trying to get what I need.

[KathyM]

I am trying to get things all lined up. Since I live alone I have to get things lined up so there is less I have to ask of others. I do have so many people that will help me out, but I want to do whatever I can. So here is the question, many of you say you sleep or needed a recliner. Did you get the electric one? I would assume that if you can't open doors or windows that one could not push the lever on a manual one. If you did get one did you rent it or buy it?

xoxo
KathyM

Best wishes for all on thier way in for surgery.

 

[Jeeb1]

Hi--For my first surgery 10 years ago, my husband bought me a recliner. We didn't even think about the manual handle being a problem, but it was. So I definitely would get an electric one if they have them. The second time around--7 months ago--I didn't get a recliner. It took me so long to get my husband to get rid of the recliner the first time, that I didn't want another one cluttering up my house when I didn't need it anymore.
Good luck to you!

 

[South Sound Sailor]

my thoughts

my thoughts

I'll jump in but my disclaimer: I'm only 1 week post-op and only have 3 nights at home under my belt so far. I've got a Lazy-boy style recliner (we've had it for years) in my bedroom and I also bought a wedge pillow (a cheap one, only 7 inches high... I understand the taller ones are better). I've spent very little time resting or sleeping (ok, trying to sleep) in bed. The wedge pillow doesn't seem to help much but the dog loves it. Most of my daytime rests have been in the recliner which also is a rocking chair. Getting an electric one is definitely the way to go if you do not have 24/7 assistance at home. My old-fashioned manual lazy-boy recliner is very difficult to recline back without straining the strernum. Bottom line, I'd be sleeping in the recliner (and having my kids yank dad into and out of reclining position). Problem with my recliner is it's really for my wife and we purposefully bought a small-sized one for her so my feet dangle off the end. Make sure the thing fits you if you get one. If I had a properly sized electric recliner, I'd probably be living in that thing right now (and no, I'm not a furniture salesman). The bed... even with the wedge just doesn't seem to be working for me. You're not asking but I think the bigger challenge is not WHAT you're sleeping on, it's "are you going to be able to go to sleep at all regardless of how comfortable you try to make yourself?" Seems to be a very common problem and for my past 3 nights, I'm averaging about 2.5 hours, even with an OTC sleep-aid.

Best of luck with your decision.

Steve

 

[KathyM]

Thanks for the response. I will now try and locate a recliner. I will donate it to hospice or someone else when I am done with it.


Steve: I have been reading about your recovery and watching for your posts. I don't have a date yet, but cardio wants it in the next few months.

I am sorry to hear you are not sleeping. When I lost my husband and could not sleep, I would use sleepy time tea and a half of tylenol PM. It worked well for me. I also told many of the people in my support group about it and they had good results too. You can find it in the tea section in the grocery store.


Thanks for helping out. Good luck with your recovery.


xoxo
Kathy M

 

[Magic8Ball]

I used a recliner and its a manual one.

I didn't have much of a problem with it but it wasn't problem free. Being a big bloke i found that my sheer weight allowed me to recline and sit up by just clicking the handle a little....had i had to use the handle as a lever i would have been in trouble. I also had my feet over the edge so had to angle the chair towards the bed which retracted slightly from the comfort.

The V pillows are great (i should put that in my signature i say it so often) i'd get someone to bring one into hospital for when you come to the ward after ICU...it saved my life as back pain was making it impossible to sleep.

Steve: i too had issues sleeping for about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks post op....asked for stronger pills which didn't really help then BANG slept nearly all night one night and thereafter....your surgery has messed you up and the body and mind needs to reset afterwards...put up with it for a little longer but if you are still having issues at 1 month then discuss with the doc....nothing makes a situation worse than heaping lack of sleep on top of it.

Regards.

 

[Philip B]

Recliner

Recliner

While I regularly nap in my recliner, I could not sleep in it following my surgery last March. Instead, I slept on the sofa for about six weeks. I was able to use pillows to get comfortable. I just couldn't get the right angle in my recliner. Hopefully, you'll have better luck with a recliner than I did.

-Philip

 

[Curtsmum]

kathy, i think i remember WayneGM, having a good idea about manual recliners, then again i could be mistaken. Best of luck.

 

[marie]

I am three weeks post op and used a lazy boy recliner with the lever on the side. I did have help however my husband would bring me up and then bring me down. I can do it myself now as of yesterday. I have a wedge pillow and along with a couple of other pillows I slept in my own bed from the first night. I gradually took off the extra pillows and again as of last night I am using only the wedge pillow. If I was alone the recliner would not have worked I would have needed one that does the work for you. Good luck
Earline

 

[Superbob]

Kathy,

My family got me a nice recliner which I basically lived in for a few months. It did have a manual handle, but I didn't find that to be a big problem. I guess an electric one would have been better but I didn't even realize that was an option. Overall the recliner was a big help....

 

[lieb2101]

I borrowed a recliner from my parents. It's really nice, easy to use, and very comfortable. In the three weeks since surgery, I've only slept in it once. Most of my sleeping has been done propped up on the couch (highly recommended if you have a large comfortable couch). I've recently moved to the bed and have been ok there. I only had one night where I couldn't fall asleep no matter what I did and I finally took refuge in the recliner.
On a side note, the recliner has been very handy to have around as my Father-In-Law took to it almost permanently when he stayed with me for a while during recovery

There's always use for a good recliner!

-Brian