Question re: post op walking in hospital

[PegB]

Thiis may qualify for one of the dumbest questions ever asked, but I keep wondering about it, and forgot to ask at pre-op.

What do you put on your feet to do all this hall walking? They say not to bring anything with you, so do they usually give you those ugly socks with the rubber bottoms? Should I bring my walking shoes (as if I could tie them!). I'm afraid slippers would be loose and slippery when you can barely stand up.

Thanks for any input into this. I think it's about the last thing I need to know.

 

[Marguerite53]

I just used their ugly socks. You probably won't feel up to tying any shoelaces is correct!!

Good luck! You're doing great if all that you're thinking about is your feet!

Best wishes!!

Marguerite

 

[geebee]

Bending over will be a little tough for the first week or so and anything but slip on type shoes or slippers are a must. I had trouble with the sock thingys as I didn't like someone having to put them on for me. I had my SO bring me slippers once I was in a regular room.

They don't want you to bring anything prior to surgery because they would have to keep track of it. However, you should be able to have personal items once you are out of recovery. I had my robe, nightgown and slippers because I hate hospital clothing.

 

[hensylee]

My nurse cousin stayed in a motel near the hospital. She had my stuff and brought my Grasshoppers that are slip-on canvas shoes. That's what I used the whole time. Be prepared for those walks. Every morning they got ALL the patients in the hall walking back/forth - even stairs, gowns flapping everywhere, iv's rolling. We had quite a crowd. And if you were missing, the staff came and got you. They came to me one morning, demanding I get out there and walk - well, I had fooled them; I had been up early and nurse cousin and I had already done mine before anyone else got up. Soooo, the staff nurse made me go to the stairs! Kinda like those grade school fire drills - remember those?

 

[Philip]

Wear you running shoes!! Be the fastest patient on the floor! Also note that the IV stand makes a great scooter.
Have a speedy recovery.
Philip

 

[StretchL]

Be prepared for those walks. Every morning they got ALL the patients in the hall walking back/forth - even stairs, gowns flapping everywhere, iv's rolling. We had quite a crowd.

Now THAT sounds like a picture!

 

[KMS]

Just too lazy to change

Just too lazy to change

When I went in for surgery, I brought easy PJs, a comfy robe and these great new fluffy slippers with rubber treads...and everything stayed in my bag. I just didn't feel like changing out of my hospital-wear. I wore the booties for all of my walks and they worked just fine.

I'd say cozy up to those booty socks...

Kristine

 

[OldManEmu]

Moccasins

Moccasins

I wore sheep skin moccasins. Those in the US may never heard of these. For those Aussies I do not wear these outside the house, they are my slippers.

 

[DeWayne]

Wear you running shoes!! Be the fastest patient on the floor! Also note that the IV stand makes a great scooter.
Have a speedy recovery.
Philip

Too funny, the nurses kept asking me if I was running a marathon or something! I just told them that was my normal gait

 

[marky]

I never had that .. guess it depends where you stay..
Actually NO ONe made me walk after the first day..
I just made myself walk..in the ugle hospital socks!

 

[tobagotwo]

I had really cheap slippers, intended to throw away afterwards, but wound up just wearing the booties with the elastic band that holds them on that they use for visitors. Bending forward is not a good thing after the operation, so the booties were very quick on and off. Forget flip-flop type slippers, as they're just not safe, even if they slip on easily.

Gown open in the back or front? Get a second one and wear it backwards. Problem solved, and they still do all the laundry.

They can walk you even with all the tubes and bags attached. They hang them on a cart and walk alongside you. Walk as soon as you can. I was walking with the physical therapist the next morning, and doing stairs the following day, when some of les accoutrements had been removed. They have a monitor on your heart while you walk, so if you're not taking it well, they know immediately.

Most people are not nearly as incapacitated as they thought they'd be. Do what your body feels okay to do, making sure help is around in the beginning.

Just don't sneeze.

Best wishes,

 

[Gnusgal]

I also used the hospital socks. They were much easier than trying to put on shoes. I remember having to have help to get mine on when it was time to leave the hospital.

I also ask for an extra gown and wear it backwards at all times. I've done it that way for years and years. Much better than trying to use your own gown. Getting it around IVs and such are too much of a pain. Plus, if any of your vampires make a mess (and it did happen for me!) then you don't get blood on your own clothes. (though I did find out that peroxide gets blood out very well!)

When I had my valve replacement a physical therapist came by every day and made me walk. I loved walking with her. She and I would talk about all kinds of things. She loved having the chance to talk to an adult with CHD (I was in a children's hospital) and learning what it's like to be the patient. She said she learned more from our talks than she ever did from going to the professional development workshops she was forced to attend.

 

[aussigal]

One thing I found really useful on my walks was pockets in my dressing-gown to put the lil portable heart monitor thingy in. I wore socks to keep my toes warm .

 

[sue943]

I wore my normal slippers for inside the hospital then when I had to wear normal clothes and walk up and down the stairs, and when I walked in the hospital grounds I wore normal shoes.

We stay much longer in hospital in the UK, hence the dressing and walking in the gardens - I was admitted on the Wednesday for surgery Thursday and then was discharged on the Sunday ten or eleven days later.

 

[Marguerite53]

Maybe one last thing to pack, Peg. As for gown indiscretions......I brought along a pair of my husband's boxer shorts. Large, but comfy and particularly friendly feeling! The hospital where I was actually had robes! They looked just like the gowns, same fabric, but they were built like robes. You can just ask for one! Better to get the iodine swab stains on their stuff, not yours!

The most important thing I brought was a photo of my kids in a cardboard folding frame thing. Their keeping watch was all I needed, really!

Marguerite