Question about care

  • Thread starter Thread starter emmytr1
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emmytr1

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Hi,
My dh is having back surgery on the 18th of this month, and I was wondering if he will need me to be home for a couple of weeks after to care for him. I'm not sure what type of surgery as we don't meet with the doctor until the 15th, we have to travel 3 hours away as no one will operate on him here. He's been on disability for about 3 yrs. and has had surgery in the past for his back. He has arthritis in his spine and this time I believe it's a buldging disk that is pressing on his spine and nerve. The doctor he has here also mentioned that his disks are compressing. I need to call Hershey Med Center tommorrow and have them send me a letter about recovery for my HR dept and just wondered what I should tell my work. Also we live in the boonies with no neigrabroadors and about a 30 min drive to anywhere so I'm thinking that I sould plan on staying home with him. Any info would be appreciated.
mlou
 
Please can someone give me some advise befor I have to call the doctors office tommorrow??
Thanks,
mlou
 
I would definitely plan to stay home a couple weeks with him if you can. What was his recovery like with his prior back surgery? How long did he need help for then? I'd use his past experience as a guide to help you plan the future, moreso when you get details on what his specific surgery will be. I had a laminectomy in May and needed quite a bit of help at first, less help later, but I needed some kind of help for a little while. Also, I'd set up your home at waist level for him as much as possible, prior to surgery --bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, tv and such, have things he'll need or want at waist level or within arms reach for him (w/o stretching)... definitely nothing at a level he'd have to reach down for w/o a reaching aid. Purchasing a raised toilet seat ahead of time is also a huge help in the bathroom, so he doesn't have to sit as low (which hurts). Make sure you both have a large volume of entertainment to keep you amused --recovery gets pretty boring.
Please post when you know what surgery he'll be having. I'm no expert, but I'm happy to help if I can. I'm 3 & 1/2 months out from my back surgery.
Good luck!
Meghan
 
I would agree with Meghan. Depending on the type of surgery, and how long he is in the hospital, he will need you for at least the first week, and probably two, just to be on the safe side.

There is a "sticky" post near the top of the first page of the back board that details tips on post surgical recovery -- tips to make the patient's life easier. Be sure to get him a "grabber." This will allow him to reach things he drops without having to call for you every time. ..especially good when he can't reach the remote control, etc. After surgery, as part of his recovery, he should not be bending or twisting, so he should use the grabber for several months afterwarRAB!

The BEST tip I received was to get satin sheets for the bed. Some people get satin PJs, but I found having a slippery bottom sheet was all I needed. It really helps when you are trying to change position in bed and have basically NO muscle strength. At the hospital, I felt like I was attached to the bed with velcro. It was SO hard to move. But once at home, with the satin sheet, it made all the difference.

We moved a twin bed into the den. I could have gone up and down the stairs, but we have 2 big dogs who aren't allowed upstairs, and I wanted to be near them, and the rest of the action, the big TV, the desktop computer, etc. It was also nice because the patient really should lay flat when not up walking, and it was much more comfortable and easier to get on than a couch would have been.

I had a one level fusion in Jan. and was on pretty strong pain killers for the first two weeks. It was great to have someone to get things, bring food and drink, etc. I slept most of the time so didn't need the company. After that, I could walk to the kitchen to get food and could pretty much take care of myself. I wasn't supposed to drive, so that wasn't an issue.

I think 2 weeks is a good guess on how long he will need you there!
 
It really depenRAB on what is being done. Everybody is different, too. I would have been fine on my own. My husband only took off for my actual day of surgery. I homeschool my kiRAB, so two teens were home for at least part of the day to get me breakfast and lunch. They also worked, so they were often gone. If they were leaving, they'd make sure I had food and drink within reach. But they didn't do anything else, besides, of course, keep me company. I didn't need help getting in and out of bed or help in the bathroom. I had a 360 fusion, that is, incision in both the stomach and the back, and I had 8 levels done. As long as you leave necessary items where your husband can get them, he CAN be alone. But you and he would probably both feel better if you could be around for at least the first few days. Being around for a few weeks would be even better.

Others may chime in and say he must not be alone. That's fine. Everyone's experience is different. For some people, that's quite the case. I tend to be overly independent, if you know what I mean. I get myself into trouble by not letting people help me when I should.

I wish you and your hubby the best. Make sure you read that sticky at the top called "post surgery tips." You'll get lots of great suggestions there that will make his recovery easier.

Blessings,
Emily
 
Thank you for your answers.
I think because I can ,I will take 2 weeks and go from there,it would make us both feel more at ease.
Mary Lou
 
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