First Few Days Home

[SCCWS]

I had a question on the first few days at home. I realize everyone's recovery is different. I have seen different suggestions on modifying furniture etc. My question is assistance. I am 63 in very good shape going into surgery. I saw someone say it is a good to have a CNA or similar come in a few hours the first few days during the middle of the day when I will be alone. Any thoughts on how limited normal mobility is the first 2-3 days home. I will be alone from 9-5 but everything is on 1 floor.

 

[Bina]

We never know for sure what surprises the surgery or the recovery will throw at us, so it is best to be prepared for anything.
In my case we live far from the major hospital and I needed "at home" care for my incision. Surprisingly, there is a home nursing
service here and someone came twice a week for several weeks to clean and care for my incision. My husband was at home with me
but he doesn't do wound care. He made my lunches, helped me wash, and tidied up.
Many patients are fine to be alone during the day; resting or watching DVDs worked for me.

 

[kfay]

"Assuming" that you have a good, bump free recovery, I would probably think that you wouldn't need help during the day, assuming that you have planned out your meal situation, and that someone can easily get to you if you should need help. My husband went back to work after my first week home from the hospital. I was absolutely fine at home by myself while he was at work. Having said that, I made sure to shower, go for outside walks, etc, only when he was at home with me, just in case. I also made sure to always have my phone within arms reach. Unlike Bina, I was told to just wash my incision in the shower and lightly towel dry it, there was no other wound care for me.

If you do decide to forgo the help, I would have a person lined up just in case you find that you do have that need. Best of luck!

 

[epstns]

I was 63 at the time of my surgery, and was in pretty good shape, so there may be some comparability. For the first few days, I did not need much general care. My wife was home, and probably did a lot of incidental things, but I probably could have done them for myself if I had to. You may want some help in preparing meals - at first even standing is very taxing. In general, though, you won't need much care if your recovery is smooth. You will be able to get yourself around the house and do (carefully) most personal care activities. In my first few days back home, I was even able to do stairs multiple times.

Once you are past the first few days, and want to get out for walks, I would plan to have someone with you for the first few times, until you know how you will react. I remember my first few walks. My wife held my arm to steady me, and we went very slowly. In time it approached normal, and now I'm back in the gym several days a week.

Hang in there -- you'll do fine.

 

[Rachel]

You're right, everyone's recovery is different! For me I just made sure all the dishes/towels/food/soap/blankets/pillows... whatever I thought I'd need were not located in a place over my head. I didn't raise my arms for weeks after surgery. I also didn't push myself up with my arms for weeks either (my legs did all the work getting me in and out of chairs and bed). I even sat while taking a shower.

I had a really smooth recovery, but I also had a nurse come in 2X a week for 3 weeks to check on my BP, temperature, weight, and progress. I also had a physical therapist come in for the first three weeks to show me some exercises I could do, he progressively bumped my program up as I healed. There was also a person who came over to assess our home for safety.

My doctors did not want me left alone for a solid two weeks, so someone (mostly my husband) was with me 24/7, but I could do pretty much everything on my own including walk up and down our stairs multiple times during the day. I also walked for 30 minutes twice a day.

In my opinion, I think that if you don't have any problems you should be more than fine on your own for a couple hours each day.

Rachel

 

[SCCWS]

Thanks for the advice. I will be alone for 5 hours so I think Week 1 makes sense having a CNA for a couple of hours.

 

[Bina]

Something else worth thinking about: most hospital stays are 5-10 days for this type of surgery, mine was 16 days due to the
surgeon wanting my INR to be perfect before being released.
Since I had a house full of pets, it meant extending the pet care for a few days.

 

[Mentu]

I was 59 at the time of my AVR. As is prudent, I made a number of preparations such as moving things to lower shelves and stocking up on easy to prepare meals. As it turned out, my best friend was able to come visit for a few days after I got home just in case I needed the support. I was rather surprised to find that I could take care of myself and after about a day of pampering started fixing meals, doing a little laundry, feeding my chums, etc. It was very nice to have my friend there but I didn't need him to actually do anything. You will probably be surprised at how you feel. You will have issues but you will probably not be an invalid.

Larry

 

[2003miata]

I had a pretty uneventful recovery at home after my surgery. My wife stayed with me full time, but I think I could have managed by myself, except for one thing - if I tipped all the way back in my recliner, I couldn't sit up without using my arms to pull myself to a sitting position (I had to ask my wife to help me out). My advice - check out that recliner before you find yourself stuck.

 

[Jkm7]

I'm another who was able to manage fine at home during the day when DH had to go to his office.
Mass General insisted I have plans for someone to be with me the first week and we complied. We arranged for a friend who is a home caregiver to be with me. She was wonderful and agreeable and able but truly, I was eager for it to be time for her to go home. I simply did not need the help and am one who prefers to tend to myself if at all possible. I thanked her profusely and we agreed I really didn't need special help.

I kept my cell phone in my pocket at all times, only showered if there was someone else in the house and I managed fine. I found the more active I was, up to my comfortable limits, the better I felt. I was not one to loll in bed.

I was able to sleep in our bed from first night home each surgery but needed lots of pillows to arrange my own little nest. I was able to make myself a light lunch and wash the dish. I could walk stairs fine and without lifting or carrying anything outside approved weight limit, I did laundry. I only did my outdoor walking when I knew there was someone aware I was out and when I expected to return. Again, I had my cell phone with me always.

You cannot know in advance how strong you will be or how much help you might need.

The chances are very good you should be able to manage but have a Plan "B", just in case.

 

[hook]

my best advice is to always keep a cell phone at your side just in case, and don't shower alone; my first shower I nearly passed out. I also got a little over confident and went to my basement office to get some papers just to realize I could not get back up the stairs. My dad 75 year old had to come down and help me up; I think it affected him that I needed help in this way; one of those moments you know. I guess what I am suggesting is don't get froggy when you are alone.

 

[Boston Tiger]

I was home alone during mid-day for a few days during the first week back. The biggest problem for me was that I discovered that daytime TV was absolutely horrible. Throw in soccer world cup being on the non-soap channels (with those stupid buzzing horns) and I was looking for anything to do. It only took me a week or so before I was sneaking up to the computer in our office to log onto work for a few hours a day.

 

[epstns]

Yeah, I was doing stairs and logging into the system at work a couple of days after arriving home. There's only so much TV a guy can watch. Some of my other hobbies went idle, too, though, as I just didn't have the focus to do things like send/receive high-speed morse code on my ham radio, etc. for quite a while after I got home.

 

[Jkm7]

I had trouble reading books for the first two or three weeks post op.
I had to struggle for concentration at first.

I was able to e-mail with friends and participate on my favorite internet forums but nothing that required lots of detail.