Freakish Planning Person

[cjsmith]

Freakish Planning Person is making more lists! Lists containing lists!
[LJ-CUT TEXT="Notes for myself"]

1. Scheduling person at surgeon's office called to say she can tell me for sure tomorrow.

• Boss notified of delay in schedule resolution
• Boss's boss notified of delay in schedule resolution
• ...

WAIT, strike all that. New voice mail message. I'm on for the 4th!!

• Boss notified of the date
• Boss's boss notified of the date
• rfrench will be notified when I see him or when he reads his e-mail or when he reads this
• joedecker, backup driver (thank you! I may still need you!), will be notified when he sees his IM screen or when he reads this notified
• Parents will be notified as soon as they hear their voice mail
• (new 8:30pm) All square dance commitments notified, as soon as group leaders see their e-mail anyway

2. Fears about the outcome: present. Contingency plans for if this doesn't do much for me: made.

3. PREP: Questions to ask at pre-op appointment

• Does the surgery center provide crutches? Funny shoes?
• If I'll have prescription painkillers, can I get the prescription now so I can fill it while I can still drive and walk?
• Food/water restrictions? Starting when?
• Medication restrictions before surgery? After?
• Anything I shouldn't be wearing when I come in? (No more surprises with metal jewelry!)
• When should my ride be prepared to pick me up from surgery?
• Will I wear the funny shoes 24/7? If so, what are they like? If not, what are the dressings like?
• Is there anything I should buy now to prepare for aftercare (eg bandages)?
• When can I stand up? shower? ride a bicycle? drive a car?
• When's the first post-op follow-up appointment?
• Can I get a videotape of the surgery? Still photos?

4. PREP: Chores

• Set up guest bedroom as recovery room, including water, books, pen-and-paper puzzles, Ethernet cable, read-in-bed back pillow, pillow-desk, and lots of pillows to go under feet DONE (hey, why not pamper myself?)
• Also have lined trash can handy in case anaesthesia doesn't agree with me. DONE
• Also put backpack in room. DONE
• Set up couch as first-afternoon crash spot, including water, books, pen-and-paper puzzles, laptop connected to Ethernet and power, pillows for under feet, land line, cell phone, snacks, painkillers.
• Make a bunch of quick-reheat food for the first few days DONE (purchased frozen food)
• Make chocolate chip cookies as promised to schedule-person DONE
• Get bike functional, in case I can ride it before I am allowed to drive
• Take apart an office chair so I have an under-desk-capable stool at work to elevate my feet a bit
• Make foot MRI icon already
• Create waist-pack of Important Stuff: water bottle, painkillers, cell phone, anything else that should always be on me

5. PREP: Errands

• Buy wedge-shaped pillow for laptop use in bed DONE
• Borrow pillow-desk from wonderful friend DONE
• Borrow table from aelfie
• Buy lots of flavored fizzy water DONE
• Buy beverage container with non-leaking lid (eg thermos) for the time on crutches DONE
• Go to medical supply place and check out real shower seat DONE, sort of (plastic stool will do fine in that big shower)
• Find extra-big shoes to wear while swollen NAH, do this as needed later

6. Last minute:

• Wednesday night: laundry
• Wednesday night: buy bag of ice
• Wednesday night: put laptop downstairs, by couch, connected to net
• Bring backpack to surgery
• Wear WIDE-legged shorts and a skirt to surgery

Anyone reading this: if you've had foot surgery, especially both feet at once, what should I be ready for?

Comments

Re: crutches

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I suspect the muscles I've built (a tiny bit) with the wheelchair are probably not the same muscles I'd need for crutches. I will be on crutches "up to a week" and I may not move very much!

How long were you on crutches?

Definitely backpack for carrying stuff. I had thought of that, but didn't put it on a list 'cause I own several. Yeah, no cafeterias and no yummy mugs of tea! (Ooo, beverage container with lid, that'd be an enjoyable convenience. I'll add that to my list.)

Re: crutches

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

I was on crutches for about 6 weeks? Maybe 7 or 8, it was years ago. It seemed like a VERY VERY VERY long time. You have a big advantage in being able to plan for it. The "not carrying stuff" and "not walking far" were the biggies, plus of course everything took longer. Taking baths took up a lot of my "free time", along with moving objects from room to room (I'm not kidding). If I'd had stronger arms it might have been different? As it was, getting a wheelchair (for trips to other buildings at work) and getting a DMV handicapped pass (a temporary one) helped a LOT.
Another major bummer, one you are likely to actually understand, is that I had this broken foot bone when I was JUST ABOUT to be in a dance performance every weekend for 8 weeks. So in addition to all the many rather pressing logistical and practical problems, I was also heartsick about not being able to dance.
You will have a much much easier time since 1) you are prepared 2) you are actually choosing this, for a purpose you desire 3) it is for a week not many weeks 4) it is on a scheduled date so you can plan around it

Re: crutches

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Broken bone, sounds like? Yeah, those not only take a while to heal up but people don't exactly PLAN to break bones! :-(

I'm fortunate that I already have the wheelchair and the DMV handicapped pass. Not that I can drive after, but anyone who transports me can park in those spots so I won't have far to hobble.

Gah, I empathize hugely with how you must have felt about missing the dance performances. Augh! That must have been a blanket of sadness on top of all the annoyances. How awful! :-(

And yeah, I do expect to have a pretty easy time by comparison. I'm very lucky in a lot of ways -- this is a minor surgery, *not* through the bottom of the foot (meaning weight-bearing is ok immediately), and I tend to bounce back from anaesthesia easily and heal quickly. I'm counting my blessings and coming up with quite a large number.