PTTD surgery will be Wednesday- do I have what I need? - Foot Problems Message Board

njvj · 04-28-2008, 12:08 PM

Hi guys
I have been reading the threads and I know that I need a toilet seat raiser, a shower chair, foam wedges, crutches and a roll about. My sister has picked these up for me ( as she is in Charlotte, where they will operate).
I have stocked up on lean cuisines, fresca and foods that I think that caregivers will want. What am I forgetting?? I am totally stressing.
My mother is taking me to Charlotte tomorrow night. We are staying in a hotel then going to the hospital Wednesday morning at 7.30. They are keeping me one night and then we are driving back Thursday ( 90 miles ugh).
My peaceful planning weekend went sideways- my ex boyfriend decided to come to a charity event and I said that we could go together- mistake- and I got a letter from a court in Pennsylvania saying they were issuing a warrant for me for an unpaid $10 parking ticket that I got months ago in a rental car. In all honesty, I got the ticket but forgot about it- I travel every week so one city blends into another. So, I called and had to send them $141! It would have been nice to get some interim notice!!!
I guess my point is, I am afraid that my frazzled state is making me forget something. What else do you think that I should get???

thanks!!!!

janewhite1 · 04-28-2008, 12:24 PM

Sounds like you're pretty well on the ball. Just make sure you have enough ice packs that you can use two of them continually. Also, if you have time, go through the house and make sure that the "aisles" are clear enough for crutches (ie no furniture in the way or stray items on the floor). If you have throw rugs, throw them in a closet. (I'm so lazy, one of mine is still rolled up.)

Also, a waterproof cast cover is useful, although I did fine with a garbage bag and 2 rubber bands, and leaving my leg propped up on another chair outside the shower curtain. Actually, that was freaking inconvenient. Get the cast cover.

Got DVD's or other easy-on-the-brain entertainment? Those totally saved my life, after.

You're gonna be fine. If you weren't stressed out at this point, you wouldn't be human, but you're gonna be ok.

sunny77 · 04-28-2008, 03:35 PM

It sounds like you've gotten everything covered that you will need right away. The cast cover isn't a bad idea to have on hand, but you can get it later and use garbage bags in the interim. You might want to be sure to have a pillow or two for the long ride home after surgery. Make sure you've taken some pain meds before leaving the hospital too...your foot might get sore/painful with bumps and such on the road.

You'll be surprised at how you feel when you wake up after surgery and that stress is gone! Waiting for some time for the surgery can just make it that much harder and more stressful, as you have time to think and worry, which we all do! But soon enough that will be over and you can focus on recovering and getting back to life! You'll do great! Keep us posted on how it goes!

emmie54 · 04-28-2008, 03:41 PM

I HATE to say this because I really don't want to stress you out, but if it were ME, I would make sure I had a barf bag or garbage can because either the anesthesia or the pain meds always make me sick and that is a long ride, but that's just me 8=]

njvj · 04-29-2008, 10:32 AM

The barf bag is probably not a bad idea. I am not really prone to motion sickness but with my mother driving, the anesthesia etc, it might be a miserable trip.
Joy