shoulder surgery - recovery - tips?

[Best Aunt]

Does anybody have tips on things which are helpful to have around the house when you are recovering from shoulder surgery?

Just wondering if there is anything specific that I should pick up for my friend.

 

[leebee]

DH found that the most helpful thing was sleeping in a recliner- not that you should go buy her one, but maybe see is you can help her find one to buy, or borrow? Thrift stores?

He also found it handy to have some sort of bed tray or solid surface/box so he could put drinks, remote control, pens, etc in it and everything would be THERE, instead of having to get up to find things. I bought him something that looked like a plastic shoe box to put stuff in, and also a lap board so he could balance his laptop more easily and it'd stay in one place and level when he was using it.

 

[LouChris]

Make your physical therapy appointments before you go into surgery. The PT is important and sometimes it take awhile to get into PT. My husband hurt his back a week ago and has to wait another week to get into PT here.

 

[DisneyHardin]

When my DH had shoulder surgery a few years ago, he had to sleep in the recliner for about the first 2 weeks. The ice water machine was a lifesaver so we didn't have to do constant ice packs. Make sure that everything they may need while they are alone is VERY easy to open. I went back to work 2 days after DH's surgery and made him a sandwich for lunch and put it in a Rubbermaid container in the fridge for him - he couldn't get the lid off the Rubbermaid on his own, so I learned to just put the sandwich on a plate with Saran Wrap. It only took a few days until he could hold things with the bad arm and use the good arm to take lids off, but for those first few days, the bad arm was totally useless.

 

[barkley]

The ice water machine was a lifesaver so we didn't have to do constant ice packs.

those kodiak systems are AWSOME! a friend had to have a couple of orthopedic surgeries over a few years and his insurance paid for him to get one each time so he passed one on to us. when i had knee surgery it was a life saver. for shoulder surgery it allows a person to get comfortable.

DH found that the most helpful thing was sleeping in a recliner- not that you should go buy her one, but maybe see is you can help her find one to buy, or borrow? Thrift stores?

we looked into renting one for a family member's post surgical recovery that also included a lift-not terribly expensive. i would absolutly encourage someone living alone during recovery to look into it.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Shirts that are soft, comfortable, and easy to get into and out of.

Frozen meals that don't involve any prep other than heating up in the oven.

 

[barkley]

Shirts that are soft, comfortable, and easy to get into and out of.

yes! ones that button up the front so you don't have to lift your arms to get into them.