Hip advice, please

You can buy a seat raise for the toilet for less than a tenner. I bought one for darling daughter's house for when I visit

Raised loo seats are indeed very cheap, and we bought 2 for upstairs and downstairs. I share galen's comments about GP surgeries having such low chairs. Even the Nuffield where I had my hip done (and where they do dozens of hips a week) only has low chairs in both the waiting room and the consulting rooms - and no raised loo seat in the ladies. Having been told not to bend the hip below 90 degrees it does seem bonkers that their chairs etc are not geared up for that.

Other aids that I was given: grabber, crutches, leg raiser and long shoe horn.

I borrowed a loo surround from Red Cross and have found this very useful - and we fitted a grab rail in the downstairs loo. They also loaned me some chair raisers and a perching stool for the shower.

I also bought online a sock putter-on which was very cheap and has been invaluable. I cannot straighten one of my arms as it was pinned after a fracture and this aid is a real blessing.

Interesting - it really does vary hugely from area to area then, as although grab rails and chair raisers, loo raiser and stockings were given to my friend, she was only given a walking stick not crutches, a grabber she had to buy for herself. No leg raising thingy. Although I believe she made one.

NotTooOld, we were loaned a lot of equipment from the OT department including a loo seat, loo surround, chair raisers and a perching stool. We were so impressed with the perching stool we bought one for DH's workshop because he spends hours in there and it's the right height for the workbench. He also uses it when he does a barbecue so he doesn't have to stand for too long.

We bought a lot of stuff for Mum from a catalogue. I can't remember the name but I would ask your district or practice nurse as there's bound to be a supplier in your area.

When Mum died we donated some of her stuff to the nursing home but we kept two cushioned seat pads which are useful for garden chairs and the 'grabber' for planting potatoes.

The grabber is the biggest possible hit with the GC - it is hard to part them from it when it is time to go home!

I have the same problem with my dgds and the grabbers! I have one grabber by my chair, one on top of the washing machine and one in my bedroom. They all end up in the lounge side by side when DGD's come. I think they're trying to breed them.

Mine play a wonderful game of hide and seek with a soft toy which they grab in the grabber and hide somewhere high where they could not normally reach. The seeker has great fun climbing all over the furniture looking for it. Hours of endless fun!

My OH is quite excited by the idea of cleaning the raised loo seat in the dishwasher and is all set to give it a go!

I asked my friend about timing last night at book club, she said she was so low over December and January, she recommends that if anyone has a choice of dates, go for soon after xmas. That way you can sleep through much of January and are cheered by the lengthening days when you start to feel better.

She walked across an icy road last night, and felt brave enough to do it. I was impressed. She said only last week she wouldn't have risked it.

Thanks for your comments, everyone. Much appreciated.

DH had his first one done just before the school holidays. After the first two weeks I had four grandchildren to look after as well!!

England were about to win the Ashes so DH amused them by perching at the kitchen table teaching them fielding positions using salt and pepper grinders, bottles of tomato ketchup, HP sauce etc. They then squabbled over who was next to have a go round the garden on the elbow crutches.

Such larks!

Social Services leant me a big trolley on which to convey my meals from the kitchen - not so easy when there's a step up to the dining room! My GD, then almost three, was very disappointed then next time she came and I'd had to give it back. The best fun I had was in M&S and Sainsbury's when I was able to borrow a powered wheelchair.