Hip stuff - again!

Been to dentist who has removed back of tooth and temporarily packed it. I have an appointment for 8 weeks time after the hip surgery to have it removed completely - what fills the gap I do not know. He said an antibiotic not needed, which was the opposite of what I was told yesterday! Rang the hospital and they talked to the anaesthetist - he says OK without antibiotic. Wouldn't life be easy if professionals did not contradict each other!!? Let us hope that he is right!

OH is not great at all at present - heart unstable and PD worse. I do not need this!! He is very anxious about it all and sits looking sad. here is little that I can do.

Lona!

Good luck. And also re your OH, I suspect he is worried about you.

I saw my friend last night, I must remember to ask her how she came to be eligible for grab handles. I do wonder if it's because she has no-one living with her, although I suspect we may have to go on a sleepover rota for a while.

Mishap Nothing is ever easy for you is it, I really wish you'd change your name to Lucky!

I hope it all goes well for you, and your OH is ok too

Thanks Mari - I seem to have lots of bits of paper and equipment lined up now and hope that this "dental blip" will be solved fairly easily.

OH is more of a problem as both his PD and ticker have been playing up - I may try and arrange for one of the girls to stay here for a few days while I am in hospital, as they do not have room for him to go there. The trouble is that they come as a "job lot" with a pack of noisy (but loveable) children! One problem is that he no longer gets the sensation of thirst and needs reminding to drink!

Still it is good in a way to have him to worry about as it takes my mind off the surgery a bit!

What awful luck for you, Mishap! Doesn't it always seem like complications arise when you really need status quo for a bit? I expect your surgery and recovery will go well, as you have a great attitude and humor.

Lots of thanks.

I have been to the Red Cross today and brought back a toilet surround and some chair raisers. Then to the hospital for my pre-op appointment, which lasted 2 and a half hours, with very little of that time spent waiting. They were very thorough, except for the doc, who listened to my chest (well the very top bit only - just enough to establish that I have lungs!) and felt one ankle! Money for old rope!

Complication is that I have broken a tooth in half today! - and am seeing the dentist tomorrow. I have been told that it will be necessary for me to have antibiotics to be sure that the tooth does not create a focus of infection to be spread to the hip. I suspect they may have to take it out, as the while of the back section has fallen off. It is such a nuisance as I had tomorrow earmarked to get everything ready for hospital. I am to ring the hospital and let them know what antibiotic I am on. I could have done without this!

OH's PD and ticker far worse the last few days - I am thinking I might ask one of the girls to stay here while I am in hospital.

Can't add much to the excellent advice already given, but want to wish you good luck and hope your op is as successful as mine was. I had both hips done about 15 years ago and the relief of being pain free was life changing.
I was lucky enough to have lots of equipment on loan from the NHS, but things might have changed since then. I still find a stool really useful in the kitchen.
I used to help in the Red Cross medical loans shop and they can be really useful and only ask for a donation for loaned equipment.The have all sorts of useful gadgets.
All the best and good luck.

I would be surprised if the NHS was fitting grab handles and other aids for your friend janerowena. This is usually a function of Adult Services Dept of the local council. As for the things I needed after the hip op. I wasn't given anything. Adult Services assessed what I needed (on loan) which wasn't much as my neighbour had lent me a grabber, bath seat and loo seat.

No, my friend works part time. No benefits. Unless it is because she is officially an oap?

janerowena a friend is able to get some help with grabhandles and things to help her stay in her own home , not sure but I think you qualify if you are on certain benefits.. if not you have to pay something towards it.

I was astonished that the NHS was fitting grabhandles in my friend's house, I wonder if that is usual, or because she lives alone?

TriciaF many years ago that was what happened here and at one time if one was very lucky, one was sent to a convalescent home for 2 weeks also. Nowadays in this country, 2-3 days in hospital is normal, hence the discussion re equipment etc. It is survival of the fittest, that is why we are giving Mishap tips for her discharge from hospital.

Re-reading this thread, it seems most people post-op were recommended to obtain a range of devices/equipment.
Just to say that I had none of those things, apart from a crutch/walking stick, and managed ok.
Although perhaps I was fortunate that in France, where I had my op., they keep you in hospital afterwards for at least 2 weeks with intensive physio.

Oh Galen you are naughty!

You can shoot arrows from a perching stool[ grin]
But it doesn't improve your aim (or cooking)

The best piece of equipment the OT dept., loaned us was a perching stool. It was the correct height for all kinds of activities so there was no excuse for DH not to help with peeling potatoes or washing up. We even took it to the local pub so he could join in with Quiz Night!

Plonking it in front of the barbecue kept him out of mischief for a couple of hours and he also managed to fit a new extractor fan in the kitchen with me handing him the necessary screws etc.

Good Luck with the op Mishap. I'm sure you'll be fine.

I do hope you manage a few weeks without your GCs, that is a bit worrying. However, you should at least be virtually recovered by Christmas, which is wonderful.

Thank you all so much for taking the trouble to post your suggestions and good wishes.

I have had the chance to get lots of advice from galen, for which many thanks.

Main challenge now is to avoid picking up a cold from my very germy GC! I have twice in my life had surgery cancelled because of having a cold and I do not want to go down that route again!

My friend's is due very soon, she was telling me today that she has bought some string things that will pull up her socks for her, and some grabbers that will help to pull up her knickers. She has been lent various things, and the NHS have sent round men to install grab rails in her house. She has a special loo-hovering unit which she says looks dire, a stool to lean back against, bricks under her chairs and has had to place another mattress on top of her current one. Will also be chucked out after only two days - scary! She will not be allowed to sit on chairs where her knees are higher than her hips. I'm going to help her out while she is recovering, because she lives alone.

If you can bear it, I would love a daily diary from someone. I would really like to know how people cope and how it feels to be in such a situation. My uncle started off ok, but he had far too much help from my aunt so I didn't get to hear how he coped on his own - what I am trying to say is, I won't get as much help from my own DBH as he is still at work, and also, I am female and will have different problems from my uncle's. Also, I cannot guarantee that the NHS will give me a date that will coincide with school holidays so it is highly unlikely that DBH will have any time off at all.

Oh! Put a plastic bag on the seat of a car. Makes it easier to swivel to get in and out

Some hospitals will lend everything required, others suggest that you either hire or buy items.

When on your feet and able to get out and about, be very careful about going to public loos or loos in restaurants because they are all so low. That is a time when one could dislocate the hip.

Good luck!

I had a hip replacement 8 years ago - it was very successful TG.
Others have covered most things. The most important, we were told, is to be careful bending over to pick things up etc.The physio will explain it, but I was advised to only bend the non-operated leg
I had to wear a compressing stocking for a while, so you need someone to put it on your foot.
Another point is there may be swelling around the wound - ice packs are good for that.
The hardest thing was not being able to have a bath for weeks.
Getting in and out of a car - keep knees together, sit on the seat sideways, then swivel round. I still do that.
Good luck, you'll be fine!

I've pm'd you. I'm not that far away in north North Somerset by the way.

Finally, mishap, I didn't need painkillers for very long. I react badly to codeine so usually have to be content with paracetamol.
Good luck and don't worry. Just do what they physios tell you and you'll be all right.