👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️ Hips and knees part 6 👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️

I don’t know what is happening with my referral. First I get a letter saying I hadn’t chosen my hospital. Phoned a number that was on the letter and they said I hadn’t replied to a letter that I’ve never received. I explained to them that I would be away for the whole of September and told them which hospital I wanted to go to. I’ve now had a letter saying they would be contacting me with an appointment and that I needed to tell them asap if I couldn’t get to the hospital where the appointment was and that, if I missed the appointment I would go to the bottom of the pile. I’m going to have to get someone to check my mail on a regular basis.

Fings ain’t what they used to be MayBee.
It’s nearly September now and it’s doubtful would get an appointment in the next few weeks so you should be ok, but yes try to get someone to check the mail, in case and make sure the hospital know your dates that you are away. They may contact you on your phone.
I think you just need to let them know if you can’t attend, in which case you would not be put at the back of the list.

Hi All, .was supposed to get an OT assessment in April re bathroom aids - have been chasing up the referral a few times over past weeks to be told it had been cancelled...
So yesterday was on the phone again ringing 3 different nos and was soo lucky to speak to an intelligent person who listened to my rant (queries....)she said she doesn't know why but i should have had a visit weeks/months ago but would raise another referral as she did find me on the system and couldn't explain why the referral had dropped off the system then said there services were stretched etc etc but i persisted firmly but politely - she then said she would email the OTs covering my areas and yay after 2 more lengthy calls, i was given an appt tomorrow a.m.

Today @10am i received a call from an OT who wanted to visit in a couple of hours...sure i said but was informed you were coming Thursday...anyway,2 OTs came and they've ordered a swivel bath chair which should be delivered and fitted by 2 Sept. Has anyone got one or uses one...I'm told once fitted they can't be moved ...am still struggling to get leg over tall bath to have a shower despite using the step up so the bathboard they fitted doesn't help me at all so they will remove this....
I really need a wet room and the OTs said its very difficult to get councils to approve these ATM but they would put in a referral on my behalf....
Would love to hear your experiences or should i post elsewhere?

[MayBee70] sorry you're still getting the run around with your referral

Bea good to hear that someone actually listened to you and you got a visit from the OTs. On the subject of wet rooms, I was a specialist housing officer working with older and disabled people before I retired. Local councils are only given a small budget for putting in things like wet rooms and, once it’s spent that’s it for the year. The waiting list was very long then so I dread to think what it is now. Sorry to be depressing.

Bes, even if it’s been a wait, your persistence has paid off. You are lucky to have OTs visit you and provide you with equipment. The days they were able to do that are long gone in most areas.
A close family member is a senior. oT and when i had my hip operation 3 years ago I had no input from our local OTs at all. Luckily family member was able to advise, but apart from providing a raised toilet seat I had to get everything else myself. Luckily found some equipment in the local hospice care charity shop. I have no experience of bath chairs etc. but
hope someone comes along who has.
Good luck 🤞

Bea not Bes , apologies.

On the upside my physio has tweaked my exercises. And she taped up my knee and showed me how to do it. I’ve taken a photo of it so I can see where she put it. Trouble is I don’t want to have a bath or shower as I don’t want to take it off. And I can’t put Voltarol on. I wish I’d started using this physio years ago. She isn’t expensive either. I showed her my x ray results again and we both couldn’t understand why the result for my good knee was identical to my bad one even though my bad leg is slightly crooked, I sometimes can’t put weight on it and the good knee, apart from a bit of a twinge sometimes isn’t a problem. She said I need to speak to my GP about it.

My friend uses taping and says it’s helped her enormously.

As for not having a bath /shower , our parents would have needed to use the sink every day of their lives for many.
Have a good wash which is what I did after my operation for quite a while.

Hope you can see your gp soon.

Trouble is I’m house sitting at my daughters and she has the most wonderful power shower that I haven’t got at home and I was really looking forward to using it!I’ll give it a couple of days. Because the pain is on the inside of my knee any supports hurt my knee but the tape doesn’t. I used to wear a patella strap but that now hurts me.I said to my physio if I wore shorts ( which I wouldn’t because my legs are so horrible) people might see the tape and think I’m an elite sportsperson!

teabagwoman

Bea good to hear that someone actually listened to you and you got a visit from the OTs. On the subject of wet rooms, I was a specialist housing officer working with older and disabled people before I retired. Local councils are only given a small budget for putting in things like wet rooms and, once it’s spent that’s it for the year. The waiting list was very long then so I dread to think what it is now. Sorry to be depressing.

🙏 for your info as an experienced HO… the OTs who visited are a team called Early Intervention Adult Care EIAC .. do you know of this service?

I was feeling a bit depressed about my situation but now am feeling more positive and will update after the visit on 2 SEP🤞🏻

silverlining48

Bea not Bes , apologies.

No need for apologies 😀. am feeling much brighter 🙏

Oops misquoted the name of OTs team - EICT - EARLY INTERVENTION CARE TEAM …Community Healthcare..it’s a multidisciplinary team comprising of DNs / OTs and Palliative Support and Abena…
It’s primary objective is to keep us as safe as possible and for as long as possible in our own homes 😊

Bea, a similar sort of service had just started before I retired. Good to know that it’s still going and has expanded to include more agencies.

I saw the physio, at the hospital, this morning. The session was very informative and I’ve been given a pair of elbow crutches with extra wide and contoured handholds as the usual ones hurt my hands. Unfortunately I forgot to ask about gadgets for putting on socks. There seem to be quite a variety so any advice will be gratefully received.

I never got the hang of my sock device but there is a way of using a plastic bag to put socks on. You might want to u tube it, or someone will come along to advise.
Re plastic bags, they also v useful getting in and out of car seats.

Thanks Silverlining, I will look the plastic bag method up. And thank you for reminding me about the carrier bag method of getting in and out of a car. I will get my dd to bring one with her when she collects me from hospital.

The stocking gadget is also beyond me. I looked on Amazon, but I would not have a clue with 99% of them.

It has to be the slippy sort of plastic bag,,, test out a few.

I found the sock device really easy. You just thread the sock onto the plastic shape, slip your foot in, pull up the ‘ropes’ on either side, and hey presto, job done. The ‘ropes’ pull the plastic shape off and the sock up at the same time.

The plastic bag also helps put on those post op tight stockings too. Hurray for plastic bags

Silverlining, thanks for mentioning the DVT socks. I was worried about dealing with them. I’ve had pulmonary emboli in the past so I’m bound to have to wear them. This thread is such a source of support. 🙏

I had no problem putting on the DVT socks, but it is easier after a knee than a hip. Your picker-upper will be your new best friend. It may be easier to attach it around your neck if, like Birdbrain here, you only have one, which is useless if it is downstairs and I'm upstairs.

Not necessarily, teabag, I’ve suffered from a couple of bouts of what used to be called phlebitis in the past (now called superficial thrombophlebitis because a long name is much easier to remember) and was told not to wear DVT socks. In fact, the hospital where I had my hip operation didn’t use them at all on anyone, just that automatic compression mechanism on both legs for the first 24 hours.

The bath seat delivered by Mediquip doesn't fit the bath...a replacement ordered.. watch this space

teabagwoman..glad you’ve received new contoured handhold crutches..have never seen these …