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What essential clothing to pack for surgery and rehab?

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  • What essential clothing to pack for surgery and rehab?

    When I pack for surgery, I don't want to take unnecessary things.

    What are the best clothing items to have during hospital stay after surgery? I don't want to take any more or less than necessary.

    What clothing will I need for 1 week of rehab immediately after hospital stay? I will be staying in rehab for about a week.

    Because I will be away from home for over 2 weeks, will I need several of each item in case they get soiled?

  • #2
    I brought slippers, socks, sneakers, a bathrobe, two sets of pajamas, and two loose fitting outfits.
    Jenn
    37 y/o female
    60 degree lumbar
    45 degree thoracic
    1st time anterior/posterior surgery May 8th and 10th 2006
    T 5 to S 1
    NYC

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    • #3
      I would go with elastic or drawstring waisted loose fitting pants, and some baggy shirts. Nothing too textured, because it'll cause more friction as you are trying to move. (No nubby wool, polar fleece, etc.) Slip on shoes/slippers are a must too (It'll be awhile before you can tie your own shoes.)
      Meg is Spinewhine
      31 years old with thoracic curve
      Wore Boston brace as teenager, but curve continued to progress.
      Surgery on 12/13/2005 with correction from over 55 degrees to under 25 degrees. (Ya baby!)

      The nitty gritty at:
      http://spinewhine.blogspot.com/

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      • #4
        Hi Marcia,

        since I was only in the hospital and didn't go rehab, I didn't use my pj's or robe, just the hospital green gown they gave me and some slippers-closed ones are better and that's what I brought for this last surgery instead of those open toe ones for my first surgery.

        But in addition to loose fitting tops, the ones with buttons or zips in the front make it much easier to put on. Don't forget a toothbrush-toohtpaste, deodorant, soap, body lotion, chapstick and whatver daily facial products you usually use, it's nice to have those you use.

        Good luck with the surgery.
        35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
        Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
        Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
        Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
        Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

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        • #5
          I appreciate the answers. I guess what I wear to "rehab" is much the same? I am assuming "rehab" is more learning how to do things during early healing rather than exercises.....?

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          • #6
            no underware??...
            I mean I know you can't really wear one while you have a catheter in.. but do they make you stay commando?
            30 something y.o.

            2003 - T45, L???
            2005 - T50, L31
            bunch of measurements between...

            2011 - T60, L32
            2013 - T68, L?

            Posterior Fusion Sept 2014 -- T3 - L3
            Post - op curve ~35


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            • #7
              As soon as my catheter was out I had on underwear. You just feel better having it on when you are trying to get in and out of the bed. To the hospital I wore a warmup with a t-shirt and tennis shoes. I then wore the same thing home. Make sure the pants waist is loose because I was very swollen around that area in the back. I wore sleeveless knee length nightgowns in bed, and a knee length lightweight front zippered bathrobe when I was up. I wore the isotoner rubber bottomed ballet style slippers on my feet. All I really used was dove soap (brought from home), toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, baby powder, lotion and a brush for my hair. The nurse pretty much took care of bathing me until the last few days, when I was finally able to stand on my own without being dizzy, then I did it at the sink.
              Theresa

              April 8 & 12, 2004 - Anterior/Posterior surgery 15 hours & 7 hours
              Thorasic - 79 degree down to 22
              Lumbar - 44 degree down to 18
              Fused T2 to sacrum
              June 2, 2005 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @L3 7 hours
              MAY 21, 2007 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @ L2, extended the fusion to S2 and added pelvic instrumentation 9 hours

              FUSED T2 - SACRUM 2

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              • #8
                thks, Marcia & all for posting this info again... I am starting to get it together on what I need. I plan on mail ordering some thin sweats & top for hospital from Victoria secrets..seem they have comfortable fabrics! I guess I'd better get going on it! I suppose you may only be in your own clothes by end of last week?? I should be in
                for 10 days, give or take a few....Ly
                aug 1st surgery...ant/post...........

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                • #9
                  I had yoga pants that I bought a size bigger than usual to fit over my brace. I also had a couple of small t-shirts to go under the brace and a couple oversized t-shirts to go over it along with two zip up sweatshirts. I packed my closed-toed slippers, toothbrush, travel-sized toothpaste, travel-sized deoderant, facial cloths, travel-sized lotion and a brush for my hair.

                  I didn't wear any of the clothes until the day I left (day 10)...honestly, the hospital gown was comfy to me. I had my period on day 4 so I had to wear the disposable elastic panties. Even after it went away (just 2 days later) I kept asking for the panties because they were roomy enough for the catheter and they made getting up and walking around in the gown a non-issue. I was really hot after my surgery and wearing the panties allowed me to lay in the bed with my knees up or the gown pulled up a bit and not have to worry about showing anything off!

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                  • #10
                    What to wear??--in rehab

                    Sweats and I wore sleeping bras which opened on the front. Anything alse pressed on my incisions. Slippers and socks and undies.
                    Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
                    Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

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                    • #11
                      Hi Marcia,

                      I wore the hospital gown and socks they provided while there. Also, the IV will make you need to pee so often I didn't bother with panties. It seemed I was up and down constantly. At home I found elastic top pants not loose enough and switched to drawstrings. I found the best thing I had packed were the face wipes that clean without water and moisturise too. I had a "bath" with these (from my husband) and felt fab after! I took normal toothbrush and paste, you can drink from one cup & spit into another. You won't need to bend over a sink, you can sit up in bed with this method. During rehab you will want to be comfortable and probably need to know if your clothing will need to accomodate a brace. I was so glad warm up suits are in style, they are cute and comfy!

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