will need to exercise your right to not overdo things. You must not sit too long, lie down too long (though you have to rest!), be up too long. Visitors and family might not get that. You have to run the show (to repeat my obsessive theater cliches) and say "No mas!" if you are overdoing anything.
Others might have different ideas and tips about "to rehab or not to rehab ... that is the question."
Good luck!! I will look for your recovery thread!!!
United Kingdom
...You have certainly helped me come to terms with this bump in my life...I am so looking forward to hearing from you on the other side. You are my motivation to accept this and just do it!!!!!
..Although I know my fears will constantly be there I will try to look ahead and think of how beautiful this summer will be ...and with no pain. Take tomorrow and enjoy the day as best you can. Rest...relax ...take care of yourself.You can do this girl!!!! And YES this will be your best birthday present ever!!!! And oh.... Thank you!!!!
