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  • Post-Op Supplies

    In addition to the book on "Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster" along with C.D. that Susan recommended, I also ordered the following items to help with recovery post-op. - all from Amazon. 1) Swivel cushion for chair or car, 2) one month's supply of disposable underwear, 3) ReadyBath shampoo caps, 4) bed cane, 5) heel protectors (my heels crack easily), 6)knee cushion 7) remote light switch. I'm a little older, so recovery may take a little longer.
    Congratulations and best wish to all who are in the recovery process, and good luck to all scheduled for June.
    Oh! Also, borrowed back a Geri-chair that we got for my in-laws who are no longer using it. It has a high seat, high straight back, removable tray, and reclines. Got big T.V., commode seat for bathroom, walker. I think that should do it. Any other ideas? Thanx
    Rita

  • #2
    Hi Wishing,

    boy your list looks extensive. I never even heard of some of those things, but I guess I will soon enough.

    What about something for the shower? I think I read here somewhere that some people have a seat for the shower?

    Good luck to you. When are you scheduled?
    __________________________________________
    Debbe - 50 yrs old

    Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
    Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

    Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
    Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
    Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

    Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
    Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanx Debbe. It's easy to overlook the obvious when under stress. Yes, I'll need to get a shower chair. Also have non-skid mat for shower and am ordering a spine-kit though my doctor's office. This includes: 32" reacher, Toilet aid, 30"shoe horn, bath sponge thing, sock aid, elastic shoelaces. Some of the items that I listed above are not must haves but for me (63 y.o.) with extensive surgery, I think they will help. Have some meals prepared and frozen. Need to make more. Got 2 great grabber-reachers at Costco. I've used them already for getting things that fell down behind bedside stands. Very useful. Onward and forward.
      Oh! I'm scheduled for June 16th in St. Louis. Flying out from Los Angeles.
      Last edited by Wishing; 05-30-2008, 03:58 PM. Reason: add surgery date

      Comment


      • #4
        I recommend getting a small notebook for keeping track of what meds at what time and if you actually took them. This will be a huge help. There were times we couldn't remember if I actually took a dose and had to go back to verify it. Bendy straws are great too, easier to get a drink without actually having to sit up. A bath spongey thingy on a long handle is a great thing to have too. Helps to reach all of those areas you can't quite get to on your own anymore after the surgery.

        My Insurance provided so many aids to help me. Call your provider and see what they cover, save some of your own hard earned money. I was given a raised toilet seat, walker (actually 2), 2 different sock put-er on-er's, grabbers, shoe horn, foot scrubber for the bath/shower, toileting aids. There is probably more but I can't seem to remember what at the moment. I was even allowed a hospital bed at home that they paid for and some in home care and physical therapy. My Dr just had to write a script for it and it was all waiting for me when I got home.

        If you are being fused to the sacrum I recommend a box of disposable gloves for your caretakers when they help you toilet. I also used Cottonelle Fresh wipes alot...still do. They just help you to feel cleaner. And they are flushable. Oh and I still use my shower chair so I can veet/nair my legs. I only used it once post op to actually sit in the shower. I found I liked standing in the shower better. I only used the hand held shower head 2 times I think. I liked the regular one better.
        Geish
        47 years old, dx at 13
        +30* to the right, +60* to the left, +30* to the right
        Surgery 12-13-07 - fusion from T4 to sacrum.


        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...tachmentid=267 Pre surgery
        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...tachmentid=268 Post surgery
        http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/DSC01091.jpg Xray from the side
        http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...1089-1-1-1.jpg Xray from the back

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        • #5
          Rita, another small thing that seemed to make a big difference for me was 'slippery' (satiny or silky) sleepwear. Simply turning over in the bed was such a big deal for me as, like you, i had pretty extensive surgery. I thought the soft cotton knit gowns & jammies would be the most comfy, but i could NOT turn over in them in the bed! It was much easier when i changed to the others. Just a tip for something that worked for me... Good luck to you!!
          JoAnn

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          • #6
            Thank you Geish and JoAnn. Those ideas are very helpful. I did wonder how I was going to turn over in bed as that is a little problematic for me now pre-op.

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            • #7
              Also, a grab bar on the tub/shower wall - I used it a lot at first just to feel more secure (I didn't like the shower chair and stopped using it fairly soon).
              As of 12/25/07, age 62, 100* thoracic kyphosis, 73* L1-S1 lordosis, 37*/25* compensatory S-curve scoliosis. On 12/26/07, Dr. Boachie @ HSS NYC did 11 hours ant. & post. procedures, fused T2-L2, kyphosis now 57*, scoli 10*. Regained 2 1/4 inches in height!! Improving every day.

              Comment


              • #8
                Could not agree more with JoAnn about satiny pj's. Have not had surgery yet, but I can only where these as they help you turn in bed when you are in a lot of pain. When I where cotton pj's, I wake up in pain, my husband tells me to change back to the satiny ones, helps every time!

                Dolores
                Dolores A
                June 4, 2009 Anterior L3 - S1
                June 8, 2009 Posterior T4 - Pelvis
                Mark Agulnick, MD FAAOS
                NY Spine & Scoliosis Center

                Comment


                • #9
                  One thing I found invaluable was my grabber, but not one of the medical types ...

                  This one is sold at CVS, Walgreens, etc., and is usually with the "As Seen on TV" things (it's called the Gopher ... or something). It has the regular trigger (and a lock switch), but it has suction cups on the grabber ends. It was far less expensive than the less useful ones sold in the medical supply section.

                  I think I paid $10 for it vs. the $30-$40 (and up) cost of medical grade ones. I know people have said they received grabbers and other supplies in the hospital, but I didn't get *squat*. They could've thrown in a CAR for what they charged my insurance company - LOL!

                  (okay ... the pain-free back was really enough )

                  It also has a button in the center to lock/unlock the arm so you can even fold it in half (makes it handy to keep a few stashed around the house).

                  The device is very strong, too. I probably mentioned in other posts I spent an entire morning (after an insomnia induced trip to CVS at 3:30 am) amusing myself by picking up crap in my house and setting it back down - LOL.

                  I even picked up a brand new, full-sized Yankee candles ... you know those things aren't small - and they certainly aren't light. Although the grabber is light-weight, aluminum contruction, even that much weight didn't make it flex at all!

                  I need to get another one while they're still in stores: I still use mine all the time to get stuff from top shelves in the kitchen (11' ceilings). Unfortunately the screw came out that holds one suction cup. I found the screw, but I cannot, for the life of me, find the damn suction cup!

                  I swear my dog must have eaten it ...

                  Anyway, I couldn't have gotten by without it when I first came home. I used it for everything from getting stuff off the bottom shelves of the fridge to taking laundry out of the washer and dryer ...

                  Very handy - and incredibly useful for the price!

                  Oh, another thing that was useful was the self-adhesive velcro: I stuck strips of the pile ("non-snaggy" side) on my bedside table (it's a black laminate drop leaf I stole from the kitchen), and then stuck the loop side to the back of remotes, my basket of meds, my basket with chapstick/face cloths/wetwipes/hand sanitizer/other misc stuff. It's a great was to keep things in place .

                  Good luck with everything ... sounds like you're doing a great job getting ready!

                  Regards,
                  Pam
                  Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
                  AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


                  41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
                  Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
                  Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston


                  VIEW MY X-RAYS
                  EMAIL ME

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                  • #10
                    Thank you Delores, Janet and Pam. All of your suggestions are appreciated. You veterans have alot to offer in this regard. Thanx.

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                    • #11
                      Gopher

                      I'm in the same boat as you, Rita, just trying to figure out what I'll need post-op and start accumulating.

                      I wanted to say thanks to Pam for mentioning the "Gopher" grabber in a previous thread. I went right out and found one last week for $9.99 at CVS. What a cute name for this thing! I can hardly wait to start playing with it, I mean using it.

                      Peachy

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Peachy
                        I wanted to say thanks to Pam for mentioning the "Gopher" grabber in a previous thread. I went right out and found one last week for $9.99 at CVS. What a cute name for this thing! I can hardly wait to start playing with it, I mean using it.
                        Dude, the thing irresistable! Everyone who sees it in my house absolutely HAS to pick it up (well, before the sadness of the missing suction cup ...) and either pinch someone with it (usually ME) or see what they can move around.

                        My dog HATES it, and eyes anyone holding it with suspicion ...

                        You'll have a blast screwing around with it, er, um ... I mean mastering it!

                        Pam
                        Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
                        AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


                        41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
                        Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
                        Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston


                        VIEW MY X-RAYS
                        EMAIL ME

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hi Wishing...

                          I have a page on my website about preparing for surgery:

                          http://www.scoliosislinks.com/PreparingforSurgery.htm

                          I'll get your recommendations added as well.

                          Regards,
                          Linda
                          Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                          Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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                          • #14
                            Thanks for posting that again, Linda... It is so helpful! I was looking for that link to pass along to someone the other day.... so saving it to my fav's now.

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