Seeking pre-op advice, living alone

There are these great, HUGE, suction cup grips I use on the tub and in the shower.  WARNING: Jiggle them before using them.  If they've come loose, just stick 'em on again so they're tight.  I usually have to reattach them every 5-7 days.  No problem.  Like Mike said...don't consider stepping in and out of a tub without anything to hang on to!!!

When our shower broke we bought a 'bath board' - you sit on the side and then slide over so you're then sitting over the bath.  Yes, you have to raise legs over the side of the bath from the sitting position but that's better than trying to step over the side of the bath?  I know someone has been issued with one of these before their knee replacement.

Mike, Chico and Chris, thanks to you I'm currently looking at various grab rails and bath boards on the Complete Care Shop website. They have a great range and great prices. There's no connection except only that I've dealt with them before (crutches). So thanks to them and to you!

That's great Robin:-)))  There is so much equipment around to help us when we know what to look for:-))))  I wish you all the best for your recovery after the op:-)))

Hi Robin

Yes the complete care shop are really good. I've bought from them too.

It's really worth seeing what you can buy from them that occupational therapy don't supply.

All the best

Marilyn

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In our area we used to have a group called Smart care, or something like that, where I went when the arthritis started to get bad and they actually loaned out some products and had a display of things you could borrow or buy if you wanted to.  I'd not had ANY other suggestions from anywhere else at all and had bought my own sticks and learned how to use them from the internet and it was only looking online finding out what was available to help that got me sorted for many things at that point.  But unfortunately they were part of the early cuts and weren't there for long, so people around here are on their own again.  One of the things that they picked up, that was so valuable though, was how I was sitting down and getting up.  I was collapsing into a chair and they told me that this would damage my spine so to step back until knees were against the chair and then ease in using my arms.  And the same for getting up.  I just thought this is worth mentioning because so many people will be in the same position I was, not really knowing how to sit etc. when knees are so awful!  But when I read 'occupational therapy' it was like what 'occupational therapy'?  It doesn't exist around here.  It's the same as physio before and after knee ops - you get a dvd and instructions but don't see anyone apart from at booking in (when they give you the dvd and booklet) and I think as soon as you have the op, in hospital, but you don't go back for physio or anything.