List of things...

[hezeronek]

Hey... I'm getting ready to schedule my surgery date. For the life of me I can't find the thread someone posted here a while back that has the list of things they bought before surgery... I'd like to be as prepared as possible. If anyone knows where that link is, I'd really appreciate a forward! =)

[treefrog]

I was thinking about this topic over the weekend. I haven't seen a list here, but I had seen one over at Spine Health. But it is geared toward having fusion surgery. And I was wondering how much a list might differ for disc replacement surgery.

In particular, my boyfriend was asking if I wanted him to go ahead and buy a hospital-like table for beside the bed, that tilts and rolls under the bed. But I was wondering how bed-ridden ADR patients are, in comparison to fusion patients. And how necessary these kinds of things are.

If someone has such a list for ADR patients, I would love to see it.

[trucklt]

As a recovering fusion patient, I found a few things useful. Most were mentioned by fusion and ADR patients on the forum.

1. Loose clothes such as sweats for leaving the hospital. You don't want anything pressing on your abdomen.
2. An old trick: Put a plastic garbage bad on your car seat before sitting down. It makes it much easier to rotate your legs into the car without twisting your back. I'm not sure what you'd do on an airplane. Paying extra for busines class where you can stretch out has been mentiobned as an option.
3. A grabber: Sold in a lot of places. I got mine from Amazon for about $20. It reduces the temptation to even try to bend over.
4. There are all sorts of devices to help you get socks and pants on if you don't have someone staying home with you for at least the first few week.
5. As for tables over the bed: I only used it in the hospital and found it to be a nuisance. Once I got home, I was able to sit at the kitchen table in a hard-backed chair with a pillow supporting my back.
6. Inactivity, unless specifically prescribed by your dr., is a killer. Don't assume you are going to be bedridden. It may hurt to get up and down, but you will have much less muscle and joint pain if you keep moving. Also, if you lay around, your bowels are going to be very sleepy and cause you pain and aggravation. Watch what you eat: fiber and prune juice are your friends.
7. I did buy a cane. My balance was good after leaving the hospital, but I take it during my walks on my street in case I get winded or want to stop and talk to the neighbors.
8. Have plenty of skin moisturizers on hand for when you get home. I had all sorts of weird rashes from the dressings and my abdomen and legs were a mess for the first week.
9. A firm mattress is best for providing spine support. Unfortunately, it's still a process to get situated and rotate out of bed at two weeks post-op. My wife has taken to sleeping on the couch so that she's not woken up during the night.
10. Earplugs for the plane ride and the hospital: Essential for a good night's sleep. Take an extra pair, they get lost easily.

Good luck!

[treefrog]

I guess I misspoke saying bed-ridden. From what I have heard of a lot of fusion patients, is that they are either laying down or walking. They had a difficult time sitting, and some even have sitting restrictions from their surgeons. That was my thinking as far as having the bed table. Being unable to sit for any length of time, having a table like that at the bed would be invaluable.

But it seems that ADR patients are able to be a bit more mobile than fusion patients (?). Though, maybe that is not really accurate.

It's great that you are able to sit. How much time do you spend sitting, walking, laying down, in the first few weeks, months (well, I know you are not months out of surgery yet).

[phylly]

Hello,
You may also need a commode with handles over the toilet. A walker for the first few weeks is also helpful. I find that I am very mobile with my double fusion and can sit , walk, stand, and lay down for a limited time. I also purchased an air desk recommended from someone on this site and find it very helpful. I'll try to think of other stuff too.
Phylly

[hezeronek]

Thanks guys... I really appreciate the advice! Phylly, what is an air desk? I just purchased a bedside laptop desk. It's high enough it shouldn't rest over my incision. LOL. I figure after a few days my laptop will probably be my main source of entertainment. I also picked up a grabber and some baby wipes... I like the toilet idea, too. Wow, the list keeps on growing!!! For everyone's benefit, here's what I've gathered so far from all of you and my own brainstorming. I'll keep adding as the ideas come in!

-Toilet Riser
-Non-slip grip for shower
-Handicap-Bar for shower
-Razor on a stick
-Shower chair
-Shower brush on a stick
-walker
-cane
-grabber
-baby wipes
-water-less shampoo
-hand sanitizer
-pads (for those unfortunate accidents)
-baby powder
-boudreaux's butt paste
-scar cream
-laptop lap top desk that doesn't sit on my incision
-step stool to get up into bed
-anti-gravity chair (My Mom just sent me one of these... It rocks! I think I'm actually going to take it to Germany with me!

[AJ]

raised toilet seat
-shower chair
-long handled reachers/grabbers
-long handled back brush for showering
-shower mat so you don't slip
-soap on a rope, or liquid soap for showering
-extra bed pillows to prop your back up when side lying and for between your knees and down to ankle
-remove all throw rugs so you don't slip or trip on them
-elastic shoelaces for shoes that tie, or
Slip-on shoes, a Wedge pillow, and oversized underwear until the swelling goes down.

-straws for drinking while laying down
-a stack of good books, magazines,or small crafts to keep you busy
-go to movie rental store and/or library and make a list of what you will want to watch/read during your recovery
-if you have cable, get a couple of movie channels
-put new batteries in the remote control
-a walkman with your favorite music
-have all your clothes and pjs easily accessible
-prepare meals ahead of time and keep in the freezer
-get paper plates, napkins, and plastic silverware so you have less clean up to worry about
-list of emergency phone numbers close by
-keep prescriptions close by
-check your drawers around the house, and if they stick, use a bar of soap to make them glide easier so you don't have to yank on them
-re-arrange cabinets, refrigertor etc. to have the things you use frequently at a height that won't cause you to bend
-if you'll be wearing a brace, wear it for a while pre-op to get used to what it's like to get around in it (if you have it pre-op)
-raise your bed on blocks for ease in getting in and out of bed
-move your computer to your bedside so you can keep in touch with all your cyber friends
-have lots of extra cotton t-shirts or tank tops to wear under your brace.
-make sure your clothes will fit over a brace
-teach your significant other, or kids to work the washer and dryer
-Also make sure if you have pets that you have help in feeding them or walking them if needed.

[trucklt]

Actually, my surgeon didn't put all that much in the way of restrictions on what to do and what not to do. I've learned a lot from this site about what's good and bad post-ADR and fusion.

Yes, sitting and lying down on my back are the two most problematic positions. I try to limit my sitting to about 20 minutes and lying on my back to about 30 minutes. Last night, I got engrossed in a book and laid on my back for over an hour before going to sleep. Big mistake. By the time the bedtime Lortab kicked in, I was in agony. I think that the strategy is to remember to break up activites as best you can.

Treefrog: I'm sorry if I misunderstood you about being stuck in bed. I assumed the worst before the fusion: That I'd be flat on my back for months. So far, I've been pleasantly surprised. The nurses in the hospital were very adamant about getting up and about and I think that they were right. ADR and fusion patients usually get the same restrictions at first: No bending, twisting, extended sitting, lifting any type of weight, etc. Hopefully, you lucky ADR patients will have a faster recovery and ultimately wind up with more motion that us fusion patients. Again, each patient is different and I know that surgeons have to do more or less work inside each of us to get the job done. The difficulties of discectomy and placing an ADR or a cage/graft are different for each patient's anatomy will certainly influence what type of recovery each of us will have.

Assume the best, but prepare for the ups and downs!

[treefrog]

Good point. Each person's recovery is going to be different, whether they are ADR or fusion patients.

Preparing for the worst and hoping for the best, is very good advice. It will feel better to have things, and not need them, than to not have what you need. I do remember reading about one ADR patients recovery, and he was stuck in bed a lot, had a hard time. Having a hospital bed and table were essential for him. His time was spent in bed, or walking, for a couple of months. It's scary to think recovery might be that hard, but it's always a possibility.

And breaking up activities is very wise advice. Even now, before surgery, I find that to be true. Sitting, laying down or walking for too long always bring on more pain. It's a delicate balance to get the timing right, to keep pain at bay.

[kimmers]

Hezornek,

There are a number of things that made it easier for my ADR post-op time, bear with me as some of these are repeats, but I am brain-storming.
It wasn't that long since surgery but it seems a lifetime ago.

At the hospital:

--packs of small kleenexes, the tissue in the hospital is sometimes not that soft.
--hard candies to suck on when you are allowed to.
--have nurses bring a paper cup and stick your extra staws in there.
--it helps to have some post-its with you that you can keep notes on or a notepad. Pen is also important. They usually give u a pencil for meals, it is good idea to ask if you don't get a menu (stay ahead of the meals).
--A small pocket calendar, in case you are in for longer than you think and want to keep track of dates.
--I brought a couple of sizes of freezer bags to keep your items organized. It is much easier to grab a bag than have things on your bedside table. I found things are dropped so often and the bag protects items and less likely to be dropped off tables.
--a tube of chapstick, essential.
--cellphone if you are allowed. Or if it won't harm anything, keep it hidden. The only place cellphones shouldn't be used is telementary (monitored step down units) or ICU. Doctors are now carrying cell phones everywhere so don't be put off by some nurse who tells you no cell phone allowed. (I hid mine in my bedside drawer).
--a good book that is not too heavy.
--socks for feet.
--a watch
--make sure to have your call button cord wrapped around your bed rail that you can get to easily. Nothing like being in pain and not being able to reach the call bell.
--have someone stay with you or be with you during the hospital stay, I am sorry to say but often mistakes are made in the hospital and you don't want to be at the bad end of that.
--have the nurses tell you exactly what you are getting, nurses should look at your wrist band ID before giving you medication. If they don't ask them to.
--Make sure you change position every 2 hours, it is important for your body and your lungs to move like that. Often got up for meals, but could not tolerate sitting too long so please tell your nurse to leave you only so long.
--I POD with music and charger.
--Sleep when you can.
--ear plugs if you have a noisy neighbor.
--toothbrush from home, you can dispose of later. Toothpaste.
--Robe

Home:
--Walker
--Hospital bed at home, insurance actually covered and well worth it.
--bedside table, we just used one around the house and put it next to hospital bed.
--Got walker and commode/shower chair from hospital.
I needed help showering, could not do alone for a while.
Needed to be careful to not bend, lift, twist and getting into the shower was an ordeal.
--shower mat--still use it. It was specific for medical needs.
--Cotonelle wipes--really useful (got them at costco with coupon).
--slip on shoes, I had crocs were great and I used them at hospital too.
--Extra big soft cotton men's shirts to have and put brace on over them.
--pants that have drawstrings and are a little bigger at first.
--satin sheets for your bed to slide out of your regular bed easier.
--Temperpedic--like pillow for your bed. Small pillow for between your knees.
--Get a few of those op-site coverings for your incision to protect it in the shower. The nurses have them and they come in real handy.
--Ice packs.
--I found it real difficult to get my socks on and my pants on. Family members took turns helping me.
--I still can't get my shoes on like I used to, so be aware of this.
--Easy to get to meals or portions, arranged in your refrigerator.
--If you have incision pain, I found that the Lidocaine patches placed to the sides of the incision really helped. They are doctor prescribed. One of my doctors didn't believe in them so I asked the other doctor. Found extremely helpful.
--Miralax powder, generic Colace, Bisacodyl laxative Suppositories, bottle of mag citrate, prunes, prune juice, grapes, and warm fluids, you get the idea. Oh, and Smooth Move tea very helpful.
--A bell to summon family members if you need them. better than yelling.
--Some chux from the hospital to protect your bed and help those inadvertent messes.
--Helps to wear the pressure stockings at home.
--lotion for your legs.
--This one is important: Big notebook to write down when you take your meds and what your pain levels are. I found it difficult to remember when I took something eventhough I am a nurse and this just verified it. My family kept track so I did not overdose. Meds were written down as soon as possible.

That is all I can think of now.

Good luck. Soon you will be on the other side with us other other-siders.

kimmers