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  • Realistic expectations

    Any suggestions on what type of assistance is really needed after you come home the hospital if you are fused to L1 and stay in the hospital for 8 days? Can you get your own sandwiches and soup, go to the restroom, take your own sponge bath and not need someone with 24/7? Oct 24 is my scheduled date so I am running out of time to make my preparations. Idk what type of pain and limitations I should expect. At 2 am the thoughts that run through your mind are not realistic and neither are the ones at 2pm for that matter. Seems in my head i can go from barely moving to doing it all in that amount of time just need to know what I really should expect

  • #2
    Hi...

    I had a 5 level extension to a prior fusion in January of this year. I'm 61. I went to stay with a friend after surgery, but discovered I didn't really need anyone's help, and I knew I'd be more comfortable at home. So, by the 3rd day after being released from surgery, I was home alone. I was able to do everything myself with a few exceptions. Obviously, I couldn't drive. So, I needed people to run errands for me, or take me to the store, appointments, etc. The only other thing I needed help with was getting something out of a bottom drawyer. I got pretty proficient with the grabber, so could even do my own wash.

    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

    Comment


    • #3
      Lol-I put all my lights on remote controls, got 5 outfits out on the top shelf that is eye level, got a sock aid and bought two grabbers and have been practicing everyday with them. They are harder to use than I expected. I have a good recliner in case I can't get in and out of the bed and installed the higher toilets just in case. Been clearing out my cabinets and my house trying to make things easier but it is hard to know what to expect. That's really good that you didn't need much help. Makes me feel better. I know I can't do laundry or sweep and mop so I am hoping insurance can help me with that.

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      • #4
        I had two teenagers fused to L1.

        The main issue would be to have meals prepared and to have an alarm clock to wake you to take your pain meds in the first week or so after you come home.

        I think the rest is doable.

        Good luck.
        Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

        No island of sanity.

        Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
        Answer: Medicine


        "We are all African."

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Kayde View Post
          Can you get your own sandwiches and soup, go to the restroom, take your own sponge bath and not need someone with 24/7?
          Just to answer specifically, I think you will be able to do all this by yourself. You may feel better having someone there, though.
          Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

          No island of sanity.

          Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
          Answer: Medicine


          "We are all African."

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Kayde View Post
            Lol-I put all my lights on remote controls, got 5 outfits out on the top shelf that is eye level, got a sock aid and bought two grabbers and have been practicing everyday with them. They are harder to use than I expected. I have a good recliner in case I can't get in and out of the bed and installed the higher toilets just in case. Been clearing out my cabinets and my house trying to make things easier but it is hard to know what to expect. That's really good that you didn't need much help. Makes me feel better. I know I can't do laundry or sweep and mop so I am hoping insurance can help me with that.
            Insurance pay for that??? Surely, you jest!
            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

            Comment


            • #7
              THANK YOU Kayde for starting this thread!

              I know there are lots of threads on the must-haves for scoli surgery but….whew! I can't wrap my head around it.

              I am scheduled for surgery Oct 19, T4-sacrum and have also spent the last 2 weeks wondering and researching what I will really need. ugh!

              I've focused on getting my billing mostly on auto pay and my documents in order (Health directives, etc) and just purchased some button up shirts/yoga pants/fleece since I'll probably have a brace, and my friend gave me her 3 grabbers from her hip surgery time. Other than that, I've decided to wait and see, the hospital will let me know what other objects I will need.

              I do have friends/family scheduling staying with me, and while I don't want to burden them with running around picking up things I should have prepared for…I've decided it may just be that in the end, if necessary. Either I will really need help, or I will accept the luxury of being the one to be taken care of (a true lesson for most of us, I'm sure).

              Where are you having surgery done? ru in NYC area?
              Good luck!
              Judy
              Judy
              60 years old
              double 60 degree curves
              being fused Oct 19, 2011
              T4 to sacrum
              Dr. Boachie

              Comment


              • #8
                One more thing that I found very helpful was running a power strip in every room, at tabletop height, so I could plug in my laptop, iPhone, iPad, etc., wherever I was.
                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

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by judyat60 View Post
                  I am scheduled for surgery Oct 19, T4-sacrum
                  Good luck!
                  Judy
                  Hi Judy,

                  Who is your surgeon?

                  Warmly,
                  Doreen
                  44 years old at time of surgery, Atlanta GA

                  Pre-Surgery Thorasic: 70 degrees, Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 68 degrees, lost 4 inches of height in 2011
                  Post-Surgery curves ~10 degrees, regained 4 inches of height

                  Posterior T3-sacrum & TLIF surgeries on Nov 28, 2011 with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis
                  2 rods, 33 screws, 2 cages, 2 connectors, living a new life I never dreamed of!

                  http://thebionicachronicles.blogspot.com/

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I bought some extent ion cords and hung them on my walls where I will be sitting or sleeping. Got phone and iPad alarms for waking up, bought depends. - just in case lol-they really needs better styles. I have two bath brushes and waterless shampoo, I glued razors to paint sticks...just in case, and I bought a few things of lip balm, got lots of ensures, put my super market and laundry on notice I would need deliveries and pick ups, got paper goods, vitamins, paper towels, toliet paper, put bills on autopsy for 3 months- got two grabbers, everything on remote I can do, recliner that is electric...just feel like I am forgetting something important. I have never Beemer "down" before so it will be hard to do nothing- got books and cards and some movies but not much of a tv or movie watcher. I uploaded a lot of photos into my computer and thought I would do some online scrapbooking since real life scrapbooking seems to be more than I can organize and keep up with. I am hoping I need very little assistance- dr Moreno always has an ivc filter inserted which I had done yesterday-a little more swollen and sore than I expected. The hospital nurse commented on what a monster curve I have (LOVE those comments) and then wanted to know what kind of pain I think I will be in after the back surgery-told her10 plus, then she wanted to know what kind of pain I thought I would be in after I go home in 3 days- seriously? Told her that since she commented on the size of my curve and all my internal organs would shift that after 3 days I figured I would be 9 plus unless she thought the pain would be gone by then. She said- oh I guess I see your point probably will take you more than 3 days to have the pain stop. But humana does actually have some home care programs as does my short term disability from work so I am going to look into them and see if any if the aftercare they offer covers more than just a home health nurse I know I got something like that for my dad and grandmother years ago. But things change with ins quickly .

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi,
                      I was fused T3-S1 in June of this year. I was in good health prior to the surgery, exercised regularly, and expected i would not need a lot of help post-op. It turned out I had several complications, and needed a lot more help than anticipated. Also, I was not used to narcotic pain killers, so they really knocked me out. I would say, try to arrange someone being with you for the first 2 weeks, around the clock, if possible. After that, you should have someone to run errands, clean, do laundry. If you prepare food ahead of time, and freeze it, that is very helpful. If friends offer to bring you food, let them! You may not need this much help, but if you have it arranged ahead of time, you will be prepared if you do.
                      Equipment wise, what I found helpful was a shower chair, grabber, lots and lots of pillows for positioning, and a electric hospital bed for a few weeks(my insurance covered it). Also, for the "wiping" question, I couldn't reach to do it for several weeks. I had purchased an aide on Amazon, called the "Bottom Buddy", and it worked great! I did not need the raised toilet seat, so I sent it back. Putting everything you will need at waist level is also a really good idea. And, as Ed always stresses, the memory foam topper for your bed is essential!
                      Good luck to everyone facing surgery. Hope this helped.
                      Lori in PA, 52 yrs. old
                      T54/L72
                      Surgery 6/7/11, T3-S1, all posterior, with pelvic anchors
                      Gained 2 inches!
                      Dr. Boachie, HSS, NYC
                      12/10/13 Hardware Removal for infection
                      Lost 2", gained PJK!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Doreen--I'm with Boachie for surgery. After being on this forum for awhile, I made a list of the top 3-4 docs all talked about and loved and he was simply the first one I wrote down. I'm confident with him

                        My pre surgery meeting with him yesterday was pretty uneventful, but confirmed that I will wait until surgery to assess all the items I may need post-op. I have wonderful family/friends to assist me..; )
                        Judy
                        Judy
                        60 years old
                        double 60 degree curves
                        being fused Oct 19, 2011
                        T4 to sacrum
                        Dr. Boachie

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I will keep both of you, Judy and Kayde, in my prayers for successful surgeries and smooth recoveries :-)

                          Warmly,
                          Doreen
                          44 years old at time of surgery, Atlanta GA

                          Pre-Surgery Thorasic: 70 degrees, Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 68 degrees, lost 4 inches of height in 2011
                          Post-Surgery curves ~10 degrees, regained 4 inches of height

                          Posterior T3-sacrum & TLIF surgeries on Nov 28, 2011 with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis
                          2 rods, 33 screws, 2 cages, 2 connectors, living a new life I never dreamed of!

                          http://thebionicachronicles.blogspot.com/

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Being seven weeks out of surgery and having both top and bottom fused, I agree it would best to have someone stay with you the first week--two if possible. You are on some heavy duty drugs and it is just nice to have someone there for the "what if" type of incidents and it may alleviate some anxiety.

                            When I was in the hospital, they had me on a decather (sp?) until I could get out of the bed myself.

                            Definately have a chair in your walk in shower. My husband found a great one that had a holder for the hand held shower item right on the chair.

                            Oh, by the way, that weird long handled sponge on a stick thing is really hard to use. Go to a Bed Bath and Beyond or similar store and buy this:

                            http://www.amazon.com/Aquasentials-A...pd_sim_dbs_bt6

                            This has been so perfect for using to wash my back and body... and is easy to rinse.

                            What else can I remember....the power strip thing at table top is a must.

                            We put a mini frig close to our bed--so I could store things in there to eat because you need to eat everytime you take your pain meds.

                            That is all I can think of for now...
                            Discovered scoliosis when 15 years old.
                            Wore Milwaulkee Brace for 1.5 years.
                            Top curve 85 degrees, bottom curve 60 degrees

                            Surgery completed August 23, 2011 (during an earthquake, can you believe that?)
                            Dr. Charles Edwards, II
                            The Spine Center at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, MD
                            Before and after xrays:
                            http://www.valley-designs.com/myspine

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Omg that is exactly the bath thing I purchased. Amazon has been really great for everything from grabbers to back scratchers. I have a mini fridge downstairs. Hadn't thought of bringing it up. Excellent idea. I did buy the memory topper for the bed and a heated mattress pad and heated throw. Just in case. I have cards and lots of kindle books and I'm sure some angry birds will be in there somewhere. I was thinking of having someone half a day. All my people have jobs or live in other states so I sort of have to do this by myself as much as I can since I can't afford to hire someone and then you never know what you get. My cat uses the toilet and not a litter box so that will be easy. Teaching him to eat and drink on a counter now so I can reach his food etc. My shower has a built in corner seat but I guess I should remove the shampoo from it and see if it is functional. If not I guess I need a chair. Just hope hospital stay is only a few days so I won't have to be tethered to things- I hate that. I put my vitamins and pills in baggies and then in a big plastic box I can keep with me so I will have doses a,ready measured. Pain pills will be the only thing I will have to bag and idk if they will let me have the scripts and bag while I am in the hospital or not. Nurses get funny about that stuff. My biggest worry is the stairs to my house. I have no other way in except stairs so that will be a challenge- and the ride home. If God can get me through all this then I am sure he can get me the rest of the way.

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