FINALLY I'V DONE IT !!

Hi Joy.

Good descision, I had THR right hip 10 days ago.

The first 4-5 days are a challenge you will need help then with many daily tasks, but I have been surprised just how quickly I have taken these tasks back for myself! Still struggle putting on socks!!!

Completely off pain killers after about a week and each day able to put more weight on operated leg.

The hospital will issue you things to help raised loo seat grabber to pick things up off the floor etc I was even lent a chair which was the correct height to sit in! (Our furniture was all to low) plan ahead to make your life as easy as possible for first week if you have limited help. Not sure how you will be able to get in bath.

Good luck

Graham.

Hi Joy,

Well done! We are all terrified to make this decision. But it was a good decision for me and I am even having my second hip replaced in September. So ...please don't second guess yourself now - esp with three surgeons recommending that you go ahead with it.

Re preparations - my first piece of advice is to look at a website created by one of the forum members. He is a wise and humorous man - a 63 year old computer engineer in Hertfordshire, UK who created a layman's guide for THR (a 'hippy' web page) - the link is in the pinned discussion at https://patient.info/forums/discuss/thr-useful-resources-487147

He and his website are brilliant and offer so much advice and general information. Please give it a good read and come back with specific questions for our wonderful forum to address. It has truly been a gift - advice, friendship and a kind shoulder or ear.

Best wishes,

L

Hi Joy,

Oh I think you have definitely made the right decision. You need to get on with living without pain, no matter how well you think you were coping.

Firstly, I would look around your house and view it as if you have had the operation. So how accessible are the rooms, do you need to rearrange things temporarily until you are recovered. For example, you can put essential dishes, pots and pans on the work surface etc. With the grabber and practice, you will be able to get things out of the fridge.

Things I found useful:

1. I have a large step into my house so I bought a half step from Amazon for £10. This helped me no end!!

2. I got an extra toilet seat as I have more then one toilet and didn't want to be constantly taking them off to move them

As I said before look at your house through different eyes...planning can be so good!!!!

Then I had my personal lair ?? I got myself a table at chair height that would be big enough for all the things I would need to hand. I also got a small bag to put on my crutches/stick so I easily carry things if I needed to.

If you are in the UK you will get a grabber, a toilet seat, a long handled sponge, a long handled shoe horn and an implement to put your socks on. If you think you might need a perching stool for kitchen use (so you can sit while the kettle is boiling etc) you can hire things from the British Red Cross, which means you are not buying expensive equipment that you might not use again.

Re: the bath situation....if you look on YouTube there are videos on there which show you how to get into a bath sideways with the aid of stick which does not compromise the 90 degree rule, it depends on the height of your bath and you would need something to hold onto. Again they do suction grab handles on Amazon, they are not brilliant and I wouldn't like to put my full weight on them but they helped me. Once in the bath you will need a shower stool to sit on. Again Amazon or the Bristish Red Cross.

It might be a good idea to do some batch cooking and freeze l, then this way you will have access to your own food after the op. I made soup etc.

Not sure if any of that has helped Joy, but good luck with the planning. I liked it because it gave me some control over the situation.

Best wishes

Jacqui

Hi Joy, I found planning helped me. Gave me some control over the whole process. 

If you have more than one toilet get two raised toilet seats. Sometimes a combined raised toilet seat and frame is easier to manage. This gives you "arm rests" either side to help you push up to stand. 

You should have an opportunity to discuss how you will manage with an Occupational Therapist before the surgery. They should be able to loan you any equipment such as chair/ sofa/bed raisers. 

With regard to the over bath shower they will suggest a shower board or a swivel bather. You would sit to transfer on to the board and remain sitting to have a shower. 

I also had one grabber upstairs by my bed and one next  to my raised sofa. 

A good idea I saw on here is to have a plastic bin next to the bed and sofa to keep sticks and grabbers within reach. Nothing worse than them falling on the floor!

Also you can reach down lower if you are carefull and hold on to something by taking your operated leg out to the back. Ask the Occupational Therapist or Physio to demonstrate it for you. 

Plan away. It really does help. 

Try not to worry too much. We all get through one way or another!

Take care. X

Hi Gloria. I had both hips replaced. Before you leave the hospital they will give you a class on how to get in and out of your car, walk up and down steps etc. An occupational therapist will meet with you to show you how to get your clothes on and off and deal with your every day life needs. Good luck with your surgery.