Items needed after surgery

[leahdragonfly]

Hi everyone,

I know this has been discussed but I just can't find any threads.

I am wondering what items I need to have ready when I come home from the hospital. I am scheduled Oct 11th for a fusion T9-sacrum with pelvic fixation, as well as disc removal/TLIF's at several levels. I was given about a 50% chance of needing an anterior procedure a week later if he can not free up the lower nerve roots safely from the back.

I have talked to several patients who had a similar surgery as mine done by my surgeon. One suggested I get a hospital bed, and she told me how much she used hers. She said it was helpful to have a bedrail to help with positioning in bed, as well as getting into bed.

So before I run out and arrange for a hospital bed to sit in the middle of my living room, I am wondering from others who had lumbar fusions, do you think it would be helpful or necessary?

I have my pre-op appt on Tuesday, and I'm thinking I will find out the recommendations for other items (walker?).

I appreciate any comments or suggestions anyone has. I am getting SO nervous.

[KathK]

Hi Gayle,
My fusion is also T9 to the sacrum and we are similar in age. We have no downstairs bedrooms in our home, so I also wondered about a rental hospital bed. As it turned out, I could manage the stairs okay, although I had a few caveats in the beginning. For the first 4 weeks, I would only traverse the stairs with my husband next to me just in case I would start to get wobbly. After 4 weeks, I could handle them independently. In the early weeks, I would only come downstairs maybe twice a day. My husband would bring breakfast upstairs to me and I would come downstairs for lunch and dinner.

I was given my walker at the hospital and I also purchased a raised toilet seat at the hospital. I purchased 2 long handled grabbers and have ended up using cooking tongs (with silicone coated tips) as short handled grabbers.

I'd be happy to talk further if you like...send me a pm

[LindaRacine]

Hi Gayle...

You will probably have a visit from an occupational therapist while you're in the hospital. If they think you need something like a hospital bed, walker, raised toilet seat, etc., they'll either give them to you, or arrange for them to be delivered. If you do it that way, you're far more likely to have it all paid for by insurance.

Best of luck with your surgery. I'll be very interested in following your recovery, as I won't be too far behind you. I was hoping to wait and have my surgery in Spring 2011, but I'm not sure I'm going to make it that far.

Regards,
Linda

[naptown78]

Hi Gayle,
I had a revision in March, 2 years after my original surgery. I did not need a hospital bed with either surgery, and was able to navigate the stairs to my bedroom at first with help from my husband and just a few days later , alone. It's not really the inability to go up and down stairs, it is energy level and weakness. This gets better and better every day. My walker was given to me in the hospital so don't go out and get one. I did not need a raised toilet seat either. I also have never used grabbers although alot of people do, LOL I use my toes to pick things up... and squat down. Good luck with your surgery :-))), keep us updated on your progress and recovery...

[JenniferG]

I think Linda's advice is excellent. Wait and see what you will need at the time because we are all different. And if you can get your insurance to pay for it, all the better. I didn't need any of those things but at nearly three months, my knees were aching when I crouched down to pick something up so I bought a grabber. A week or two later, the knee soreness inexplicably disappeared so I used it for approx 10 days after which the grandkids had fun with it. If you're lucky, you might not need any aids.

[Susie*Bee]

I agree too. Almost all of the things I needed were provided by OT at the hospital and paid by insurance. After I was dismissed my husband picked up a few other things-- an extra grabber, a shower seat and hand-held wand (is that what they're called?), which was really useful... You may not need something like that with a lumbar fusion. I'm excited for you, Gayle-- it's coming up so soon!

Linda--I'm sorry to hear of your impending surgery. I know you had said things were getting worse. Keep us posted, please. We sure care about you!

[Back-out]

Very good point about the "wait and see" approach to post-surgical aids.

I'm sure I'm not the only one looking into surgery at a location distant to my home base, though. How does that work - especially when you're out of state, insurance-wise? I already see that BCBS doesn't speak the same languages across state lines. Feels very Balkanized.

Guess it behooves us to come tp surgery with phone numbers of local (out of town to our distant surgeon) med supply houses and whatnot.

That is, behooves me to give such info to helpers who will be conscious and alert as I don't expect to be able to organize such issues after surgery. Not so great at it, under ordinary circumstances , especially keeping on top of receipts, etc...

[rainbow2010]

One of the most important thing to have ready post-op is a couple weeks worth of meals in your freezer. Make all of your favorites and comfort foods and have them ready. Also, have someone come in and clean and do your laundry for a few weeks. My husband and teenage kids were great when I had my revision surgery, but I was glad I had frozen a couple weeks worth of dinners!