Mum is going for hip op in 2 weeks and has questions

Hi, I had no one at home to help me so the hospital said I should go into an inpatient health care facility for one week. They were amazing and not only taught you how to do everything , but gave you physical therapy and made sure you could do everything for yourself before you can leave. They give you things to help put socks on,pants , how to do everything you need to. My Ins. Paid for it.

Well it is not easy, I was supplied with two chairs which enabled me to have a strip wash each day, you can wear skirts also putting on knickers I used my grabber which I brought from the joint school at the hospital, also have a long handled shoe horn

it all takes time, also had to wear compression stockings so my husband had to wash my feet each night and put the clean stockings on.  They should let you know all at the hospital.  Lots of luck! Xx

Wash at a sink with a sponge or flannel as you mustnt get the wound wet

Loose jersey elasticated waist harem trousers are everywhere at the moment and are perfect to wear

Washing as above for personal hygiene + wipes

The occupational therapist will show her how to use the grabber for dressing, look on YouTube for helpful videos

She will be fine x

Thank you so much for you support and advice.

Particularly those of you are in Mum's situation  - she has no support after the op other than physio when she's at the hospital.

Sorry to bother you but you sound like you've gone through it.

Aside from what I've mentioned - she's also worried that the pressure socks will be too much to bear and she will have no one to help her.

We are on hand but we are 100 miles away from her home but are trying to work it out for her so that one of us is alwyas there for her. 

But before her op - she's saying she doesn't need out help.

The pressure socks and her personal hygeine are really worrying her in advance of the op.

What can I do to help her?

Thank you all.

 

Hi , I had no one to look after me and I had to care for my 94 year old dad who lives with me and is fiercely independent . 

I live in wales so don't know if this will help you but the hospital gave me the number of the local Red Cross . They are funded by the NHS and local council. They called twice a week to change my ted stockings , wash my feet , hair . They can also prepare light meals and do shopping . I didn't have to pay . Same sort of thing may be available to your mum. 

She will find it impossible to wear tights as you are not to bend down to put them on . I bought some jogging bottoms in a marks outlet . They are very comfortable and reasonably smart , they don't have elastic on bottoms .

she will have a wash down while in hospital . Don't know how old mum is or how agile but it's not too bad as long as she puts everything within reach before she goes in .

I bought disposable pants to use for the first few weeks to save on washing . 

I sit on bed and put good leg in first then use grabber to stretch out pants and put operated leg in .

i also put toaster etc out on worktop so I could reach it .

meals on wheels or Wiltshire Farm Foods Are excellent until she is steady on feet . I moved my kitchen table to edge of work top so I could move food along and sit down .

she will need help with compression stockings as they are much to tight to change yourself .

i also tried to sleep on my back before I went in as that is a big prob but you do get used to it eventually .

one tip I was given was to wear padded cycle mitts when walking outside as crutches are hard on the hands .

it is really surprising how you learn to do things , washing my hair was my worry but I found I could wash it in the kitchen sink as it is higher than bathroom sink .

i am 60 by the way and live in South Wales .

good luck

Occupational therapists will help with most of those issues.....although I have no answer if u have no shower.  

Hi, i washed at the sink and my husband did my legs and feet. I found wearing skirts was easier in early days as you could put them on over your head instead of bending to pull up. With regards to pants I used grabber to help. Didn't take long to get the hang of it. Just tell her to take it slowly, there is no rush to do things. Hope all goes well 

I forgot you can also get a sponge attached to a long stick from the hospital . You can use this to was legs and feet without bending.I used a thick toilet seat that attaches to your toilet, I got it at CVS. I needed this seat because my toilet seat was too low. Most drug stores carry helpful resources to aid with healing and getting around. Good Luck to your Mum.

i agree with ,most of the replies already.  I had a strip wash at the sink because I did not have to bend so far at the sink.  She will have a waterproof dressing on the wound, so that should not be a problem  My husband got a bowl of water for me to put my feet in and he washed them for me.  I don't know if your Mum has a good friend who can come in and do this for her and if she has to wear those stockings, maybe she could help with that as well.  A grabber is very useful for putting pants on and you soon get the hang of it.  No reason why she can't wear skirts after the op, but if she gets some trousers, get the track suit type which are easy to pull on (with the grabber) and are loose fitting which is a boon at first as you don't want anything tight round the wound, which is probably why they said not to wear tights and which can be awkward to put on.  Don't worry it all becomes much easier after a few days.  Good luck to her.

Thank you all so very much for replying and for giving your advice based on real world experience.  I've made notes on what I can do to help / organis, and I'll share this with Mum - I'm sure your comments will help her a great deal.

I hope you don't mind if I ask you another question?

In the first few days of returning home - did you have to live on just one floor?  Did you have your bed moved downstairs for example nearer the kitchen?

Mum's in an odd little house with the bathroom kitchen in basement, lounge in the middle and bedroom on the top. 

She's concerned about where to "put" herself during the first few weeks and whether she needs to move the bed down - or if she'll be so tired she'll need to sort out some kind of chair to sleep in if she can't make it to the bedroom.

Clearly going up three flights of stairs constantly during the early days of the operation isn't an option! 

We'll make sure we're around as much as we can be but she is fiercely independent but at the same time concerned and confused by what she should do - and has no-one who's gone through it to ask.

I'm so pleased to hear all your positive experiences - and hope that you are all healing well.

Thank you again.