Hi Ginnie,

I wasn't able to read through your whole post (I have to head out in a
minute and wanted to reply so I wouldn't forget) but I don't think you
mentioned having permanent shower and toilet handrails installed. The
local hospital does that for me (and built a ramp for my wheelchair -
unrelated to my THRs) but things are different here in Australia. A
handyman can install these for you. You can buy them at a hardware store
usually (we get them here) but they should be installed correctly as
they will be taking your weight and used for emergencies (which will
hopefully never happen, but that one time you lose your balance and you
have the handrail to grab onto is worth all the effort of organising
their installation). Over here they cost between $30-$100 each for the
hardware depending on how fancy you want. Probably cost about that for
professional labour to install them, too.

Regards,

Ari

Hi Ginnie,

This past April I had a knee revision, so the "must have" list is still
fresh in my mind.

The hospital told me to bring whatever I felt would help me during the
recovery period.  I needed new crutches, so I bought them at the
hospital.  I did bring my dressing stick and my reacher.  Shorts were
helpful especially when walking through the halls with the physical
therapist! lol  I also brought button down shirts,as the hospital gowns
never stay closed.

Cell phones were not allowed in the hospital, so I purchased a phone
card the week before surgery.

At home I needed a chair which was regulation height (forget the
height, but doctor should be able to tell you) especially for post-THR,
but was also helpful for post-TKR.

I already had the other items you mentioned.  Hand rails already
installed in bathroom before first TKR over 13 years ago.  I still use
them every day.  The installation was expensive, but I'm so glad I have
them.

I made sandwiches, wrapped them in wax paper, and placed them in a
plastic grocery bag.  I also added a bottled drink and anything else
easy to carry in a plastic bag.  I was able to put the bag around my
wrist and head for the dining room.  I was not able to have coffee,
tea, or hot meals until I started using just one crutch.  I never
thought of going to a coffee shop (before surgery) to purchase a mug
with a sealed cover!  I used the plastic grocery bags to carry almost
anything, books, magazines, etc.

My revision required far less down time than the original replacement,
but everyone experiences surgery differently.  I was very aggresive
with physical therapy, and I did a lot of walking around my house.  I
never "got the hang of" a walker, so I have always used crutches.  They
are very hard on the shoulders and wrists though, and I was happy to
finally put them into storage.

After my surgeon gave me permission, I used a cane which I bought at a
local pharmacy. At the time, I never thought of purchasing a folding
cane.  Recently a friend from the U.K. sent me a folding cane.  I love
it because I can keep in my bag until I need it.

I wish you luck!

Ginnie, are you on Medicare, or are you too young for that?  I am on
Medicare and they paid for my walker and cane.  I had already gotten a
reacher (not Gopher), a dressing stick, and a long shoe horn, which you will
need for putting on shoes when you can't reach your feet because you can't
bend that far.  I went to a Rehab Hospital for a couple of weeks after I
left the hospital and they ordered the walker for me and had it sent to the
Rehab Hospital for me to use going home.  While at Rehab, I used their
walker.
Depending on what you have to sit on at home, you may need something to put
in a chair to make it high enough that you won't bend your hip over 90
degrees when sitting down and getting up.  It has been 5 years since my THR,
and that's all I can think of right now.  Oh, you will also need a tool to
help you put on socks or hose.
Gwen

i haven't had a tkr (nor a thr), ginnie.  however, i remember several people
(donnah is one i specifically recall) on group mentioning that a rocking
chair is a big help with getting knee bend back after a tkr.  so, if you
already have a rocker at home, ask your doctor about that.

kate
Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but my head wants me to get my house
"equipped" for what devices I'll need after the hospital releases me, after
having a total knee and/or total hip done in separate surgeries.

So far, I've ordered:

•  a bath/shower bench, with suction cup feets, that folds for storage.
    (I already have a Shower Massage shower head on a looooonnnng metal
    hose... shower heaven!)

•  a 2-level handrail that clamps to the side of the tub, so I have
something
    higher than the edge of the tub to hold myself steady.

•  a maybe 18" round, cushioned "lazy Susan" for my driver's seat. The
thing's
    big and about 2" thick, so I can elevate my posterior out of the deep
bucket
    seats, and spin my tushy in or out of the car.

One of my questions for y'all is:  What does the hospital provide?  Will
they
be giving me a walker and a cane to take home with me?   I already own a
pair of wood crutches - should I take them to the hospital?

It's gonna look like I'm checking in forever...  bringing my memory foam
mattress topper, my own pillow, (and maybe a long body pillow?), my
CPAP machine, my crutches, my laptop...

I was looking on Dr. Leonard's site tonight, and found a set of chair arms
for the toilet, and a couple of different ways to make the toilet seat
higher.
My toilet already is an ADA-compliant height, but I want to add about 2
more inches height to the seat.

They also had a folding cane for $15...  is this something I should buy for
myself?  After a TKR or THR, how long will I be using a cane, and - again -
is a cane something the hospital provides?  They had a Gopher grabber -
almost 3 ft. long - has anyone used the Gopher brand?  You know, the thing
that lets you pick things up without reaching?

I just loved that they wanted about $15 for a pair of tennis balls for the
feet of your walker!!  No thanks, can cut up my own tennis balls.

But on another site, I saw some walker ideas that were cool!  One was a
walker that "walked" with you -- it had vertical hinges that allow the two
right feet of the walker to move forward with your right foot, then the
two left feet of the walker moved forward with your left foot, so you
had kind of a normal gait.  As opposed to "move the whole walker a few
inches, then walk up to it.  Stop and move the walker a few inches, then
walk up to it again......  What do you walker users think of that?  But,  in
recovering from either hip or knee replacement, would I be using a
walker long enough for it to make sense buying it myself?

And once I'm home, what will I be using the most to get around?  If it's
a walker, what do I need on it to say, carry a sandwich and a big QuikTrip
drink thermos out of the kitchen?  I saw walker trays in Dr. Leonard's that
fit over the tops of the walker handles - are those helpful?  How DO you
carry your lunch, big drink, and a book or the mail, when your hands
are busy with crutches, a walker, or a cane?  I live alone, so I need to
figure out ahead of time these otherwise rote habits!

Well, lookee, I wrote another book-length post!  Sorry, please bear
with me.  But maybe these kinds of survival/helpful strategies are some-
thing we could put into a FAQ or something similar?

Thanks in advance for your help!!

Ginnie       >^..^< ...she already knows I can't walk with my 'hands'
full...
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Re: the walker - I have the 3-wheeled rollator type, and I put a mixing bowl
in the vinyl "basket" for carrying coffee cups, etc.

I didn't use one following my THR.

I was lucky and had my mother's old one that I used for
a couple of weeks after I returned home.

Don't drive, so didn't need anything like that.

Nothing that your insurance isn't paying for.

Hospitals don't "give" anything.

Only if your doctor tells you to take them.

I'm skipping this - I didn't take any of that crap.

My HMO paid for a toilet set booster.  Probably 3" high.

Again, the hospital provides only what insurance pays for.

Got a free one from OT through my insurance.

Of course.  All of those catalogs are out to empty your
wallet/bank account.   Think!   Why does anyone need
balls for a walker?   Looks?   Decoration?   Feeling of
insecurity without them?

I alread had my dad's old cane which I used off and on
before the THR.  I used it around the house - the walker
was too akward.   I could carry plates of food or a drink
from the kitchen to the table with one hand.  Learned to
take 2 trips instead of 1.  I put the mail in a pocket to bring
inside -- and women usually have larger pockets than
men.   Or wear an apron with pockets to the mailbox. or
to carry a book.

I had no use for a tray.  Your foolish to spend money for
something you'll use just 1 or 2 months.

Outside my place, I used a walkder (see below) for
about 5 weeks.  Gave it up just before my first check
up with the surgeon.

I was given - by my HMO/insurance - a Plain Jane walker
with itsy-bitsy, teeny wheels that caught/snagged every
imperfection in my path.  During my 2 weeks in rehab, I had
been using their walker with LARGE wheels that ran over
everything in sight - transition from carpet to tile, holes in the
outside patio floor, etc. etc.

The night before I was scheduled to go home, I swapped
their wheels for the puny ones on my walker.  <g>  The
head nurse, who had seen my troubles the day before,
remaked, "Oh, I see you fixed your problem."   <vbeg>

... Windoze 95/98/ME/NT:  Insert wallet and press any key to empty.

You guys are the best!  Thank you sincerely for all the good
ideas on what I'll need (as well as don't need to spend $$ on)
when I have my surgeries.  And for those who provided a source,
I've checked them out and found some very useful things.

And, DRAT!  Some of the things I recognized I need *not* just
for the surgeries, but because I've been in a bit of denial
about aids I need just for everyday life.  Lesson learned!

Thanks again, I just love you guys. :-)

Ginnie    >^..^<
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