Bilateral scheduled 7/29 seeking advice from others

[Guest guest]

I have bilateral resurfacings scheduled one week -- 7/20 and 8/5..

apart with Dr. Mont.

Any advice would be appreciated, especially about what I will need

for rehab.... clothes.... assistive devices etc....

Once home, is rehab in the home or all out-patient?

How do you manage to maintain 50% weight bearing on both legs?????

Will a motorized recliner be of assistance at home?

I am frightened and relieved all at the same time. I didn't really

expect a bilateral.... I thought I would have the left done now and

the right next year.

Now that I have been scheduled... they both seem a little better..

second guessing the timing not the choice of procedure or Doctor.

[Guest guest]

> I have bilateral resurfacings scheduled one week -- 7/20 and 8/5..

> apart with Dr. Mont.

Cool!

> Any advice would be appreciated, especially about what I will need

> for rehab.... clothes.... assistive devices etc....

Things that help: reachers, a raised toilet seat *with* *handles*. The

handles make it a lot easier to get up and down, particularly if

you're bilateral. At JRI, they give you a raised seat without handles

when you leave. I'd go ahead and by a seat with handles ahead of time

and install it before leaving for surgery (so everything will be ready

when you get home). I bought mine on Ebay.

You might want to get some extra reachers and find various locations

for them around the house.

I'd recommend that you work on upper body and abdominal strength. This

will help you get in/out of bed, chairs, etc. You've got a couple of

months until your surgery. You can probably make significant strength

gains in that period. You can also try to work your hip and leg

muscles to speed up recovery of function.

As for clothes, I live in sweats. I haven't tried to put anything else

on since my surgery two weeks ago. I haven't had much swelling, but

this seems to vary a lot from person to person.

> Once home, is rehab in the home or all out-patient?

I haven't started a formal PT program yet, since I'm only 2 weeks

post-op. When I do, it'll almost certainly be outpatient. In the

meantime, I'm taking short walks around the neighborhood (with

crutches, or course).

>

> How do you manage to maintain 50% weight bearing on both legs?????

Okay, 50% weight-bearing means that *each* of your legs is allowed to

bear 50% of your body weight. In other words, you can stand on both

legs, but you're not allowed to bear a disproportionate share of your

body weight on one leg (which happens during normal walking). This

means that you need crutches or a walker to walk. They'll teach you do

a " 4 point gait with 50% weight bearing " with the crutches, in which

you transfer weight to a crutch before you pick up a foot in order to

step. They'll also teach you to climb stairs while maintaining 50%

weight-bearing.

It'll be fine - the hospital PTs will make sure you have a grasp of

the technique before you're discharged.

Here's something I did as a bilateral living alone. I know it sounds

stupid, but I tied a helium-filled mylar balloon to each crutch and to

a reacher. This allows me to retrieve them if I drop them (the balloon

floats a little above waist height if you drop the crutch/reacher,

giving you something to grab and retrieve it with without bending).

> Will a motorized recliner be of assistance at home?

Maybe. I don't have one and I'm doing okay. I assume you're talking

about a " lift chair " .

> I am frightened and relieved all at the same time. I didn't really

> expect a bilateral.... I thought I would have the left done now and

> the right next year.

>

> Now that I have been scheduled... they both seem a little better..

Sneaky little devils, aren't they? ;-)

> second guessing the timing not the choice of procedure or Doctor.

Just do it and get it done.

Steve (bilateral C+ 4/20/04, Amstutz)

[Guest guest]

> Any advice would be appreciated, especially about what I will need

> for rehab.... clothes.... assistive devices etc....

Been there - done that 02/23 and 03/1/04. I stayed three days in

ortho (Rubin - private room - standard!) after first op then four

days in rehab (Blaustein - also private). It was too far for me to go

home between ops and anyway in hospital rehab is a very good idea.

Same schedule for second.

Before the ops to gym do as much upper body excercise as you can

(particularly shoulders and arms) - this will help when you start

using crutches and moderate lower body if your hips allow. The better

shape you are in before the ops the easier the recovery.

I brought two pairs of very loose sweat pants (preferably with draw

strings), four pairs of very loose underpants (because of the leg

swelling), four tee shirts and a pair of slippers. You can bring a

pair of socks to go home with, otherwise the hospital slipons are

fine. My wife was able to bring me clean clothes after first week. If

you can't get clean clothes double the amounts. The clothes are

mainly for when you go to rehab. The hospital gown is fine when you

are in ortho.

You won't need anything for rehab/physical therapy other then the

aforementioned clothes. On day 2 of first op the PT people in Rubin

will start teaching you how to do 25% weight bearing crutch method

and day 2 of second op Rubin PT people will teach you a different 50%

method. In Rubin and Blaustein they will teach you other PT/OT

stuff, how to go up and down stairs, get in and out of cars, etc..

Try to get as much rehab as your schedule and insurance allows.

You will be provided with a kit of assistive device, a stick with -

loop at end to help move leg(s), a grabber for picking up stuff and

putting on clothes, a cool gizmo for putting on socks and a long shoe

horn.

A crude but necessary topic. In the hospital make sure your bowels

are working correctly. They will give you laxatives and a softener as

a matter of course. Try to make sure you have most everything out of

your bowels before second op. Otherwise you may have some interesting

moments when your bowels come back to life after the second op. This

was the " highlight " of my hospital stay.

My insurance plan allowed me to get in home physical therapy for

three weeks after I got home. If you can get it this is preferable to

getting driven to PT. I was also able to get in home nurse visits for

same three weeks. The in home nurse took out staples and did my blood

work. Dr. Mont's social worker (forgot her name) set up both with

outpatient service of my local hospital. You will need a high commode

and crutches when you get home. Dr Mont's social worker also arranged

this for me.

The moterized recliner is a good idea. Any recliner that is

comfortable is a good idea. The biggest problem I had was sleeping on

my back when I got home (I'm a side sleeper). So I spent plenty of

time in my recliner - wish it was softer. Another good idea is one of

the " Tempurpedic " type foam pads to put on your bed. You can find

them for about $100 on net. Some people have gone so far as getting

one of the Tempurpedic or similar mattresses.

I had absolutely no problems in hospital other then the

aforementioned " highlight " . Had general anesthesia with no problems,

used the morphine drip first and part of second day post op. Then

percocets interspersed with tylenol. Some people have problems with

general anesthesia, morphine, percocet, etc.. It's a good idea to

talk to your doctor about this before hand.

Sinai is an excellent hospital, excellent doctors and nurses. Food is

actually decent. Dr. Mont is world class - he is a perfectionist (not

a bad personality trait for a surgeon) - and is very caring. He is

also a bit of a character - ask him about online gaming, baseball

trivia, ...

I was walking with crutches on day 1 of first op - walker day 1 of

second and crutches on second. I am home, back to work after 6 weeks

(could have gone in sooner but ...), driving at seven, now walking

with canes per Dr Mont's 6 weeks crutches then 6 with canes regime. I

have zero pain. I am on treadmill and horizontal bike at rehab.

Things I couldn't do before ops because of pain and lack of range of

motion.

Good luck,

Ed

[Guest guest]

For what it's wotht, Dr De Smet allows 100% weightbearing immediately upon

getting up and about, which for me with only one hip done, was the day after

surgery. It may be another day for a bilat.. So your OS may have different

rules, but if you exceeded the 50%, I don't think there'd be much danger.

Sharry

Bilateral scheduled 7/29 seeking advice from others

I have bilateral resurfacings scheduled one week -- 7/20 and 8/5..

apart with Dr. Mont.

Any advice would be appreciated, especially about what I will need

for rehab.... clothes.... assistive devices etc....

Once home, is rehab in the home or all out-patient?

How do you manage to maintain 50% weight bearing on both legs?????

Will a motorized recliner be of assistance at home?

I am frightened and relieved all at the same time. I didn't really

expect a bilateral.... I thought I would have the left done now and

the right next year.

Now that I have been scheduled... they both seem a little better..

second guessing the timing not the choice of procedure or Doctor.

[Guest guest]

Get the phony sheep skin covers for your crutches where your hands

and pits ride. It makes a huge difference in the chaffe factor.

Chris

> > I have bilateral resurfacings scheduled one week -- 7/20 and

8/5..

> > apart with Dr. Mont.

>

> Cool!

>

> > Any advice would be appreciated, especially about what I will

need

> > for rehab.... clothes.... assistive devices etc....

>

> Things that help: reachers, a raised toilet seat *with* *handles*.

The

> handles make it a lot easier to get up and down, particularly if

> you're bilateral. At JRI, they give you a raised seat without

handles

> when you leave. I'd go ahead and by a seat with handles ahead of

time

> and install it before leaving for surgery (so everything will be

ready

> when you get home). I bought mine on Ebay.

>

> You might want to get some extra reachers and find various

locations

> for them around the house.

>

> I'd recommend that you work on upper body and abdominal strength.

This

> will help you get in/out of bed, chairs, etc. You've got a couple

of

> months until your surgery. You can probably make significant

strength

> gains in that period. You can also try to work your hip and leg

> muscles to speed up recovery of function.

>

> As for clothes, I live in sweats. I haven't tried to put anything

else

> on since my surgery two weeks ago. I haven't had much swelling, but

> this seems to vary a lot from person to person.

>

> > Once home, is rehab in the home or all out-patient?

>

> I haven't started a formal PT program yet, since I'm only 2 weeks

> post-op. When I do, it'll almost certainly be outpatient. In the

> meantime, I'm taking short walks around the neighborhood (with

> crutches, or course).

> >

> > How do you manage to maintain 50% weight bearing on both

legs?????

>

> Okay, 50% weight-bearing means that *each* of your legs is allowed

to

> bear 50% of your body weight. In other words, you can stand on both

> legs, but you're not allowed to bear a disproportionate share of

your

> body weight on one leg (which happens during normal walking). This

> means that you need crutches or a walker to walk. They'll teach

you do

> a " 4 point gait with 50% weight bearing " with the crutches, in

which

> you transfer weight to a crutch before you pick up a foot in order

to

> step. They'll also teach you to climb stairs while maintaining 50%

> weight-bearing.

>

> It'll be fine - the hospital PTs will make sure you have a grasp of

> the technique before you're discharged.

>

> Here's something I did as a bilateral living alone. I know it

sounds

> stupid, but I tied a helium-filled mylar balloon to each crutch

and to

> a reacher. This allows me to retrieve them if I drop them (the

balloon

> floats a little above waist height if you drop the crutch/reacher,

> giving you something to grab and retrieve it with without bending).

>

> > Will a motorized recliner be of assistance at home?

>

> Maybe. I don't have one and I'm doing okay. I assume you're talking

> about a " lift chair " .

>

>

> > I am frightened and relieved all at the same time. I didn't

really

> > expect a bilateral.... I thought I would have the left done now

and

> > the right next year.

> >

> > Now that I have been scheduled... they both seem a little

better..

>

> Sneaky little devils, aren't they? ;-)

>

> > second guessing the timing not the choice of procedure or Doctor.

>

> Just do it and get it done.

>

> Steve (bilateral C+ 4/20/04, Amstutz)

[Guest guest]

Get the phony sheep skin covers for your crutches where your hands

and pits ride. It makes a huge difference in the chaffe factor.

Chris

> > I have bilateral resurfacings scheduled one week -- 7/20 and

8/5..

> > apart with Dr. Mont.

>

> Cool!

>

> > Any advice would be appreciated, especially about what I will

need

> > for rehab.... clothes.... assistive devices etc....

>

> Things that help: reachers, a raised toilet seat *with* *handles*.

The

> handles make it a lot easier to get up and down, particularly if

> you're bilateral. At JRI, they give you a raised seat without

handles

> when you leave. I'd go ahead and by a seat with handles ahead of

time

> and install it before leaving for surgery (so everything will be

ready

> when you get home). I bought mine on Ebay.

>

> You might want to get some extra reachers and find various

locations

> for them around the house.

>

> I'd recommend that you work on upper body and abdominal strength.

This

> will help you get in/out of bed, chairs, etc. You've got a couple

of

> months until your surgery. You can probably make significant

strength

> gains in that period. You can also try to work your hip and leg

> muscles to speed up recovery of function.

>

> As for clothes, I live in sweats. I haven't tried to put anything

else

> on since my surgery two weeks ago. I haven't had much swelling, but

> this seems to vary a lot from person to person.

>

> > Once home, is rehab in the home or all out-patient?

>

> I haven't started a formal PT program yet, since I'm only 2 weeks

> post-op. When I do, it'll almost certainly be outpatient. In the

> meantime, I'm taking short walks around the neighborhood (with

> crutches, or course).

> >

> > How do you manage to maintain 50% weight bearing on both

legs?????

>

> Okay, 50% weight-bearing means that *each* of your legs is allowed

to

> bear 50% of your body weight. In other words, you can stand on both

> legs, but you're not allowed to bear a disproportionate share of

your

> body weight on one leg (which happens during normal walking). This

> means that you need crutches or a walker to walk. They'll teach

you do

> a " 4 point gait with 50% weight bearing " with the crutches, in

which

> you transfer weight to a crutch before you pick up a foot in order

to

> step. They'll also teach you to climb stairs while maintaining 50%

> weight-bearing.

>

> It'll be fine - the hospital PTs will make sure you have a grasp of

> the technique before you're discharged.

>

> Here's something I did as a bilateral living alone. I know it

sounds

> stupid, but I tied a helium-filled mylar balloon to each crutch

and to

> a reacher. This allows me to retrieve them if I drop them (the

balloon

> floats a little above waist height if you drop the crutch/reacher,

> giving you something to grab and retrieve it with without bending).

>

> > Will a motorized recliner be of assistance at home?

>

> Maybe. I don't have one and I'm doing okay. I assume you're talking

> about a " lift chair " .

>

>

> > I am frightened and relieved all at the same time. I didn't

really

> > expect a bilateral.... I thought I would have the left done now

and

> > the right next year.

> >

> > Now that I have been scheduled... they both seem a little

better..

>

> Sneaky little devils, aren't they? ;-)

>

> > second guessing the timing not the choice of procedure or Doctor.

>

> Just do it and get it done.

>

> Steve (bilateral C+ 4/20/04, Amstutz)

[Guest guest]

Get the phony sheep skin covers for your crutches where your hands

and pits ride. It makes a huge difference in the chaffe factor.

Chris

> > I have bilateral resurfacings scheduled one week -- 7/20 and

8/5..

> > apart with Dr. Mont.

>

> Cool!

>

> > Any advice would be appreciated, especially about what I will

need

> > for rehab.... clothes.... assistive devices etc....

>

> Things that help: reachers, a raised toilet seat *with* *handles*.

The

> handles make it a lot easier to get up and down, particularly if

> you're bilateral. At JRI, they give you a raised seat without

handles

> when you leave. I'd go ahead and by a seat with handles ahead of

time

> and install it before leaving for surgery (so everything will be

ready

> when you get home). I bought mine on Ebay.

>

> You might want to get some extra reachers and find various

locations

> for them around the house.

>

> I'd recommend that you work on upper body and abdominal strength.

This

> will help you get in/out of bed, chairs, etc. You've got a couple

of

> months until your surgery. You can probably make significant

strength

> gains in that period. You can also try to work your hip and leg

> muscles to speed up recovery of function.

>

> As for clothes, I live in sweats. I haven't tried to put anything

else

> on since my surgery two weeks ago. I haven't had much swelling, but

> this seems to vary a lot from person to person.

>

> > Once home, is rehab in the home or all out-patient?

>

> I haven't started a formal PT program yet, since I'm only 2 weeks

> post-op. When I do, it'll almost certainly be outpatient. In the

> meantime, I'm taking short walks around the neighborhood (with

> crutches, or course).

> >

> > How do you manage to maintain 50% weight bearing on both

legs?????

>

> Okay, 50% weight-bearing means that *each* of your legs is allowed

to

> bear 50% of your body weight. In other words, you can stand on both

> legs, but you're not allowed to bear a disproportionate share of

your

> body weight on one leg (which happens during normal walking). This

> means that you need crutches or a walker to walk. They'll teach

you do

> a " 4 point gait with 50% weight bearing " with the crutches, in

which

> you transfer weight to a crutch before you pick up a foot in order

to

> step. They'll also teach you to climb stairs while maintaining 50%

> weight-bearing.

>

> It'll be fine - the hospital PTs will make sure you have a grasp of

> the technique before you're discharged.

>

> Here's something I did as a bilateral living alone. I know it

sounds

> stupid, but I tied a helium-filled mylar balloon to each crutch

and to

> a reacher. This allows me to retrieve them if I drop them (the

balloon

> floats a little above waist height if you drop the crutch/reacher,

> giving you something to grab and retrieve it with without bending).

>

> > Will a motorized recliner be of assistance at home?

>

> Maybe. I don't have one and I'm doing okay. I assume you're talking

> about a " lift chair " .

>

>

> > I am frightened and relieved all at the same time. I didn't

really

> > expect a bilateral.... I thought I would have the left done now

and

> > the right next year.

> >

> > Now that I have been scheduled... they both seem a little

better..

>

> Sneaky little devils, aren't they? ;-)

>

> > second guessing the timing not the choice of procedure or Doctor.

>

> Just do it and get it done.

>

> Steve (bilateral C+ 4/20/04, Amstutz)