Re: Re: Any more preparatory exercises?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/9/2004 2:37:07 PM Central Standard Time, Suzeegrape@... writes:

As a veteran of 3 hip replacements, I can tell you you can not roll on the operated side. Hurts way too much on that new scar.

_____

Sorry you had so much problem......many of my patients have been able to to it. Actually, the usual way was to put a pillow between the legs and roll the other way rather than lift.

What has been the experience of others on the list?

y

[Guest guest]

Had RHR may 25/04. I use a body pillow about 5.5 ft long tucked between feet and knees and held by one hand about navel level. Found I would roll to right side during sleep and first few trimes would wake up with some hurt, but lately the hurt is less and I do it more frequently. Now unable to sleep on back as will roll usually to left side in sleep. The body pillow so far has been there when I wake up. I only sleep about two hours between trips to bath room so when I get back into bed I try to go to sleep on back, but while sleeping I go to one side or other. Probably the only way to keep from rolling onto right side is a pillow proped against that side, but that pillow tends to get pushed onto wife's territory. With a body pillow and two head pillows I pretty well have all the pillows I can handle and the limit on amount of pillows my darling spouse will tolerate on my side of bed. My os said to stay off right side for at least six weeks, but when sleeping I have little control.

ben f.

Re: Re: Any more preparatory exercises?

In a message dated 7/9/2004 2:37:07 PM Central Standard Time, Suzeegrape@... writes:

As a veteran of 3 hip replacements, I can tell you you can not roll on the operated side. Hurts way too much on that new scar.

_____

Sorry you had so much problem......many of my patients have been able to to it. Actually, the usual way was to put a pillow between the legs and roll the other way rather than lift.

What has been the experience of others on the list?

y

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue ,

I had my operation it was a TRHR I couldn't sleep on my right side even now after five years it bothers me sometimes but I can sleep on it I think it depends of the weather.

juneflower60 or SusieSue <Suzeegrape@...> wrote:

yNo problem. If you go with the operated side, and of course the pillw, it is really uncomfortable with that tape. It sticks to the bedpan. You can do it, but who said it is easy. Amazing what you can do when a health care professional is in the room. Grin and bear it.Sue> In a message dated 7/9/2004 2:37:07 PM Central Standard Time, > Suzeegrape@a... writes:> As a veteran of 3 hip replacements, I can tell you you can not roll > on the operated side. Hurts way too much on that new scar.> _____> Sorry you had so much problem......many of my patients have been able to to > it. Actually, the usual way was to put a pillow between the legs and roll the > other way rather than

lift.> What has been the experience of others on the list?> y

[Guest guest]

Hi Stan,

If I were in a rehab centre / nursing home etc here, I would expect similar care. However, assuming (hoping) I shall come straight home:

I don't know if a nurse will be coming in every day after I come home. I would hope that one will come in at least occasionally, as I won't be allowed to drive or even travel in passenger seat of a car, so getting to the clinic will be a problem in the early stages. (However the clinic is very close to my home, so easy for them to get to me.) The stitches (or staples?) will need to be removed after 12 days. Also they told us at the hospital that we will be getting injections of a drug called Klexan in the abdomen, to prevent blood-clots (anti-coagulant?) - these have to be done daily for one month, and they promised they would show us how to inject ourselves (those who have no-one to do it for them.) I am not looking forward to injecting myself in the abdomen once a day! (Question to post-op hippies - did you have to do this? Are there alternatives I should enquire about?)

Being aged 60 and a non-working pensioner with quite low income, I *should* qualify for a home-help package of 15 hours a week of free home help (someone coming in daily to help me shower, dress, prepare food...) (I can supplement this if I want to by paying extra privately, which shouldn't be too expensive - the going rate here for home help is 30 shekels an hour = approx $7.) Also, I'll get home visits from the physiotherapist - but not every day (maybe 3 times a week). Within a day or so after my surgery, the hospital will notify the "continuing care" unit at my local health clinic - so the day I arrive home, I should get a visit from a little team of therapists to assess my needs; and also from the company that provides the home-help I mentioned above - they will also install an emergency-button (an intercom device with a button you wear strapped to your wrist), which I'll have free for 3 months after the surgery (and can continue afterwards if I want for small payment.)

Regarding a rehab centre (or whatever) - they told us during the pre-surgery instruction session at Hadassah hospital that their policy is to discharge people directly home whenever possible - they believe that patients recover best in their own home environment, both physically (less risk of picking up "foreign" infections in an institution) and psychologically. Only when there's some *medical* reason (for instance elderly patients with additional health problems or risks) do they refer to a rehab centre. If they *did* refer me, the one I'd most likely be sent to is about one-and-a-half hours drive from the hospital. I haven't visited it - it's about 2 hours from here - but I made some phone enquiries from people who know the place - and I don't feel I would want to go there!! It is actually a rehab hospital - largely for more elderly / incapacitated patients - 8 beds to a ward, no single / private rooms available... . (However, it would be free under my health-fund coverage.) My other option would be to go to a private rehab place - but that would be *very* expensive, and not covered by my insurance - so having limited financial resources, I want to avoid that if possible. (If I were hospitalised for at least 7 days, my insurance would cover *part* of the cost of a private stay in a rehab place of my choice for up to 10 days - but Hadassah generally discharges hip-patients after 5 days. However, there may be room for negotiation ..... I'll find out once I'm in there!)

They told us at Hadassah that, during the 3 days or so following the surgery, they get us standing on our feet on day 1, and that by the time we're discharged we will be able to get ourselves from bed to bathroom (with a walking frame), and to go up and down steps. If I can persuade them to let me have a few extra days in the in-hospital rehab unit (in view of the long distance from my home and the fact that I live alone), I wouldn't mind doing that... but I don't particularly want to be trundled from one institution to another, especially such great distances apart. But my strong preference is to come straight home (despite the 3-hour ambulance ride).

In case anyone's wondering why I'm having the surgery so far away from my home-town, the reasons are: (1) the orthopedic department in my local hospital is definitely *not* recommended - I've heard several "horror-stories" about it, and documented cases of negligent treatment; (2) Hadassah is one of the best hospitals in the country, and the surgeon I chose is head of the specialist hip-replacement team, and has an excellent reputation. Here in Israel, there's much variation in standards of treatment between different hospitals and departments - some are excellent, others not... and the best way to choose is to enquire around... the best is not necessarily the closest to your home.

The surgery is partly covered by my insurance - I have to pay a contribution of approx 6,000 shekels (= approx $1,300) - but for that I was able to choose any hospital and surgeon. I could have had it done free through my regular health-fund coverage - but would have had no choice - they would either have sent me to the local hospital (no no!!!) or to Haifa (where I also didn't particularly want to go - and also a long drive from here). So I opted to pay and to have a choice! However, I hope that, once I'm back home, I'll be able to have all the follow-up done locally through my health-fund clinic (which is very close to my home - only 10 minutes walk normally - I might even be able to manage it on my walker!)

Stan - I'd be interested to know how much of your surgery and post-op rehabilitation was covered by the French health system - I assume you're covered by French health insurance? How much did you get free, and how much did you have to pay for? It's interesting to compare different countries' health-care systems.

(If anyone wants to know more about the Israeli system, I'll be happy to give more information.)

Margaret in Israel

Re: Any more preparatory exercises?

MargaretYou said that you'll be going home early and mostly taking care of yourself. Will a nurse be coming in every day?While in the rehab center, nursing home, or whatever one wants to call it (the names are different here), I was visited four times a day by a nurse with drugs for me, another nurse who gave me an anti-coagulant (sp?) shot, blood tests regularly, urnine tests, plus occasional visits by a doctor. Is that typically French? Or will you be having similar care?Staninfr

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In a message dated 7/10/2004 2:49:18 AM Central Standard Time, margaret@... writes:

Also they told us at the hospital that we will be getting injections of a drug called Klexan in the abdomen, to prevent blood-clots (anti-coagulant?) - these have to be done daily for one month, and they promised they would show us how to inject ourselves

_______

Oh how I hated that belly shot. And I got to comparing the techniques of the various nurses and how some were totally painless and some hurt like blue blazes when they did it. Turned out that the best ones gave you a little pinch first so you hardly even felt the shot. I cringe at the idea of doing this to myself as well. But as soon as I was up and around well, they sent me home without any further shots, just had me take my 81mg aspirin.

y