I had extensive foot surgery 2 weeks ago and am non weight bearing on my right foot. I have mainly been taking sponge baths, because it is so difficult to use the shower. We have a large shower that has about a 6" lip on it. My hubby put a molded plastic lawn chair in the shower for me. That part was a tip from a friend and worked fine. The problem was getting in and out.
I think that we may need to install some handicap bars. I tried using a walker to get out, but that did not allow me to hop over the edge. My husband, who has had back surgery, had to support me almost fully so that I could get out. I was slick and I almost fell a couple of times. I have arthritis in my shoulders and hands, which make crutches out of the question.
We are really resourceful, but cannot figure this one out. Help!
I am so frustrated!
Lynne
Hi Lynne, trying putting the shower chair in with the seat facing out towards the shower door and the front feet straddled the 6" lip. You can then sit on the chair with your legs out of the shower but you can get most of yourself wet. I'm not sure if I explained that so you could understand but I hope I did. You may get the floor a little wet, make sure you have rugs down so neither of you slip. I'd rather you have a wet rugs than one of you falling in the shower. LindyWhat about straddling the chair over the threshold? Then sit in the chair and swing your legs over the threshold while seated?
Can you stand once in the shower, to then move the chair into the shower completely?
Another life saver for me has been a rubber tub mat from Bed Bath and Beyond. It looks like a shag carpet made out of rubber. It gives me a surer footing in the shower and provides cushioning for my feet which give me problems on hard surfaces.
Good luck on your quest.
Oh boy... when I broke my leg taking a shower was the pits! Hubby tied a huge garbage bag over my leg and held me up while I showered. It was very slippery and dangerous and I fell one time, thankfully on him
My hubby has rods and screws in his lumbar spine and is not supposed to lift, so I need some way to do most of it myself.
I may look for that bath mat.
Lynne
Dear Lynne, Oh my, I know how wonderful showering feels when you are sick and have surgery. I was wondering if you could fit 2 chairs into the space, one on the outside of the shower (sit and swing your legs into the shower (get up? if you can) and then sit in the chair inside the shower? I don't know your bathroom. When I had surgery I had a problem getting into the tub/shower, that is a high reach with your leg, then sat on a small chair under the shower head. It was tough to do, but felt soooo good, but don't fall! good luck with this. LyndaDear Lynne, I hope that you and your hubby are both feeling better soon! Love, juliahThey make an actual shower chair that is partly like a bench. The seat part is wide so that it goes across the edge of the tub and sticks out. All four legs of the shower are in the tub, and it has a back to it. Just the seat part is long so you can shower with one leg in and one out. When you are done you schooch yourself along the bench and swing your good leg out. Does this make sense?4
If you go to a medical supply store, they make vinyl boot that has a rubber gasket so no water can pass through. I used one for my arm after surgery and it works well.
Lynne, These are great suggestions! I'm going to try to find the "shaggy" bath mat, too. I'm so scared of falling in the shower and every mat I've tried still gets slick when it gets soapy. I fall enough on dry carpeting! I sure don't need to fall in a hard shower.
One thing you mentioned was the handicapped bars.. I think you should have at least one put in your shower. Maybe even two, depending how your shower is laid out. I have one in my shower and hold onto it any time I'm not on my shower chair.
Also, if you don't have a hand-held shower head, try to get one. My husband put a fitting on the shower head, so we have a reg. on and a hand held. Just push a button on the top and you can turn one off or one on or both on. Whatever you want. But it's a bit easier to control, especially when you are trying to rinse your hair.
It's kind of hard when you are both laid up at the same time, isn't it?
Let us know how you are doing. Hope you heal very fast!
Hugs, Nini
We do have a hand held shower plus a stationary one, so I can use either.
My husband had his back surgery 3 years ago and 3 levels were done. It helped, but he has permanent restrictions. He had been in so much pain that a patch plus oral pain meds didn't touch it and then his legs started giving way.
I have an appointment with my ortho doc tomorrow afternoon and will get my stitches out then and another cast. Don't know if it will be the boot or another vinyl one. I have only seen his PA since surgery , so have lots of questions about what he did and what he thinks my prognosis is to ask him. Since he is 100 miles away, it will pretty much blow the day. Hugs to all Lynne
This is what I do and it works well for me! I have a bench-type shower chair. Two legs inside, two legs outside. We took off the shower doors and put up a shower curtain handing from a rod that adjusts to any length. I sit on the bench, swing my legs into the shower (or bath tub-works with that too) and turn towards the faucet. I pull the curtains around me, tucking the end by the bench and enjoy a lovely shower with my handheld shower head! Until the last fall I could do it all by myself. Now I need a little help since I can't reach my hair.
We got the shower bench at the local medical supply store and the shower head at a hardware store.
Here's a bench - only .95!
http://www.allegromedical.com/bathroom-assists-c517/careguar d-tool-less-transfer-bench-p539272.html
My shower is non-negiotiable - essential to my well-being!
Kathy
Kathy, good idea about taking off the shower door and putting up a curtain. Should work like a charm. The orhtopod said I couldn't shower until I had my staples out after my knee replacement.......I smiled sweetly and didn't let him know that I had been showering, washing my hair from day 1 home. If he thought I was going to go 4 weeks without a shower he was looney. I wrapped my leg from thigh to calf in about six layers of saran wrap. I then tied long strips of saran wrap around the top of the leg wrap and the bottom, and tied both in nice little bows and showered away. Never got a drop of water on my incision. Where there's a will, there's a way. Lindy
I DID IT- I WAS ABLE TO SHOWER MYSELF AND DIDN'T FALL!!! It had to do with the information that I learned here- THANK YOU!
We positioned the plastic lawn chair so that it faced out and the front legs were out of the shower. We had to adjust the shower head a couple of times, but it worked. I have gotten more clean, but I shower is such a treat after surgery. This shower has a curtain, not a door, which was a help. My husband was nearby in case I needed him, but I didn't. This may seem like a small thing, but to me it is a huge victory.
I see the surgeon tomorrow. I think that I will have 4 more weeks non weight bearing, then a month in a walking cast.
Lynne