Post-op care

[DLM4me]

I'm having surgery at House in April, and I'm concerned about how I'm going to manage post-op, as I live alone.  Long story, but my husband lives in another state, and our daughter is 3000 miles away.  They're both going to be here in April; they're coordinating their stays to maximize the amount of total time I'll have someone with me.  But three weeks post-op I'll be on my own.  I have a history of falling--WAY BEFORE the AN was diagnosed--and each time I fell I broke bones.  I have blood relatives nearby but...well...I don't expect or anticipate that they'll be much help.

Realistically, what are we looking at in terms of needing care post-op?  I believe my insurance provides for in-home nursing visits, but what about daily necessities like cooking, laundry, caring for the pets, etc.?

[EJTampa]

Outside of balance issues, weight restrictions will make it difficult to get lots of those chores done, even after 2 weeks.  After 2 weeks I am allowed to lift up to 10 pounds, and that's not much.  That restriction goes through the the end of week 5, then it's 30 pounds week 6 through 12.  Just to give you an idea.
 
I find I can do most of my normal day to day things on my own, although they take much longer to accomplish (like showering), but think it would be best if you had someone come in and handle the house work after the second week, at least until you get an idea of how your recovery is going.  Everyone is different.  There is no easy answer to how long you will need help for.
 
I hope that helps a little.
 
Ernie

[nancyann]

Hi DLM4me:   I can only speak for myself:  My mom was with me for 2 weeks after I got out of the hospital (my angel).   I was doing laundry, cooking, cleaning & driving at 3 weeks,  but everyone is different.  I went back to work at 2 months.    If you take care of kids,  I'd think you'd need alot more time off if you do have to work.

Wishing you good thoughts for your surgery !
Nancy

[Kaybo]

DLM4me~
I had many other issues to deal with (I had a stroke too) and that was 13 years ago so everything is different now, but from what I have seen on here, most are able to manage after the first couple of weeks.  I would think you could "get by" after 3 - it just will be slow going.  I think Lori was back to taking care of her little ones by herself after only a couple of weeks!  I'm sure if you HAD to, you could employ someone (or have a friend) help with laundry & cooking short term.  If it were me, if friends wanted to make meals or help out, I would say SURE! but I will need it more AFTER my hubby and daughter go home...that or freeze anything that comes in while they are there to help out!

K

[Dog Lover]

I was on my own by 2 weeks post op. (I live alone, too.) I'm sure it was slow going at times, but I did it and didn't feel that I needed anyone around to help with the daily stuff. I DID have someone drive me around until about 7 weeks, though and I was back working at 2 months.

Like others have said - everyone is different, but this was my experience.

Cathy

[Syl]

DLM4me:

I stayed with my sister and her family for 2 wks after leaving the hospital. During that time I used a spa bench in the tub. I was able to stand in the shower by the end of the 2nd week. But when I closed my eyes to rinse my face and hair, I had to hold on to the wall. I began driving and hung up my cane around wk 6. Mopping and carrying laundry baskets took me a while--just bending over gave me awful headaches.
 I returned to work after 2 months. I didn't feel ready for it, but I think it actually helped me in the recovery process.

Do you have neighbors that can check on you after your family returns home?

I hope this helps.

Syl

[lori67]

If you are able to, you can take care of a lot of things before the surgery - cook meals ahead of time to freeze and eat later, or buy some microwaveable meals.  See if you can get a housekeeper to come once a week until your family arrives (trust me, you won't feel like vacuuming and dusting right away).   And some insurance carriers will actually pay for this.   A shower bench is pretty inexpensive and will help keep you safe while bathing.  Paper plates can cut down on the dirty dishes.

I'm sure your neighbors and local family will want to help you out, but you have to let them know what you need help with - maybe things like picking up prescriptions, getting a gallon of milk, even bringing in your mail so you don't have to go get it.

Kay is right, I had to go back to taking care of my then 9 month old daughter all day when my husband went back to work at 2 weeks post op.  Honestly, it wasn't that bad, and I'm sure I could have done it sooner than the 2 weeks (don't tell him that!).  You just have to learn to pace yourself and lower your standards briefly if necessary.  I am a bit of a clean freak, and I had to learn how to let that go a little bit.  My health was more important.  No one cares if your laundry basket is full or there's dust on your tv - you just had brain surgery and that entitles you to let things slide a bit!   

Are there any teenagers or kids in your neighborhood you can "hire" to take care of the pets?  Sometimes you just have to get creative, but I'm sure people will be more than willing to help you out.

Good luck!
Lori

[microsoftfree]

I am undiagnosed right now, but well versed in the living alone and surgery...had knee surgery last year. Did all the same things, stocked up on tv dinners, paper plates and plastic utensils, had enough supplies to last me through the recoup time as I couldn't drive. Before my surgery, I just paid attention to the everyday things I had to do and made a list of what I could do to make doing those things easier. I guess you could say that I pretended I was "disabled" before I actually was. Made the post-op a lot easier as I went straight home after surgery by myself. I set it up before hand for a neighbor to just come check on me the first couple of days to satisfy the docs.

[kenneth_k]

Hi DLM4me.

Recovery in the first weeks is normally quite remarkable. At the hospital, you may able to ---- nothing.
When at home, you can go to the bathroom, make light meals and snacks, sleep, watch tv, and read during the first week.
In the second week you might want to walk a bit outside as well. Just as long as you listen to your body.
In the third week, you might even feel ready to do more strenous home chores, but be carefull about lifting restrictions.
And remember, there will be up's and down's, but you can probably handle twice as much as you think, and ten times as much as your mother thinks

Regards, Kenneth

[Keri]

Great advice, Kenneth. Concise and accurate!

The times I've pushed it too much, I get a huge headache (those have gotten much better 8 weeks post op).

Take it easy and rest. But it's good to do some walking and getting out a bit too in the fresh air (after the initial 'out of it' stage).

I hope all goes well with you,
Keri