Re: Any more preparatory exercises?/question for singles.

[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!)

Margaret- I am looking forward to hearing your stories after

your surgery and recovery. You are lucky that you appear to have the

groups " blessing " to go home alone. I wish I had that.

I would like to hear from other people that have gone home alone.

Just how much help did you really require and for how long.???Thats

the kind of info I need now. I hope people find this question, but I

wanted to leave your long post, cause somehow I had missed some of it

when reading back. Don't know how. I read them all except the ones

I try to skip by one certain person, and you are not her. Hope I did

not miss any more good ones, in my effort to avoid the annoying one.

Best wishes,

>

> 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?

>

>

> Margaret

>

> You 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

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I don't know if I have the "groups blessing" to go home alone!! <smile>

All our circumstances are different, and I guess we each have to make our own individual decisions accordingly....

My own *personal* preference is to come straight home - for various reasons... but I'm also feeling rather anxious about it... I think the root of my anxiety (at this stage - a few days before the surgery) is simply *not knowing* exactly how I am going to feel the day after the surgery, and what my physical abilities will be. I feel encouraged by hearing other people's accounts of their experiences... such as being able to climb up one's own steps only a few days after surgery.... and I hope I shall be able to do the same! But we can never really *know* until we've been through it ourselves.....

I'll certainly be happy to share my stories, once I've been through it, in the hope it'll help someone else. At this stage, I'm also very interested to hear other people's accounts of how they managed going home alone.

Best wishes,

Margaret

----- Original Message ----- Margaret- I am looking forward to hearing your stories after your surgery and recovery. You are lucky that you appear to have the groups "blessing" to go home alone. I wish I had that.I would like to hear from other people that have gone home alone. Just how much help did you really require and for how long.???Thats the kind of info I need now. Best wishes,>

[Guest guest]

I came home after each hip surgery. The first, and a revision 4 days

later, I was home in 9 days. Had my mom help, only because I was so

weak from surgery. She stayed about a week. For the second THR I

was home after 3 days. Home alone all day. Hubby made or brought

food at night. No other PT except the hospital. After my revision, I

was home the next day. Do have a PT once a week. In all cases,

after the staples (ouch) or stitches were out I could care for

myself. So for about 2 weeks from the date of surgery, you could use

some help. I was driving at 6 & 3 weeks. Did some office work at 3

weeks.

Plan ahead. Have everything that you will need located between your

hips and shoulders. If you have cats, make sure the litter box is

not on the floor. Cats will adapt. Also the dogs stay out of the

litter if it is higher.

If you are motivated and want to be home, you will be fine. Have a

back up plan and a phone nearby.

My stays were shorter because I wanted them to be, not because of the

health care system.

Sue

> > 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!)

>

>

> Margaret- I am looking forward to hearing your stories after

> your surgery and recovery. You are lucky that you appear to have

the

> groups " blessing " to go home alone. I wish I had that.

>

> I would like to hear from other people that have gone home alone.

> Just how much help did you really require and for how long.???Thats

> the kind of info I need now. I hope people find this question, but

I

> wanted to leave your long post, cause somehow I had missed some of

it

> when reading back. Don't know how. I read them all except the

ones

> I try to skip by one certain person, and you are not her. Hope I

did

> not miss any more good ones, in my effort to avoid the annoying one.

>

> Best wishes,

>

> >

> > 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?

> >

> >

> > Margaret

> >

> > You 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

[Guest guest]

> Hi ,

>

> I don't know if I have the " groups blessing " to go home alone!!

<smile>

> All our circumstances are different, and I guess we each have to

make our own individual decisions accordingly....

> My own *personal* preference is to come straight home - for various

reasons... but I'm also feeling rather anxious about it... I think

the root of my anxiety (at this stage - a few days before the

surgery) is simply *not knowing* exactly how I am going to feel the

day after the surgery, and what my physical abilities will be. I

feel encouraged by hearing other people's accounts of their

experiences... such as being able to climb up one's own steps only a

few days after surgery.... and I hope I shall be able to do the

same! But we can never really *know* until we've been through it

ourselves.....

> I'll certainly be happy to share my stories, once I've been through

it, in the hope it'll help someone else. At this stage, I'm also

very interested to hear other people's accounts of how they managed

going home alone.

> Best wishes,

> Margaret

Thank you Margaret. You said that much better than I could.

My Dr. also said he wanted me to give myself shots of blood

thinner in the stomach, for two weeks. I so hate needles and

don't know if I will be able to do that. But I have heard it is

easier to get the dosage right than with the oral meds., that I

decided to not fight him on this and give it a try. Not looking

forward to that.

---- Original Message -----

>

>

> Margaret- I am looking forward to hearing your stories

after

> your surgery and recovery. You are lucky that you appear to have

the

> groups " blessing " to go home alone. I wish I had that.

>

> I would like to hear from other people that have gone home

alone.

> Just how much help did you really require and for how long.???

Thats

> the kind of info I need now.

> Best wishes,

>

> >

[Guest guest]

The shots are pretty easy. I had to do them for 10 days. Very

thin needles like insulin users have. Was not really a problem for

me.

Valeri

> Thank you Margaret. You said that much better than I could.

>

> My Dr. also said he wanted me to give myself shots of blood

> thinner in the stomach, for two weeks. I so hate needles and

> don't know if I will be able to do that. But I have heard it

is

> easier to get the dosage right than with the oral meds., that

I

> decided to not fight him on this and give it a try. Not

looking

> forward to that.

>

>

> ---- Original Message -----

> >

> >

> > Margaret- I am looking forward to hearing your stories

> after

> > your surgery and recovery. You are lucky that you appear to

have

> the

> > groups " blessing " to go home alone. I wish I had that.

> >

> > I would like to hear from other people that have gone home

> alone.

> > Just how much help did you really require and for how long.???

> Thats

> > the kind of info I need now.

> > Best wishes,

> >

> > >