Guest guest Posted April 24, 2007 Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 Okay, 10 days after surgery is when I will be alone as my husband will be back in Alabama to work. I am having an A/P fusion with cages at L4/L5 and L5/S1 with fusion from L1-sacrum with wing instrumentation into the pelvis. At 10 days will I be able to shower by myself? Will I be able to get myself out of bed in the morning? Will I be able to dress myself by lying on the bed? Will I be able to manage my basic needs alone??? Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2007 Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 Dear Peggy, Do you mean ten days after surgery or after ten days home? Ten days after surgery, I was only home for three days, and there was no way at that point I could have safely taken care of myself. You must have someone with you full time for the first couple of weeks home, and since I've had three spinal surgeries within two years time frame, I can say that with some assuredity. Not only will you be on a lot of powerful med's, but the exhaustion is overwhelming, you will feel like you will need a nap just getting dressed or taking a shower. You need to now either find a way where your husband can be with you for a longer time period, or get someone from your church to stay with you fulltime, it's completely too dangerous for you to be alone that soon. You scare me that you'd even consider doing this alone, what if you slipped and fell, who would know it? My husband was home with me for two solid week once I was home, and my daughter took a leave of absence from her job, and she was with me after that. Friends from church brought lunch to me, and sat with me while the kids were at school. This is a time in your life where you will need support, it's medically necessary. If your husband can't be with you then you must think about going to rehab if you don't have anyone to be with you fulltime. I can't believe your doc would release you from the hospital knowing you have no support at home, it's like asking for your surgery to fail. Please rethink this and see about rehab if you can't get family to be with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2007 Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 Peggy, First of all, pre-surgery anxiety is the norm, I think. I don't know how anyone could go through a surgery this huge without anxiety and second thoughts. What got me through it was thinking that the surgery is a positive thing I was about to do, a good thing, something that would better my quality of life. And for that, no matter how tough it might be, it would be worth it. My tears became smiles after positive thoughts like that. As for your abilities ten days after surgery, well, it depends a great deal on the patient. But, if you can't get of bed by yourself or toilet yourself, etc., they will likely send you to inpatient rehab following discharge instead of to home. Even if you can do the basic stuff at 10 days post op, I don't think you'll be in any shape to take care of yourself completely alone. Any real cooking is out of the question. You will not be able to do laundry. Certainly, you cannot do food shopping or driving, right out of the hospital. Or even bending to get things off a low shelf in the refrigerator. You will noit be able to change the sheets. Etc. Do you have anyone who can do those types of tasks for you? There is no guarantee ahead of time just what you will be able to do 10 days post op. I am one extreme in that I had to go to inpatient rehab for almost two weeks before I could even get out of bed by myself. Most people don't need that. At the very least, you will need the equipment we often talk about here, in place, at home as soon as you get there, like grabbers, sock helper, etc. Can you arrange to have someone come in for a couple of hours each day? Maybe people from church? Or, if you can afford it or your insurance will pay for it, perhaps you can get a part time home health aide. I did, for a few weeks and my insurance paid for it. Good luck. Bonnie [ ] 10 days after surgery Okay, 10 days after surgery is when I will be alone as my husband will be back in Alabama to work. I am having an A/P fusion with cages at L4/L5 and L5/S1 with fusion from L1-sacrum with wing instrumentation into the pelvis. At 10 days will I be able to shower by myself? Will I be able to get myself out of bed in the morning? Will I be able to dress myself by lying on the bed? Will I be able to manage my basic needs alone??? Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2007 Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 I am sure they will apply for home health care if I need it but they (the doctors) sounded like I would not need it due to my young age. I have asked and asked for home health and they keep telling me I won't need it and that I will be fine after the first week. I am supposed to be in the hospital 3-4 days so my husband will only be home for about 1 week. He has to go back to work or he'll lose the insurance and then no coverage for the surgery. People are coming in from church but are not staying with me full-time. Peggy Re: [ ] 10 days after surgery Dear Peggy, Do you mean ten days after surgery or after ten days home? Ten days after surgery, I was only home for three days, and there was no way at that point I could have safely taken care of myself. You must have someone with you full time for the first couple of weeks home, and since I've had three spinal surgeries within two years time frame, I can say that with some assuredity. Not only will you be on a lot of powerful med's, but the exhaustion is overwhelming, you will feel like you will need a nap just getting dressed or taking a shower. You need to now either find a way where your husband can be with you for a longer time period, or get someone from your church to stay with you fulltime, it's completely too dangerous for you to be alone that soon. You scare me that you'd even consider doing this alone, what if you slipped and fell, who would know it? My husband was home with me for two solid week once I was home, and my daughter took a leave of absence from her job, and she was with me after that. Friends from church brought lunch to me, and sat with me while the kids were at school. This is a time in your life where you will need support, it's medically necessary. If your husband can't be with you then you must think about going to rehab if you don't have anyone to be with you fulltime. I can't believe your doc would release you from the hospital knowing you have no support at home, it's like asking for your surgery to fail. Please rethink this and see about rehab if you can't get family to be with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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