Re: Hip Replacement Underwear and Caregiver Tips

[Guest guest]

HI DONNA,

ONE THING I WAS TOLD WAS TO WEAR LOOSE CLOTHES AFTER SURGERY. FOR MY HIP I HAD SOME LOVELY VELOUR PANTS SETS THAT WERE JUST A STEP UP FROM SWEATS. THEY WERE STRETCHY, AND THEY HAD JACKETS TO PUT ON IF I GOT PARKED IN A DRAFT. I ALSO TOOK ALONG A LAP QUILT TO KEEP MY KNEES WARM. I JUST HUNG THE QUILT OVER THE WHEELCHAIR BACK AND ALWAYS HAD IT, JUST IN CASE. THEY DID LIKE ME TO HAVE SLACKS ON, BECAUSE I WAS IN A HUGE ROOM THAT THEY CALLED THE GYMNASIUM, AND THERE WERE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME, WHILE I WAS LAYING THERE LIFTING MY LEG.

I am new to this group and have some questions. In mid-June, my mother is going to have a hip replaced. In her reading, she hasn't read anything about what kind of clothes to wear. For most of the time, she can wear t-shirt type dresses. What about for physical therapy? What about underwear? She has some incontenance so just going without underwear isn't really an option.Also, my father and I will be her caregivers. Do you have any suggestions for us? I do know the very basics, like to make sure you have alone time to recharge your own batteries. I read that chapter in my book on hidden disabilities. I have severe fibromyalgia, so this will put the shoe on the other foot for me.WHAT I NEEDED THE MOST WAS THE CAREGIVER TO STAND THERE PROTECTIVELY WHILE LETTING ME DO WHAT I COULD DO. I SUGGEST YOU DO NOT RUSH TO DO EVERYTHING FOR HER. ENCOURAGE HER TO AT LEAST TRY EVERYTHING--LIKE THE SOCK PUTTER-ONNER, AND THE LONG-HANDLED REACHER. I NOW HAVE ONE AT EACH END OF THE HOUSE. WITH THEM, I PICK UP WHATEVER I HAVE DROPPED AS I DO FOOD PREPARATION, I SORT LAUNDRY, I FIX RUGS, I GET MY SHOES OUT FROM UNDER THE BED, TAKE THE CLOTHES FROM THE WASHER, REACH CLOTHES IN THE DRYER, GET BOOKS DOWN FROM A SHELF--I COULD GO ON AND ON. I LIKE BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR MYSELF AND DOING WHAT I WANT TO DO. SITTING AND WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DO THINGS FOR ME IS DEMEANING.

ONE THING I HAVE FOUND OUT IS THAT WE ALL HAVE A PERSONAL TIME TABLE. SOME DO NOT NEED THE WALKER AFTER THREE DAYS, I KEPT MINE BESIDE ME FOR 8 WEEKS. IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WEIGHT, AND MUSCLE RENEWAL, AND DETERMINATION, AND PAIN. LET HER KEEP HER WALKER AS LONG AS SHE WANTS TO. ONE DAY WILL COME THAT SHE IS JUST READY TO WALK WITHOUT IT. SHE WILL KNOW. HER DOCTOR WILL HAVE TIME TABLES SET THAT HE WANTS HER TO FOLLOW. HE HAS VERY GOOD REASONS FOR WHAT HE SUGGESTS, SO WE NEED TO LISTEN TO OUR SURGEONS!

I WISH YOU PEACE IN YOUR CARETAKING. AND WATCH FOR THE MAGIC THREE WEEKS! IT IS FUN TO SEE AND TO DO.

BLESSINGS,

MARGEI tend to be prone to panic attacks. What are some things that are likely to come up so I won't be surprised and have an attack? One example is that I don't need to worry if surgery takes a little longer than expected. I don't need the horror stories (they could help cause panic attacks).I appreciate all your help.Sincerely,Donna

[Guest guest]

Hi Donna,

I had LTHR in january and was given some useful aids which made

certain things easier. A long-handles " grabber " was great for

picking things up from the floor and for helping to put onsome items

of clothing - underwear / trousers that had to go over my feet. A

long handled shoe horn helped to. Having a chair that is quite firm

anf not too low will be essential in the first few weeks, as will

toilet seat lifts - if you can get one with handles it would help.

If you haven't got a walk in shower (grab rails are useful here) a

bath board makes washing a bit easier, but your mother may need help

with this task at first - I am 48 & my husband had to help me with

reaching to get shower gel/shampoo etc and shower my hair for me.

Hopefully, there shouldn't be too amny traumas post surgery - the

hip pain will have gone and the muscle / incision pain is helped

with pain meds, so your mother should be much happier - hopefully

each day will be bringing an improvement - a great morale booster

when you've had a degenerative condition for so many years.

There's lots of help available on this board so keep posting, even

if only for encouragement.

Hoping that it all works out well for you all

Lesley

48yo female LTHR 17.1.04

[Guest guest]

I have bilateral THRs done at age 59.

Clothing: Shorts or sweats (w/o elastic at the ankle) with tshirts

for PT works. Actually most of the PT that I had could have be done

in street clothes (slacks) if one wished. It's not that vigorous.

Tennis

shoes work ok if there's someone to tie them for her. Or sturdy flat

slipons - you don't want anything that will flop or come off easily.

Underwear can probably be whatever she regularly wears. I went out

and purchased tap pants thinking that having a piece of elastic on

the leg of regular underwear dragging over my incision would be a

problem (tap pants have no elastic in the leg). They were sort of

expensive and I really didn't need them. I just wore hi-cut briefs

that didn't cover much of the incision. There's a big bandage on it

for a few days so it's not going to get irritated by clothing anyhow.

Have easy-to-prepare meals frozen so fixing supper is painless. Shop

ahead a bit if you wish. Get the clutter out of her house so there's

nothing to trip her up (rugs, pets, clutter, stray furniture, etc.)

in those areas where she needs a clear shot, i.e. to the kitchen,

bedroom, bathroom and her favorite chair. Set up the place where

she'll spend her day - a favorite chair and have needed items handy,

tissues, tv remote, books, cell phone, whatever she needs. Make sure

the chair is suitable for a post-op hippie (not too cushy, not too

low, and it's best if it doesn't swivel or rock). Move needed items

that she needs to a height where she can reach them without bending

too much, e.g. cooking items, clothing in the bedroom, bathroom

items.

You don't indicate her age or physical condition but most people who

are reasonably healthy and able can be alone for at least short

periods after a few days at home. It actually is better if they have

to get up and move around and are not waited on all the time. The

sooner they move around, the less is the risk of DVT and PE. You can

use your own judgment here.

She will probably be given some tools so that she can do things for

herself without violating the surgeon's movement and positional

restrictions. These tools could include a reacher to pick things

from the floor, a dressing stick to aid in dressing and undressing

the lower body, a sock helper to put on stockings (TEDS if she wears

them), a long handled shoehorn, commode or raised toilet seat for the

bathroo (commodes can be placed over the toilet and are height-

adjustable). OT depts in hospital usually instruct patients in how

to use these tools so they can be somewhat independent right away.

Likely she'll start out with a walker and maybe forearm crutches,

then graduate to a cane and/or one crutch, then nothing! I used a

walker in the

house and preferred two crutches when I left the house.

It's also typical for a home care nurse and maybe PT to come to the

house a couple of times per week while she's considered " home-

bound " . I had these for two weeks. Also some patients go to

a " rehab " center for a period, maybe a week, before they go home,

usually those people live alone and have no social support system or

have comorbidities that might call for rehab. It really is safer to

go to one's own home because of the chance for postop early infection

in those places.

There won't be many good reasons to panic. Save your " panics " for

serious stuff. Don't panic if the surgery takes longer than you

thought. Don't panic if her incision oozes a yellow fluid. Don't

panic if her leg, knee or ankle swells up; instead plan to have her

raise her legs above heart level to reduce swelling. Call the doctor

if it's hot,

painful and red or she runs a high fever. Same for the incision.

Don't panic if the anesthesia or pain meds nauseate her. Don't panic

if she doesn't feel like eating right away. Don't panic if they give

her a radiation treatment to prevent HO. Call 911 if she

dislocates. Call 911

if she becomes short of breath. Formulate a plan for what to do or

who to call when you feel something isn't right. My HMO has a " help

nurse " on call who will answer any stupid question anyone wants to

ask and will dispense advice on when it seems prudent to phone the

dr. and when it isn't warranted. Maybe your dr. or clinic has a

similar

service.

Anyway my point is that having a plan ahead of time for what to do if

certain things

happen that you haven't been told to expect is one way of

eliminating that helpless feeling of not knowing what to do - the

root of panic attacks may be not knowing what to do next.

All in all this surgery is pretty routine stuff. Yes, it's major

surgery but it's also one of the most successful surgical procedures

done in terms of how it restores function and eliminates that

grinding pain of OA. That pain disappears immediately. The pain she

might experience post surgery will be the result of the incision

itself and some bruised and stretched muscles and that pain gets

better gradually day by day. Also give yourself a break - she

shouldn't be needing your undivided attention. If she does, arrange

for respite care so you and your father can go away for a few hours

or a day and not worry about her.and not worry.

The good news is that in a few weeks or months she'll likely be out

walking her legs off, no cane, no pain, no pain meds! I now walk a

couple of miles a day and work out at a gym. I never could have done

this and would be in a wheelchair now if I hadn't had the surgery.

It's truly a miracle and worth all the trouble.

Hope all goes well (I just know it will).

> I am new to this group and have some questions. In mid-June, my

> mother is going to have a hip replaced. In her reading, she hasn't

> read anything about what kind of clothes to wear. For most of the