How to prepare house before hip op

Sympathies about the tooth extraction. I had a molar out nearly 3 weeks ago. Went really well and I was feeling very happy with it. Day 5 I got dry socket. Oh my goodness the pain. Truly awful. After having it dressed and 5 days of antibiotics this is my first without taking painkillers. Such a relief

I need to go to Specsavers. I read it as you were preparing for some sort of hip-hop event.

Good luck with the op.

Rather proud that our thread has gone on for 3 years but there’s no need to read through it all . We are on the 5 th iteration, which is more than 5000 posts.
Just ask what you want to ask and you will be responded to kindly by people who have personal experience of hips and knees and who want to help and support.
We all know how nerve wracking waiting for such an operation can be. Which is why I began the thread 3 years ago.

I was also alone. No wife to call on sorry, husband!
The sockaid, which Aveline recommended was an essential.
I had to order it on line.

I was sent home, after 24 hours, from hospital, on New Year's day in the
snow.

I was given a grabber to pick things up and sticks.
Also enough drugs to become a Dealer. I had to inject myself daily with blood thinners but this was instead of wearing the tight stockings so easier for me.

Don't allow yourself to be in pain because it makes you tense up and delays healing.

My DH has had three hip ops and with use of his crutches was never unable to climb the stairs to get to the toilet. We had a raised toilet seat on loan which is necessary and we have a shower in the en suite, a bath would have been out, we were also given large body wipes. We didn’t need a commode but if it helps you feel more confident then you may want to borrow one. We were also loaned a wooden server on wheels which enabled him to put meal, snack or drink on and wheel it from the kitchen to the dining room or front room as he likes to be independent, after 10 days I am sure you will be able to prepare your own meals. The only thing I had to do was cook whatever he wanted and put his socks on. We had a home assessment and raisers were put on an armchair and the bed to bring them to the required height. We went for a walk every day and increased the distance every time, remember you have to get back so don’t be too ambitious. Hope all goes well.

I didn't read the whole thread Bea I just said hello and added myself to the chat.
Easy!

Maybe your new thread should have explained about your added complications right away.

I also hope the experience will be a good one.

I cancelled my cataract operation which should have been last week as I could only cope with one body part at a time. Now I'm probably bottom of the waiting list again.

Aveline

You are entitled to your opinion Bea65 as am I. Good luck on your recovery. You'll have plenty of time to read then.

You really are a mean spirited person…
I’ve just read a couple of pages from the ‘bible’ thread.. apart from rollators
and sock gadget, I didn’t see ‘ house prepping..’

And just for fun.. I have spinal stenosis, left side scoliosis and right side neuropathy which ramps up the pain level and severe disability…so having a ‘go’ at me is offensive and as someone mentioned ‘nasty’…

Also still attending dentist due to brutal extraction nearly 3 weeks ago and having to endure ongoing dental treatment…

Have a blessed SUNDAY

Aveline

Crosstitchfan I only make what you call nasty comments when I'm irritated and/or exasperated by a poster. It was downright insulting to ignore the existing thread on the topic because it was 'just too long'. She's going to have to find a whole lot more patience when recovering from her op!

I have found the Hips and Knees overwhelming.
It's not just Bea
And it's NOT about patience!

I know it's there- and know I'll read it at some point but sometimes we need "just a few pointers" to get plus started.

If we are just setting out we don't all want a text book, sometimes we just want a pamphlet.
We are all anxious about different things.
I'm anxious about my blood pressure and it's no use anyone saying "read the blood pressure threads" because that often is just too much.

We are all different.

Thinking of you Bea.

You are entitled to your opinion Bea65 as am I. Good luck on your recovery. You'll have plenty of time to read then.

Aveline

Crosstitchfan I only make what you call nasty comments when I'm irritated and/or exasperated by a poster. It was downright insulting to ignore the existing thread on the topic because it was 'just too long'. She's going to have to find a whole lot more patience when recovering from her op!

Well .. I hope I haven’t INSULTED ANYONE
what I should have said was..has anyone who lives alone and had a surgery within the last FEW MONTHS…
they used to send people living solo with no family help nearby to convalesce but understand that this service is no longer available due to cuts in services..

Yes I will have to be patient with myself and not run before I can walk😀
But think your comment Aveline was a bit ’ mean girl’

Again thank you GNs with all your tips and info and your best wishes 🌻

Crosstitchfan- there is no getting away from the need for patience when recovering from joint replacement.

I am 5 weeks post hip replacement.
I have joined the long thread which is very helpful indeed.

I live alone and had no one to help but I was able to prepare my sitting room to sleep in there. My bed settee is comfy.
I have the kitchen and bathroom next door. I left my back door open during the day so that friends could walk in to visit me which they did and I had lots of visitors in the early days.
I was able to climb stairs before leaving hospital so I actually had a shower and was far more able than I had feared.
I still use a stick when outside as I get tired quite quickly and worry about ice, but I have no pain in the new hip which is remarkable.
I moved back to my bedroom after a couple of weeks and life is more or less back to normal. I have driven my car for a short trip.

Good luck with your operation. I hope it goes as well as mine.

Aveline

Crosstitchfan I only make what you call nasty comments when I'm irritated and/or exasperated by a poster. It was downright insulting to ignore the existing thread on the topic because it was 'just too long'. She's going to have to find a whole lot more patience when recovering from her op!

Your last sentence is the sort of thing I was referring to. I rest my case!

bea different hospitals and healthcare trusts provide different information and different assistance unfortunately. I found a long handled shoe horn indispensable (well I had two, one upstairs, one down), also two “picker - uppers”. Plates, pots & pans were all kept on the worktop in the kitchen. Try to keep food on the higher shelves in the fridge, it’s not advised to bend down to get the veg out of the veg box. You will be taught how to tackle the stairs and you do soon get used to it, but a bit scary to start with!
Good luck, I’m sure your operation will go well and you’ll soon wonder why you were worried!

Hi Bea.
Please stop worrying. I had a THR 2 years ago & it was the best thing ever.
I know every trust is different, but Northumbria Healthcare sent out an occupational therapist to assess our house & decide what aids I would need. (A firm cushion to put on one of our own chairs, a perching stool & two walking sticks). Bed height is important too. Check & see if your trust provides a similar service.
As others have said, you won’t be discharged until you can walk up and down stairs.
Everyone is different but I was able to walk without sticks after two weeks. Although MrA did the cooking for a week or two, I could have managed by myself with ready meals or things out of the freezer. It really is important to do the exercises the hospital physio will prescribe for you.
I hope all goes well for you & wish you a good recovery.

Well, you'd need a monumental attention span to read 4,700+ posts methinks...

Oh well. Why bother posting our useful information at all? We should all just start new threads on the usual topics every day for those with short attention spans.

MayBee70

Aveline

Crosstitchfan I only make what you call nasty comments when I'm irritated and/or exasperated by a poster. It was downright insulting to ignore the existing thread on the topic because it was 'just too long'. She's going to have to find a whole lot more patience when recovering from her op!

I think you’re being very unkind to the OP

I’ve just checked. There are 4 threads with 1,000 comments and the latest one has over 700. The OP is just requesting a précis. How long will it take her to plough through 4,800 comments?

fluttERBY123

I have had both hips done. Avoid codeine. It stops all bowel movement and was by far worst part of hip 1 op. For hip 2 I told them beforehand not to give me any, just paracetamol and I didnt find much difference.

Difference in the pain level that is.

I have had both hips done. Avoid codeine. It stops all bowel movement and was by far worst part of hip 1 op. For hip 2 I told them beforehand not to give me any, just paracetamol and I didnt find much difference.

Aveline

Crosstitchfan I only make what you call nasty comments when I'm irritated and/or exasperated by a poster. It was downright insulting to ignore the existing thread on the topic because it was 'just too long'. She's going to have to find a whole lot more patience when recovering from her op!

I think you’re being very unkind to the OP

Lots of good advice here which I’d fully endorse! Wearing a little bag to carry phone/ book/ kindle from place to place helped a lot. I was fortunate to have my old boy around to help but I wanted to be independent as much as possible. I could very quickly make a hot drink but couldn’t carry it anywhere when using 2sticks so an insulated travel cup is useful as that can fit in a bag and it won’t spill! Do the exercises that you’ll be given several times a day and walk outdoors as much as possible, it gets you going and it also lifts the spirits! I found it very hard to sleep on my back but using a triangular pillow (called a poorly pillow in out family!) helped as I could have the illusion of turning my head and tell myself I was sleeping on my side as I usually do. Good luck with it all, hope everything goes well for you Bea65 💐

Crosstitchfan I only make what you call nasty comments when I'm irritated and/or exasperated by a poster. It was downright insulting to ignore the existing thread on the topic because it was 'just too long'. She's going to have to find a whole lot more patience when recovering from her op!

Lots of useful advice already given. I put my ironing board up in spare room because I knew I wouldn’t be able to do that post op. I have a cat. Feeding him was a challenge as he was quite scared of having it delivered on the end of a ‘grabber’. I practised for a couple of weeks beforehand. I live alone. A very kind neighbour changed my awful stockings as I couldn’t! My dressing didn’t have to be checked or changed. A friend took me to the surgery to have it removed and the wound checked. If you find it difficult getting in or out of the car, put a plastic bag on the seat as this really helps.

annodomini

My THR is now almost 20 years old and - I hope - still OK. When I'd had the op, the physios were quick to get me out of bed and walking. They taught me how to use the stairs, using my stick and the handrail; the occupational therapists observed me in the kitchen and I rehearsed getting in and out of the bath. When I got home, Social Services supplied a trolley so that I could convey food safely from cooker to table. A neighbour who had been through THR twice, lent me blocks to raise my bed, as well as a raised loo seat. As for exercise, I was advised to practise walking every day, and each time, I walked a bit further until I could reach the local corner shop.

I would second all of this. I am almost three years into my hip replacement. I was lucky enough to live next door to an occupational therapist who offered to come in and run through everything in my home that might cause me a difficulty. As I didn’t want anything permanent, she recommended that I have suction grab handles in my shower. These have been brilliant and I have left them in place. If you buy them get them from a disability shop. They were expensive but they’ve never let me down. She also recommended an extra banister rail as mine doesn’t cover the whole of the staircase. This also has been a godsend. The hospital provided a raised loo seat and also a walking frame which I didn’t use - crutches were fine. I recommend you get a leg lifter if they don’t give you one, and a sock aid. Hope everything goes well for you. Walking, walking and more walking.