i am having a discectomy L5-S1 on october 21st. I want to "plan ahead" so to speak and would like to know if and what i will need to bring to the hospital and will i need any special equiptment to have at my home for afterwards ???
I had one at the same level. Just bring clothes that are very comfy and easy to get on. Sweats and t-shirts are best. You shouldn't need anything else.
When I went home, the only thing I needed was help with washing my hair since I couldn't bathe. I can't remember though if I covered the surgery site or not with a trash bag and tape to bathe. Make sure you have plenty of pillows. I always had some to support my back, to put under or between my knees. I slept on the couch for the first week, cause the back of it gave good support when sleeping. My mom was home with me the first few days out.
It is a fairly inevasive procedure,, not major in the sense of the actual surgery. Major b/c of the risks involved.
GOod luck and I hope you get great results!
I have somewhat of a soft lumpy bed with pillowtop. Will that be ok for me to sleep on or should i consider the floor? I also suppose stomach sleeping will be out of the question huh? I saw online somewhere that some people will need a raised toilet seat, is that true?
In my opinion, the floor is out of the question, it would be heck to get up and down. And as far as the soft to mattress topper, I would take it off for now, you will need a fairly firm surface so you can get up and down from the bed a little easier, don't forget the log roll. A raised toilet seat is a good idea for some, I didn't use mine when I made it home, and I didn't use the walker either. A grabber is a good idea I used it a lot. Put stuff that you will be using a lot from your pantry on upper shelves if possible, you won't want to bend over for a while. Read the post surgery tips post. Good luck.
Carl
edit-I guess I read it wrong, and I just re-read your post, you have a mattress with a non-removable pillow top...sorry, that will give you some added height and should prove to be an advantage.
I had a discectomy in March, and I found the best thing for me right after surgery was the recliner, with lots of pillows for support (although sometimes I did need some help getting out of it!). Also, when I could finally lay down again (it took a while for me, just because it was so hard to move around), I was most comfortable sleeping on my side with a pillow between my legs. The area around the incision was very tender at first, so anytime I could avoid pressure on that area I did.
Debbie, I have a futon matress on my bed and I had no problems. The log roll is how you will be getting out of bed. They will teach you this in the hospital when you get up to use the bathroom. I highly recommend a grabber. I don't think I could have made it without one. When you get home, anything on the floor will be out of reach. Bendable straws are great to have as are paper plates and plastic cups. No dishes!
The one other thing that I experienced is that I could not reach the flusher on the toilet. I used a hammer to reach it. I had a micro-d almost 8 weeks ago and I am very happy with the results. I could barely walk before and I spent today painting my kitchen.
One last vital thing, don't forget a positive attitude. That is the most important thing you will need. You are gonna do great! Please keep us informed.
