Posted , 4 users are following.
its been 10 days since my surgery. Broke my ankle December 29th. All I do is sit in recliner, ice my leg. I have been wiggling my toes. I've been lucky as pain is at a minimum. Family and friends have been taking care of me but I want to go back to my home after my stitches are taken out next Monday. Any tips for me as I live alone?
0 likes, 11 replies
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LilJohnson Airellajordan
Posted
I feel you so hard. I had my surgery (ligament reconstruction) last Monday, and until Friday evening I was staying at my parents house with them, pretty much living on the couch and having them and my siblings help me with everything.
On Friday, I decided I had had enough and I wanted to go home...so I did. My best tips are:
1) Make sure you've got clear paths everywhere.
2) Have a place you are going to crash. I chose my couch.
3) Have frozen food on hand, and paper plates and bowls and the ilk. That way you don't have to stand and wash dishes!
Umm...those are the 3 biggies I can think of. It was definitely hard at first, but you get used to it. I have everything I need within reach like my TV remotes, glasses, water bottle, snacks...have a fan nearby that I can turn on if I get hot (I don't know if you get hot flashes, but I do).
Airellajordan LilJohnson
Posted
thx. Im gonna have to move furniture. Lol will have to find someone to move it for me. I haven't been home since December 29th.
debi37231 Airellajordan
Posted
hi I live alone too. Its not easy but doable. I had my daughter stay the first few days I have a wheelchair a walker, crutches and a scooter so I am ready for all of it I am almost 7 weeks post op from a total ankle replacement and I'm feeling good I do have that horrible nerve pain but it just means I'm healing My friends and family stop in and check on me I gave them keys so I didnt have to get up and down and they got me alot of foods I could easily heat up when they are not there also when I was ready to shower I got a shower transition bench this is awesome I can shower all by myself with this I got all this for free form the local lions club see if you have one near you and they delivered it this was so helpful please look into it I wish you a fast healing and good wishes oh also when your ready to venture out with someone just call ahead to make sure they have a wheelchair you can use Ive been able to go to more places now
Airellajordan debi37231
Posted
debi37231 Airellajordan
Posted
Hi its called a transition shower bench or chair it has 2 legs out of the tub and 2 inside i just get up close turn around sit and pick my legs up over the tub I also have a handheld shower head (20 dollars from home depot) and I dont need any help there are also tub chairs that fit completley inside the tub but you have to be 100% weight bearing for that If you don't have a lions club try knights of columbus even the fire dept may know where to look good luck
barbara58104 Airellajordan
Posted
becky7624 Airellajordan
Posted
If you can get one, a knee scooter will give you a lot more freedom than crutches. I can cook, clean, do laundery, etc. using a knee scooter. I also have the bath transition chair that others have told you about. (I tried to put a link to a picture on Amazon, but that post was deleted. I didn't know that links are a no-no here.) If you aren't able to drive, you'll need to arrange to have someone take you shopping or to do your shopping for you. Other than that, you'll probably be able to take care of yourself pretty well.
Also, I borrowed my bath chair and crutches from my church and the knee walker from an aquaintance who had finished with it. If you call around or ask around, you may find everything you need. I know that knee scooters can be rented a lot of places also.
LilJohnson becky7624
Posted
You're lucky to have a big enough space for a knee scooter. My apartment is way too small for one!!
becky7624 LilJohnson
Posted
Well, I live in a pretty small house so I do a lot of backing in and out of tight spaces. Sometimes I have to stand on my good foot in order to lift the scooter and turn it around. Still, in the kitchen it's great to have a way to balance without crutches. I have severe arthritis in one of my thumbs so I can't use crutches for very long without a lot of pain.
Way before the days of knee scooters I had surgery on each of my feet and back then I'd put a rolling desk chair in the kitchen to put my knee on while I worked. It was a little clumsier than the scooter, but it got the job done.
LilJohnson becky7624
Posted
Nice.
My place is so small that the scooter itself would take up about 1/4 of the available real estate in my living room...so not worth it. I loved it at my parents house cause there was significant ground to cover (though the bathroom was a toughie), but in my teeny place, I'd honestly rather use crutches. Oh, and when I say teeny, I mean it's a total of about 500 sq ft.
becky7624 LilJohnson
Posted