Rehabilitation Program or Home???

[Vali]

If it wasn't for the nerve pain down my leg, i could have gone home on day 4. Instead, i went home on day 8. I got to speak with the physio girls pre-op and then they were in two times a day, from day 1-4 post op. They organised a toilet raiser to be sent home before i arrived, and asked my husband to buy me a grabber (which everyone else used more than me!). I was very confident in going home - my only concern was......how to blowdry my hair! (it is long) I was sent home with a booklet regarding spinal fusions, filled out specifically for my care, by my surgeon. I didn't have any problems and i think i coped very well.

[golfnut]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. I know I will be anxious to get home, however, it sure sounds like there are advantages to going to rehab. and being more independent once you get home. I don't know if I'll be able to make an unemotional, rational decision when I'm in the hospital. Of course, I may not be given a choice one way or the other. Right now, I can't imagine not seeing my little dogs for 1 week, let alone 2 or more. I bought a "spine kit" at Barnes when I was there for pre-op testing and was instructed to bring it to the hospital on the day of the surgery. It contains a grabber, sock aid, long handled bath sponge, tongs (I think I know what those are for!). I am assuming they will teach me how to use all of it while in the hospital. I don't want to feel like I haven't made the grade if they send me to rehab. since they have stated that I probably won't need to go. Just my opinion . . .I think with someone my age (60), although in decent physical shape (I think) it would be better if they gave one the impression that it's the norm to go to rehab., then if it's not necessary, you'd think you were a star instead of thinking that you weren't up to par.

[KathK]

Karen,
Regarding those tongs in the spine kit...I never used them for their "intended purpose" but found them to be great short-handled grabbers. My legs were too weak/unsteady to do much squatting in the early days, so I would use those tongs to turn on/off the faucets on our rather low bathroom sinks and to open drawers that were too low for me to reach. Just an idea

[LisaB]

Hey KathK and Golfnut - the only thing I have ever used in that spine kit is the grabber. That co es in very handy. Good idea, Kathy, for the tongs. Having Aug surgery helped because I didn't need socks then and now I can get them on without help. But I had great fun pulling out the spine kit for any visitors I had at home and explaining what everything was for!

Golfnut, since you will be at Barnes, too, Kathy gave me a great tip. Take waterproof tape and a baggie to cover your central line when you shower. After my central line was in I still had to take a shower with special soap; half the bottle the night before surgery and the other half the morning of surgery. The waterproof tape really was helpful because the tape they gave me at Barnes didn't work so well. And my baggie(sandwich size) was a better size than what they gave me.

[BadKitty]

On the day I went to rehab, they didn't ask me ... it was a surprise that I was even getting out! They just came in and said, "you're going to rehab today!" and acting all happy. So, I was happy! I just wanted out of the hospital. The rehab hospital is right next to the regular hospital and is conveniently connected by a series of corridors, so they just took my bed and transported me, bed and belongings and all, over to rehab. They switched beds, unloaded my stuff, and I was installed. From that day on, the routine changed, and the transition back to a normal life at home began.

Please don't think of rehab as a failure to improve. It's an opportunity to ease the transition, and I had a valuable experience there that made going home ever so much easier. This is not to say that folks can't cope if they don't go to rehab; it just turned out to be a good thing for me. Thinking back, I would have had a hard time managing everything that I went through for that week after leaving the hospital if I'd gone home instead.

[fashionista]

This is such helpful info. I did not even know the rehab is available. It seems like it's a wonderful transition before going home, especially when someone lives along.

I wonder if my insurance covers it.

[mbeckoff]

Just to echo the others who went to rehab, I was in rehab for 10 days and it was so worth it.

Melissa